Hi guys, I know that history is not made with "if" and "but" but I'd like to know your opinion about a possible decision that sees the USA remain neutral and signed a non-aggression pact with Japan after Pearl Harbor. How would you see the world back then? The axis would have still got defeated or they would manage to rule the world?
Hmm, I see you question somewhat silly. When would this non-aggression pact have been signed? Immediately after Japan declared war upon the US by its stealth attack on US forces at Pearl Harbour? The Japanese attack, Pearl Habour, the Phillipines, Guam, and more in 24 hours, then sue for, not peace but a "non-aggression pact"? Would the sleeping giant remain asleep, to borrow a phrase from Admiral Yamamoto? Would Hitler then NOT as the German people to back him in a declaration of war against the US? Historians have collectively concluded that the American people had mixed feeling about entering a war Before Pearl Habour but the stealth attack galvanized the nation into thirst for vengence. Their collective ire was focused at Japan, and it may have been centred there for the duration had not Hitler made the collosal blunder of declariing war on the US on 10 December, 1941, in accordance with treaty obligations with Japan (The Tri-partite Pact of 1939). FDR wanted to support Britain in her struggle against Germany. Arguement can be made that the US was in a de facto war although the two nations remained de jure neutral. At sea US Navy ships were firing upon U-boats in some cases (convoy protection). Had Pearl Harbour not happened, had Japan "cooled her jets", had Germany not declared war on the US, then it might have allowed time for some changes in History. But this, I think, is predicated on Japan acting different in December, 1941.
@machineryman you need to study your history a bit more before engaging in alternative history. The U.S. would have entered the War eventually, yet after Pearl Harbor Japan had no hope of the U.S. accepting anything except total surrender.
Since the Americans pursued alway the neutrality the "non-aggression pact" signed by Japan and USA should have stated that the already started "economic" war between the two would have been stopped and eventually the USA would have been remained neutral in Europe. This is just pure fantasy not reality of course...
I have read some good alternative history and if you want to fantasize about a certain point you should keep to the reality of the time. There is a slim possibility that the U.S. might have stayed neutral in the war before Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, yet afterwards that was impossible.
