Quote Originally Posted by edyzmedieval View Post
Quite difficult not to get into it, given the geographical proximity. And simply ignoring the treaties signed with Allies would have been a no-no.
The western allies did exactly that at the start of WW2 by not immediately entering the war and starting an offensive into Germany within 3 weeks as Gamelin had promised the polish.

When we are in "what if"-land the western allies could simply have told Poland honestly that there is no way that they would be able or willing to do that and that Poland would fight alone for at least a month, or - after the signing of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact - not before Poland would be completely occupied.

In that case the misguidedly stubborn polish government might be more willing to accept the german offer to accept the annexation of the Free City of Danzig (which was no part of Poland) and the connection of Germany with it’s enclave Eastern Prussia by a new Autobahn in addition to a renewal of the german-polish nonaggressionpact and to join the anticomintern-pact.

As the UK only guaranteed the existance of Poland, in that case the UK could stay out of a war with Germany without breaking their word.

And if the US and the western allies would have lifted the embargo against Japan for a withdrawal from China proper (not Manchuria or the former german colony in Tsingtao that they gained after WW1) then Japan could have decided to go north instead of south once Germany attacks the USSR - a decision that was vividly discussed in Japan.