Barbarossa Dec 1941

[Pootle]

A big if but...in late 1941, if Japan hadn't turned its offensive intentions away from Russia towards the US in the Pacific and as a result if Stalin had not been able to send his Siberian army to stop the Germans in December, would Moscow have been taken and German campaign significantly shortened?

[Cheeris]

Did they ever have offensive intentions toward the Soviet Union in the lead-up to WWII?

It's pretty well established that, firstly, the Soviets had definitive information from Richard Sorge that Japan had no aggessive intent towards them and, secondly, that Japan entered the war against the USA to attempt a 'knock-out' blow that would allow them to take the resource rich European colonies in South East Asia.

[Cheeris]

Sorry, meant to qualify the above paragraph, but hit post too early!

It probably would have made a significant difference if Japan had invaded the Soviet Union at the same time as Germany. Like stated above the information from the Sorge ring allowed Stalin to move most of his divisions from Siberia to the European front. However, like I say, I think it is highly conjectural as Japan's army was fully tied up in the existing campaigns in China and plans for South East Asia.

[123everton]

The Japanese did attempt to invade Russia but were comprehensively defeated they signed a peace treaty and that was the end of Japanese intentions there.
The fall of Moscow would not have been militarily significant they probably could have taken Moscow but Hitler provaricated and turned towards Stalingrad (against the advice of his generals) in keeping with the original plan.
If I remember correctly.

[123everton]

They did invade Russia (I forget what year) it was on B.B.C.2 (Timewatch I think) the programme was about some of the falsehoods to do with the bushido code and the fair treatment meted out at the end of the short conflict.

[4GS]

This was pre world war one but it was a precursor for the russian revolution:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russo-Japanese_Wa r

[weggiewabbit]

everton, I believe you are right in saying that the German army could have easily taken Moscow if Hitler hadn�t prevented them from pushing on.

However, Russia was probably too large a country for them to occupy effectively, and I suspect the outcome of the conflict would very likely have been the same in the end, even if they had managed to take Moscow.

[weggiewabbit]

I think it�s very clear that Hitler despised the Russians (along with quite a few other races!) and he was itching to attack them as soon as he thought the time was ripe.

[123everton]

4GS I was'nt referring to the Russo Japanese war, it was the Imperial Japanese Army that attacked Russia which I'm referring too.
I can't remember the dates but it was pre 1941 and post 1933 (I think) I'm pretty certain it was Timewatch that covered it.