Nazi Germany/Japanese Empire collaboration in WWII

by IntrepidTraveler76

In 1940, Nazi Germany signed the Tripartite Act with Italy and Japan forming the Axis alliance. For Operation Barbarossa/Germany invasion of Russia, why then did Japan not take part as they literally shared a border with Russia at this time? One can assume that Russia fighting a two front war wouldve been unable to supply so many Siberian divisions to the Eastern Front to keep the Wehrmacht from advancing and would have spelled certain doom for Russia?

4square425

The Soviet Union and Japan had a non-aggression pact going on at the time that was more to the advantage to the Japanese than the Soviets. Earlier, both sides clashed in an undeclared border war culminating in the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, which was a decisive victory for the Soviets.

Thus, Japan needed the pact to preserve vital Manchuria or risk being overwhelmed by Soviets, which would have had further consequences for their designs in China and the Pacific. As German/Japanese coordination was never strong, Japan had little to gain and much to lose attacking Siberia, especially when it was preparing for the major offensive in South-East Asia and the Pacific.

[deleted]

While Germany negotiated an alliance with USSR, Japan was simultaneously being routed by Red Army troops in Manchuria.

When Japan finally aquiesced to German wishes that Japan build relations with the USSR and signed a neutrality pact...Germany invaded

These actions obviously created resentment and doubts that Germany would ever treat Japan as an equal partner when dealing with the Soviets. Germany would act as it saw fit regardless of Japan.

Also theres almost nothing worthwhile to occupy in Eastern Russia. If the USSR collapsed, Germany would benefit greatly and Japan would inherit tundra.

After achieving all of their war goals, why would Germany continue the war against Britain-USA? Germany would likely have sacrificed Japan to gain peace with the West

IntrepidTraveler76

From reading about the early 1900s war with Russia and the skirmishes in late 30s, there clearly was no friendliness between the two nations and seeing Op Barbarossa occur, you would think would be a major advantage for the ultra militant Japanese empire to strike from Russia's eastern border to remove that threat they had been dealing with for decades at that time.