[skeeter]

Imagine ... Japanese as a threat to the USSR in the East while fighting the Germans in the West.

This was the army's ultimate goal up until the time of Khalin Gol, when they were roundly humiliated.

Which is too bad, because influence then shifted to the navy which, needing oil, advocated the 'strike south' strategy that concluded with the December blitz & the PH attack.

[jamaksin]

The Japanese knew in 1940, from the German surface-raider's capture of British COS (Chief of Staff) documents from the mail of a "Blue Funnel" steamer, that the British military would not defend the Far East; they were simply spread too thin.

For the Japanese, the US Asiatic Fleet and the Dutch warships posed little threat. Only one target remained.