World War II

[inbfenby]

Why didn't the Japanese just invade the Soviet Union and create a second front for their Nazi allies, ( Which surley would have spelt the end for the USSR, seeing how close they came to losing with just one front to defend), Instead of taking on the might of the USA. I think we might be speaking German now if they did or am I missing something?

[ennui]

Hello I beleive I can answer this, I made sure to verify this answer in my college textbook The Western Experience by Mortimer Chambers among others editors. I boils down to a risky "gamble" as Chambers put it. A great force of Naval vessels were in Pearl Harbor. Japan thought that with one attack, America could be "rendered harmless"(Chambers 1079). Japan saw a chance that was too tempting to pass up: without the American Pacific Fleet, America didn't have a chance, so they thought, in the Pacific. In hindsight, there are other possibilities they could have taken, maybe your scenario. Russia had massive losses, however its Red Army was intact. Their "scorched earth" strategy left the German army rather hungry. (now as for your question)An attack by Japan would probably its death knell, but Japan would never have been able to catch the American Pacific Fleet undefended again. America would have had a much bigger force to operate with, and Japan would go on to fight a war with Russia; I think Japan calculated the odds and lost the dice roll.

[geofbob]

Although Japan and Germany (and Italy) had signed the axis agreement, Japan was not involved in WW2 in any meaningful way until it attacked the USA fleet at Pearl Harbour. It isn't clear how it would have served Japanese interests for Japan to help Germany win the war in Europe by invading the Soviet Union - and in any case this would have probably provided the motivation Roosevelt needed to take the USA into the war. Japan would then have found itself fighting on two fronts, with the USA Pacific fleet intact.

[inbfenby]

Good answers and food for thought although I wouldn't have thought Japan's invasion of Soviet territory would have brought the USA into the war judging by their profitable isolationsit policy prior to Pearl Harbour.