One possibility:  You have an alien spacecraft that crashes

conveniently

in German controlled territory.  Most of the technology is, of course,
entirely incomprehensible.  However, the Germans discover this goo
inside that can grow when properly stimulated, and can be formed into
"muscles", which generate their own tremendous lifting power,

regenerate

and are responsive to the thoughts of humans, especially young humans,
in direct contact.  Working frantically, they manage to turn out
thousands of metal skeletons, grow the goo on them into big dangerous
critters, then armour plate them and fit them with built in machine

guns

and a rifle-shaped sidearm firing an improved projectile.  The Germans
also give this technology to the Japanese in the hopes that they can
distract the Americans enough to let them finish off Europe.  In the
long run doubtless a stupid move, but in wartime people tend to think

in

terms of whether their nation is going to be there in a year rather

than

what problems may arise ten years after the war is over.  And, it

works.

The German walkers, which can operate underwater walk across the
English Channel and establish a beachhead.
The Japanese design special submersible delivery systems for their
walkers and let them walk ashore on Hawaii.  The Russians collapse,
having lost American and British support.  However the Americans gain
their own walker technology, because somebody among the Japanese
characters smuggles blueprints and a sample out.  Nukes might be

delayed

by the reallocation of American resources to this new technology (after
all, how the muscles work opens up new vistas of physics), but at some
point late in the story line, nukes will still be used at which point

it

will be crucial to capture/destroy the bomb factories.  New Mexico

isn't

that far from California.

This idea reminds me of Moldiver. The Japanese invented something akin
to teh Moldiver power source in WW2, but lost it in a freak accident. If
they hadn't, the force fields that thing would generate would be pretty
effective at stopping a nuke, and could quite easily be adapted to a
walker vehicle.

I don't like the suggestion that the Russians would collapse though. In
1945, teh Russians were actually the single most powerful nation
militarily. The only advantage USA had over them was nukes. The Germans
considered Russian tanks to be teh best in the world, followed by their
own, and then American tanks.

(Yes, I know that most of you are patriotic Americans and see a weak
Russia *now*, but it was not always so. Communism is a surprisingly
efficient government in emergency situations, but horrendously bad in
teh long term.)

Here is another starting point for WW2 EVA technology. Supposing German
aggression was prompted by the invention of a working mecha? The fact
that mecha at teh start would be woefully inefficient would be countered
by the fact that the tanks at teh start of WW2 were pathetic. (9 tons,
25 mph, 5-20mm armour, 0.8" cannon). Standard infantry weapons were
often sufficient to disable these. This would be coupled with a delay in
the start date.

Someone mentioned Japan finding something in Mongolia. It is worth
mentuioning that in teh 1930s, Mongolia, both teh present nation and
'Inner Mongolia', were part of Russia (or was it China, cant recall).
Japan wasnt on particularly friendly terms with either, making such an
expedition difficult.

Russia seems a likely candidate to receive tech from outer space. After
all, there were som famous meteor strikes in teh forests of Siberia.
Supposing one of these meteors was in fact a UFO?

Also, anyone remember Ming the Merciless? I think the story goes that he
was providing advanced technology to Germany.

---
Rhialto
gambaranaide
shite, soretomo shinaide
gambatte wa arimasen