raharris1973
Well-known member
With a Point of Divergence after Pearl Harbor, your challenge is to ensure that the final surrender of an Axis power comes not from Japan, as it historically was in September 2nd 1945, but from Germany. This can be done by either extending the lifespan of Nazi Germany powers,or by ensuring the Japanese will be the first one to collapse. Ideally Japan would surrender with as few preconditions as OTL (IE, related to the Emperor), but you can bend this requirement if you feel you must and can devise a convincing way to get the Allies to accept a more conditions attached to Japan's surrender than OTL, or fewer.
This is not including other powers such as Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Finland and Thailand, those can surrender at any time.
A Japan-first policy amongst the allies may be the challenge here because Britain and the Soviets will both push far more to counter Germany, which is an imminent threat to their homelands, than the Japanese. The second challenge is the fanaticism of the Japanese defenders in the first place, considering the military even attempted a coup in 1945 (that is after it was apparent the war was lost, with two nuclear detonations, a Soviet invasion, and the loss of the IJN) despite going against the Emperor's wishes.
This is not including other powers such as Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Finland and Thailand, those can surrender at any time.
A Japan-first policy amongst the allies may be the challenge here because Britain and the Soviets will both push far more to counter Germany, which is an imminent threat to their homelands, than the Japanese. The second challenge is the fanaticism of the Japanese defenders in the first place, considering the military even attempted a coup in 1945 (that is after it was apparent the war was lost, with two nuclear detonations, a Soviet invasion, and the loss of the IJN) despite going against the Emperor's wishes.