What events got Japan involved in World War 2 alliances?

Answer 1

Germany needed a powerful ally to commence WWII operations. Germany's number 1 enemy was always going to be Russia, after France fell. Germany preferred to have Britain as an ally, but only fought them because they refused to be an ally, and disagreed with Germany's intention anyway. With France taken, and unable to cross the English Channel to take on Britain, Germany turned to attack Russia. Germany was aware of the "divide and conquer" concept, and fighting on two fronts. "The EVENTS that got Japan involved in the WWII alliances (the Tripartite Pact)", was the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, and the Nomanhan incident of 1939. Both conflicts involved fighting the Russians. Japan clearly had a reputation for fighting Russians. If Germany could get Japan to attack the Russians in 1940 from the EAST, while Germany keeps attacking on the Russian's WEST, then Russia will be fighting on TWO FRONTS! So Japan was invited to sign the Axis Treaty, (TRIPARTITE PACT). To honor that treaty Hitler declared war on the US on 11 December 1941, four days after Pearl Harbor. Since Germany was now helping Japan fight the United States, now maybe Japan would honor the agreement and help Germany by attacking Russia. Well, there was one small detail that the Germans didn't take into account. The Japanese had won the Russo-Japanese War alright, but it had taken a real toll on them to do that. And no Japanese officer relished the idea of repeating a war with Russia. When the Nomanhan battles erupted in 1939, the same year Germany invaded Poland, the Russians were ruthlessly tearing up the Japanese army. Japan and Russia came to terms and quit the fighting. But again, Japan did not wish to go thru another Russian experience. So much to Germany's heartbreak, they had to face the Russian war machine alone.