S01E05 The Sino-Japanese War - The Reshaping of the World Order after the First World War

"If we look at the entire matter from Japan’s standpoint, Japan had actually gone too far. If it had been satisfied with attacking China and the Soviet Union only, just as Israel now only hits the Arabs, it would not have been opposed by Britain and the United States. If it had withdrawn from mainland China at an appropriate time, and used the Northeast as its base to firmly resist the Chinese Communists and the subversive forces of the Soviet Union, it may even have been rewarded by Britain and America. It would have been even possible that after decades of persistence, when the Cold War broke out, Japan would have become the main ally of Britain and the United States in the Far East, just like Franco’s Spain, and Manchuria may even be recognized by Britain and the United States, just like South Korea now, entirely probably to become the power engine of East Asian economy. Japan’s lack of prudence in diplomacy cost it its best opportunity and gave away the entire Asian continent to the Soviets."