Don't forget that Pre-Meiji Japanese society was quite literate, educated and relative advanced compared most Asian countries. They've already been exposed western knowledge to a certain level through the rangaku schools. This provides them with the necessary base for a speedy modernization.
I think if they could get rid of corruption, and practice good economic policy, they'll have a better chance of becoming a regional power. All those aids would have been wasted anyway without the above mentioned reforms.
If I'm not mistaken, most of Russia's peasantry remain stuck to their peasant communities (Obshchina) with little independence for individuals. There are very few landed peasants (kulaks) before Peter Stolypin Agrarian reform. Perhaps if the reform were implemented earlier Russia would have...
I don't think that they will be too fragile. They would probably form some kind confederation if things gone really bad, like a Turkish invasion. It is likely that these small states would set aside their differences to fight a common enemy, especially when the enemy could threaten all of them.
Is it possible for feudalism to end without the kings consolidating their power, thus creating a stronger central government? Maybe much of Europe would be made up of hundreds or even thousands of tiny or city states forming some sort of alliance such the Hanseatic League, Holy Roman Empire etc...
Perhaps we could have a more populous western and central europe. I think i've read somewhere that germany lost a third of it's population. Either we'll see more western europeans moving east or maybe to America.
Is Palestine still under Ottoman rule at this time? If yes, could you explain how the the Jews could get there without any trouble from the turks? Don't you think 1 million jews in Palestine would be too much for the Turks and Arabs? It would be nice if you could provide us with a map.
Perhaps, Israel should annex the whole of jerusalem and maybe Hebron followed unilateral withdrawal from the rest of WB and Gaza. Then build defence barriers preventing Palestinians from entering Israel. Anybody who tries to climb will be shot. In the age of missiles, a buffer zone like west...
Yup it applies to Asia too. Though I doubt a lot of people will be happy about it. Perhaps maybe if the immigrants have more freedom of movement and be able to open new lands, i guess the Great Depression wont be too bad.
Wasn't Brandeis a Zionist? IMHO he would probably want to encourage investment in Israel prefering, so it would become more attractive to Jews. At least thats what he argued for but Weizmann preferred Jews buying land and become farmers. In fact during the pre-independance period, a job in the...