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German alliance and the outbreak of the war in Europebrought about an immediate armistice.Two years of uneasy watchful waiting followed: theJapanese continued 'bogged' in China, who was assistedby Soviet war material; then after the collapse of Francethey turned south to Indonesia; while the Red Armyfortified itself on the Pacific, and on the Baltic againstGermany, who was assisted by supplies sent by her allyJapan across the continent by the Trans-Siberian. InApril 1941 Japan, in preparation (it seems) for total warin the South Seas, covered her rear by a neutrality pactwith the U.S.S.R., in which the latter recognized theJapanese position in Manchukuo and the former theSoviet position in Outer Mongolia but did not obtainthe promise of cessation of aid to China.Two months later Hitler launched his armies eastwards.In October 1941, when the fate of Moscow wasin the balance, it appeared possible that his Far Easternally soon might stab his adversary in the back. Twomonths later the Japanese air fleet rained down uponPearl Harbour, not Vladivostok.313