- 14 Apr 2007 19:30
#1176343
This is my timeline, more or less, for the Battle of Midway, had the Japanese won a resounding victory.
1. Midway falls to Japan, and the US Pacific Fleet is decimated. All US fleets in the Pacific are withdrawn to Hawaii and California to await repairs.
2. Japan meanwhile initiates a powerful offensive against the Aleutian island chain, capturing them. Meanwhile they reinforce their positions in the Philippines and other islands, building up defenses.
3. A massive air strike occurs in naval harbors at Hawaii. Very minimal Japanese losses, the US Pacific Fleet all but destroyed.
4. Without a fleet, Guadalcanal never happens. The Japanese take the position easily, and the costly battle is avoided. As a result, Japan manages to push on New Guinea and the American Coral Sea, capturing both positions, and Japan initiates bombing campaigns against Australia.
5. Access to India, provided by Guadalcanal, is now severely limited. Few American supplies get through, and as a result, Chinese resistance falters. Japan makes valuable gains against the weakened resistance, but does not totally conquer the area.
6. More bombings of Hawaii, US forced to rebuild on Atlantic Ocean to avoid bombings. Air strikes in California occur, hoping to demoralize the American people.
7. Defeat seeming ever more likely, many Americans call for a peace settling with the Axis powers. American operations in North Africa continue, though several thousand troops are withdrawn to provide additional defense along the Pacific Coast. This causes Operation Torch to take longer than expected, Germany and Italy manage to reinforce Sicily in this time, and provide stiff resitance.
8. Japan, seeing American build up in the Atlantic, bomb the Panama Canal, rendering it useless. Americans must now send their Pacific fleet all around South America.
9. Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands now, for the time being, under firm control, Japanese forces go north of Manchuria, and open a second front against Stalin. Stalin, forced to redistribute troops, withdraws soldiers from the German front. Germany in turn, withdraws a less troops than Stalin did, but enough to provide Italy with a stronger defense, and reinforce positions in France. Russian-German front remains stagnant.
10. Franco, seeing the Axis powers make valuable gains, and sensing that he could benefit from joining them, declares war on Britain and takes Gibraltar.
11. Spanish troops are sent to aid Germany in the Russian front, and more troops cut off the Allied operations in North Africa from behind.
12. Surrounded by Italians and Spaniards, the Allied troops abandon Sicily.
13. Japan continues making advances into Sibera, and using the resources captured from all over the Pacific rim, has rebuilt its fleet to pre-war levels. The American fleet, small, moves up to Hawaii. Another Japanese victory occurs, and Americans cry out for settlement.
14. FDR loses re-election as people are disappointed in the way the war is going.
15. Combined German-Spanish strength against Russia causes Stalingrad to fall. Spain initiates bombing campaigns against Britain, similar to Germany’s. Britain surrenders.
This is as far as I have gotten, and I’m sure a few things could be fixed. I do not have terribly great knowledge of WW2, but I feel this presents a worst-case scenario for the results of the Battle of Midway. I would love anyone who has a greater knowledge in this area to point out errors, and impossibilities.
E: -6.75
S: 1.33