"John Mullen" wrote in message
...


Great post!

And, by choosing the eastern, Pacific route of expansion rather than the
western, they ensured that the Navy rather than the Army would have
precedence in the Japanese junta of the time. These guys made an absolute
art-form of inter-service rivalry!


Well yes but the army retained the upper hand, its not as if they
were doing nothing. There was this little war going on in China
If you read Yamamoto's biography its clear that the navy OPPOSED
war with the western powers.

Interesting to speculate what if they had pursued the western route
instead.
Of course if they and the Nazis had been proper allies instead of
mistrustful (as well as untrustworthy!) basket cases, they'd have been
having this discussion in late 1940 or so.

Think Germany and Japan, working together in a coordinated way, could have
beaten the Soviets without bringing the US or UK into the war?


No. The Americans woud still have cutt off their oil and Japan would
have to make a grab for Malaya and the NEI

Germany has Barbarossa but without having Fall Gelb first. Japan
consolidates in China then attacks Siberia.


Witl all their forces the Japanese were unable to consolidate
China and with their poor transport and meagre infrastructure
they couldnt possibly have made deep inroads into Siberia.

And then perhaps done Western Europe afterwards. Assume a 1938/9
understanding greater than actually happened.


It doesnt help, Japan simply lacked the manpower and resources.

Keith