Two Fronts in Russsia

what about china?
Japan was in war with china and there was not enough troops to invade Russia

 

I think that the resources of Japan would have been wasted in a winter climate like Eastern Russia. The Russians could have pulled up their rail lines and just let the Japanese freeze to death. Without sufficient mechanization, transportaion and supply, the forces of Japan could not have made an advance that would constitute a real threat to Soviet efforts.

 

You are right, there is simply nowhere to go in the immensity of Siberia.

As an aside, Eastern Siberia and the Siberian railline did become of extreme importance to the Soviets from 1942 onwards, as the Pacific seaports became the most important entry way for Lend-Lease, from the US Pacific Coast. This overshadowed by a lot all the other routes (Murmansk and Persia).

But then the Japanese had their hands full elsewhere already.

 

In WW1 Japan had two divisions in Siberia and were reluctant to remove them. If they attacked , their objective would have been Valdislovstok . Using naval aviation and marines. Their navy could have suportted the occupation of the soviet east coast . this would have forced Stalin to keep more resources in the east at the time their were most needed in the west. with the capture of northern Sakalin island and its oil the Japanese would not have had to attack the allies.While sakalin would not provide all the oil Japan needed for a war in the Pacific ,it would have been enough to fight a defensive war in Siberia. And the kwatawan army need not attack but just pose the threat of invasion to tie down Soviet forces best used else where.

 

Yeah Japan vs Russia umm not really any contest,but the most the Japanesse could do would be to take some of the pressure off the Germans.It would of been interesting if Japan attacked SU, it may of changed how the German defeat at Stalingrad happened but who knows.

 

Numbers on the Red Army troops in the east in WW2:

(Already discussed before but here are the numbers )

From Pekka Kantakoski´s Red Tanks

During summer 1941 the USSR had 30 divisions facing the Japanese troops in Manchuria.

In autumn 1941 15 divisions, 1,700 tanks and 1,500 aeroplanes were transferred to fight the Germans.

Still left 800,000 men, 1,000 tanks and 1,000 planes. Practically this was unchanged during the rest of the war until new troops were sent for the Aug 1945 offensive.

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So at least the Soviets had enough men to stop the possible Japanese offensive and did not "empty the front" in autumn 1941. Maybe Japanese knew this as well.