A witnessed attack on a British ship brings the British Empire and Commonwealth into the crisis, even if the escalation begins gradually. Canada, Australia, South Africa, India, and the wider imperial system all enter the calculation. Loose British-Soviet contact during the Spanish Civil War provides a path for practical cooperation, despite British hostility to communism. Soviet pressure on Japan could help protect Hong Kong by tying down Japanese land forces in northern China. French and Dutch participation follows from their exposed Asian possessions, dependence on British sea power, and the merchantman's international connections. It was registered in a French port, while its owner was apparently Dutch and living in Canada. These shared interests give the coalition a basis before any formal alliance exists.
Notable Point · 3:21-7:44
The bare-bones coalition against Japan
A British loss could draw in the Commonwealth, the Soviet Union, France, and the Netherlands, even before wider alliances enter the war.