After the germans blow through western europe in 19 forty wrighte around the same time, the japanese sign an alliance with them. All these countries want some sort of autarchy, self sufficiency. And unfortunately for all of them, none of them have oil. When rumania leans that way, that'll help a little. But the japans joining the axis powers is one of the fatal missteps and terrible moves that lead to tragedy for everyone in asia.
Deep themes run through this show, with allegations of Japanese war crimes and atrocities in China at the start leading to eerily familiar, almost modern questions over how the world should respond. And then Dec 7, 1941 arrives...