In essence, we have a Korea that was never invaded by the Japanese in 1910 and became a democratic republic in 1912, in lieu of China that year. North/South never happens in Korea. In 1954, fascists took over and established an expansionist government; they set eyes of Vietnam and Siberia. WWII happens, with China becoming victorious in Asia Pacific against the Japanese, who were forced into retreat in 1943 due to fiscal collapse, but an Axis victory in Europe, with the German/Italian economies basically ruined to finance the war against the Soviet Union, which lost most of its industrial assets and became limited to the west of the Urals. KMT remains in power by absorbing the moderate faction of the Communist Party and eliminating the extremists. The French, having been overrun by Nazis in 1940, were unable to hold onto their colonial administration in Vietnam, leaving Ho Chi-minh to take over in the north, establishing the Democratic Socialist Republic of Vietnam, and republicans in the south, named the Republic of Vietnam. The south appeals for help from neighbours to help them regain governance in the north.
The war begins in 1965, when Koreans mobilize their Axis-inspired-funded war machine to test their tanks and bayonets on communists. China was unwillingly dragged into this conflict, which was heavily opposed by the domestic Kuomintang; for reasons of diplomacy, the KMT was forced to make a limited commitment that eventually grew ungainly large, not willing to fall behind Korean numbers. The Sino-Korean alliance make rapid progress in the north, but the Koreans had a secret plan.
Citing a minor infraction against a Korean tourist in Saigon by local policemen, the Koreans storm the Vietnamese capital and took over in the south in 1972. They split the country down the middle, at the 18º latitude, giving China the northern half. China holds onto the north for three years, until calls for independence forced the Chinese government's hand to announce the cessation of occupation in 1975. The Republic of Vietnam was re-established with Hue as its capital city, but the Koreans soon took over the nascent republic within three months of the withdrawal of Chinese forces.
Let me know if there's any interest in this twist on the Vietnam War. We need:
- a China: myself
- a Korea
- Axis Powers (just any Axis power would do)
- a USSR (probably limited to technological assistance to the north)
- a Japan (limited role)
- a South Vietnam (very sad role)
- Other nations welcome!
