Really the fracturedness and poor leadership China had at the time was only thing Japan really had going for it. The Japanese army wasn’t all that much better equipment then the Chinese were. Whenever the Japanese went up against the Soviets, they got absolutely stomped.
I’d argue that what really defeated the Japanese was pro-Japanese Chinese officials getting removed in various protests in the years prior to the 2nd Sino-Japanese war. Japan was very much trying to do the same strategy of incremental subjugation towards Asia that the US today does to Europe via NATO.
Really the fracturedness and poor leadership China had at the time was only thing Japan really had going for it. The Japanese army wasn’t all that much better equipment then the Chinese were. Whenever the Japanese went up against the Soviets, they got absolutely stomped.
I’d argue that what really defeated the Japanese was pro-Japanese Chinese officials getting removed in various protests in the years prior to the 2nd Sino-Japanese war. Japan was very much trying to do the same strategy of incremental subjugation towards Asia that the US today does to Europe via NATO.