The WWII Thread

[mrstickball]

sethnintendo said:

mrstickball said:

They almost single-handedly beat the Japanese in the theater. If it were not for this involvment, then I am near certain that Japan would of pressed through Manchuko to Siberia and forced Russia into a two-front war... Something they had no chance of winning.

This is something I debate a lot in my head.  Why did Japan attack USA?  Why didn't they help Germany and attack Russia first.  I suppose both Germany and Japan underestimated USA power.  USA was semi weak at the time but after the war machine got going there was nothing to stop the production output.  I believe Japan should have attacked Russia.  If Russia was knocked out of the war then it would be a  whole different story for the remainder of the Allies.  Funny that Russia steamrolled Japan towards the end of WW2 taking their holding in Manchuria, etc..

The US occupied the Philippines due to the Spanish War. It was a huge launch pad/stronghold for the allies during World War 2, and I would assume the Japanese knew they would have to occupy it to dimish US influence in their theater of war. Do not forget that they were fighting the US-backed Chinese to a stalemate, so they had to do something to turn the tide.

Why not attack Russia too? That is a very good question. It would of opened up a new front, but alleviated the Soviet's one-front war effort.

Its not surprising that the Soviets steamrolled the Japanese at the end of the war. The Russians had figured out how to beat the world's best land force in Germany. Japan's land force in Manchuko was poor by comparison. Japan had no tanks of note, no significant arms to deploy combined arms, and had little in the way of re-inforcements. Comparatively, the Soviets learned long and hard from their last war with Japan over Mongolia in 1938-39 and had vastly, VASTLY improved tactics and weapon systems. You were pitting T-34-85s and IS-2 tanks against men in ditches with bombs and hammers. It was a tactical nightmare waiting to (and did) happen.

 

According to the ORBAT, the Soviets had 1.6 million troops, 26,000 pieces of artillery, 5,600 SPGs and tanks, and 5,500 aircraft against just 1.2 million troops, 5,400 artillery pieces, 1,200 tanks and 1,600 aircraft. Then (as noted) consider the abilities of Soviet tanks and doctrine against Japan... Complete slaughter.