The Axis Powers had the opportunity to force the Soviet Union into a two - front war by means of a Japanese attack on the Soviet Far East .
The Japanese decided against doing so because of Japanese 's defeats in the Soviet Union -- Japanese border conflicts .
The Axis Powers had the opportunity to force the Soviet Union into a two - front war by means of a Japanese attack on the Soviet Far East , but the Japanese decided against doing so because of their defeats in the Soviet -- Japanese border conflicts .