Why Japan defeated Pearl Harbor, not Vladivostok
In the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Union had a hard time, because Nazi Germany was a strong and cruel enemy. But it could have become much worse if militaristic Japan attacked the USSR simultaneously with the German invasion.
In fact, such a threat existed. Moreover, she hung over our country with a Damocles sword throughout the war. In Manchuria, near the borders of the Soviet Far East, a powerful Kwantung Japanese army was based. And for all the years of the war, the Japanese did not make a single attempt to invade.
Japanese peacekeepers
It sounds strange, but Tokyo made a lot of efforts to reconcile the Soviet Union and Germany. The Japanese understood that the USSR was not at all like Tsarist Russia, which they were able to defeat relatively easily. Partly this understanding was acquired by the Japanese during the Soviet-Japanese conflict of 1939 at Khalkhin Gol.
The Japanese did not want Germany to begin the implementation of the Barbarossa. And this desire was in no way connected with peacefulness or humanism. It’s just that the Japanese, unlike the Germans, had a more realistic idea of the capabilities of the USSR and of the chances of Hitlerite Germany to defeat the Soviet Union. They believed that the “blitzkrieg” was doomed to failure.
The Japanese leadership in every possible way persuaded Hitler to abandon plans for an attack on the USSR. When the Germans could not be persuaded, Tokyo in April 1941 signed a non-aggression pact with Moscow. By this, the Japanese wanted to show their allies in Berlin that they would not help the German troops and invade Soviet territory. Thus, they made another attempt to force Germany to abandon the invasion of our country.
From the end of 1941 to the beginning of 1942, when German troops captured most of the European part of the USSR, and our country was bloodless, the consequences of a blow to the back of the Japanese Kwantung army could be disastrous. It is not known if we would have survived then. But Japan did not attack, and she had good reasons for it.
The struggle for resources and markets
Japan was a fast-growing industrial country that did not have its own raw materials. She purchased raw materials abroad, exporting finished products. The Japanese were in dire need of raw materials and markets. The ideal market could be densely populated China, and the resource base - Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.
The seizure of these territories was more necessary for Japan than the problems with the Soviet Union. In China, the actions of the Japanese were successful due to the split between the Communists and the Kuomintang. In the Pacific, only Americans could interfere with Tokyo's plans, so they were chosen as the target for the attack. And so in December 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and not Vladivostok.
In this situation, the invasion of the Soviet Union would be crazy for the Japanese. They would have to wage war simultaneously on three fronts: in China, the Pacific Ocean and the Soviet Far East. This is tantamount to suicide. Therefore, Japan did not use the perfect moment to attack the USSR.
And what happened later, we all know. The Soviet Union, defeating Germany, came to the aid of its American allies, accelerated the victory over Japan and the end of World War II.
In fact, such a threat existed. Moreover, she hung over our country with a Damocles sword throughout the war. In Manchuria, near the borders of the Soviet Far East, a powerful Kwantung Japanese army was based. And for all the years of the war, the Japanese did not make a single attempt to invade.
Japanese peacekeepers
It sounds strange, but Tokyo made a lot of efforts to reconcile the Soviet Union and Germany. The Japanese understood that the USSR was not at all like Tsarist Russia, which they were able to defeat relatively easily. Partly this understanding was acquired by the Japanese during the Soviet-Japanese conflict of 1939 at Khalkhin Gol.
The Japanese did not want Germany to begin the implementation of the Barbarossa. And this desire was in no way connected with peacefulness or humanism. It’s just that the Japanese, unlike the Germans, had a more realistic idea of the capabilities of the USSR and of the chances of Hitlerite Germany to defeat the Soviet Union. They believed that the “blitzkrieg” was doomed to failure.
The Japanese leadership in every possible way persuaded Hitler to abandon plans for an attack on the USSR. When the Germans could not be persuaded, Tokyo in April 1941 signed a non-aggression pact with Moscow. By this, the Japanese wanted to show their allies in Berlin that they would not help the German troops and invade Soviet territory. Thus, they made another attempt to force Germany to abandon the invasion of our country.
From the end of 1941 to the beginning of 1942, when German troops captured most of the European part of the USSR, and our country was bloodless, the consequences of a blow to the back of the Japanese Kwantung army could be disastrous. It is not known if we would have survived then. But Japan did not attack, and she had good reasons for it.
The struggle for resources and markets
Japan was a fast-growing industrial country that did not have its own raw materials. She purchased raw materials abroad, exporting finished products. The Japanese were in dire need of raw materials and markets. The ideal market could be densely populated China, and the resource base - Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands.
The seizure of these territories was more necessary for Japan than the problems with the Soviet Union. In China, the actions of the Japanese were successful due to the split between the Communists and the Kuomintang. In the Pacific, only Americans could interfere with Tokyo's plans, so they were chosen as the target for the attack. And so in December 1941, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and not Vladivostok.
In this situation, the invasion of the Soviet Union would be crazy for the Japanese. They would have to wage war simultaneously on three fronts: in China, the Pacific Ocean and the Soviet Far East. This is tantamount to suicide. Therefore, Japan did not use the perfect moment to attack the USSR.
And what happened later, we all know. The Soviet Union, defeating Germany, came to the aid of its American allies, accelerated the victory over Japan and the end of World War II.
Information