[Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

Instead of employing atomic weapons, the US proceeds with a ground based invasion of the Japanese islands in World War 2. What do you think would have happened and what changes would occur in the modern world?

Re: [Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

Hundreds of thousands more Japanese civilians die, the military is 100% dead, and Japan ceases to exist as a modern nation state after the US conquers and occupies it. Since we're doing Alt History, then sometime in the late 60's it becomes the newest of the United States.

Re: [Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

If the Japanese resist as they intended ... then yes, what he said.

Re: [Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

There would also be significant US causalities, the US post war advantage of comparatively few combat loses would be gone. Hokkaido, and ~half of Honshu would Russian. There would be no South Korea.

Possible upside, after fighting closely enough together to actually fight side by side against Japan, post war relations between the USA and USSR may be more diplomatic than military.

Re: [Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

Before Puerto Rico, or at the same time (which would make Japan the 52nd state)?

Re: [Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

The admission of a single state that had that many electoral votes would be deeply contested. And it seems likely that after brutal defeat in a conventional war, Japan would still be bitterly opposed to the USA, possibly to the point of terrorism or guerrilla war. I'd bet on Robinson Jeffers's "We must put freedom away and stiffen into bitter empire."

Re: [Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

Heck, go for broke. We make Japan, the Philippines, and all of our Pacific Territories like Guam and Samoa into States, rather than giving any of them independence or autonomy.

Re: [Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

Germany fought damn hard against the Allies when they were invaded. But you didn't see them drilling civilians to fight with spears, and they weren't seriously considering liquidating everyone who wasn't fit to fight, even in the darkest days. The Japanese did. It is very likely the Japanese would have fought even more viciously than the Germans on home soil, necessitating an even more devastating invasion, and leaving an even more smashed country at the end of it.

The victorious Allies might have found themselves occupying a nation of nothing but women, children, and old men, and not so many of them, either.

Re: [Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

Considering the number of civilian suicides at Okinawa, you are likely right, if not understating the outcome.

Re: [Alt History] Alternative conclusion to the Pacific conflict in WW 2
 

While it seems likely that there would be no South Korea, Russia did not have the shipping capacity to launch an amphibious invasion. Also I don't think there would be all that many U.S. casualties because it is really unlikely that that Japan would fight for long after after they were convinced that they couldn't break the American beach head. I think that would be sufficient to convince them there was no hope.