Drang Nach Osten: Neutrality Pact/USE Chits

Neutrality Pacts

There are several neutrality pacts in place. Here is the chit situation for each of them. In all cases (except Germany/USSR), players may determine whether the chits are face up or face down. Find chits of the correct value from the pool of chits available in 1942 or earlier, and place them on the map.

Germany and the USSR signed a neutrality pact in 1939. At this point, all German chits are face up and all Soviet chits are face down. However, the set-up, featuring a layered Soviet defense, automatically allows (and requires) a German DOW on the first impulse, and these chits are going to be immediately returned to the chit pool. For sake of simplicity, consider these chits already returned.
Germany and the CW have a neutrality pact signed in 1941. Germany has drawn a 1 and 6 chit vs. CW. The CW has a 3 and 5 chit vs. Germany. At this point they control no hexes within 3 of each other.
Italy and France have a neutrality pact signed in 1941. Italy has a 4 and a 6 chit vs. France. France has a 6 and a 6 chit vs. Italy.
Japan and the USSR have a neutrality pact signed in 1941. Japan has a 2 chit vs. USSR. The USSR has a 3 and a 5 chit vs. Japan.

US Entry

Here is how USA progressed from SO 1939.

Initial: 3 chits Europe: 1, 2, 4
Date: action (possible entry hit) effect (chit face value)
SO '39: Germany DOW Poland (+12) +1 chit Europe (3)
SO '39: USSR occupies East Poland (-7) -1 chit Europe (3)
ND '39: USSR DOW Finland (-18 Europe) -1 chit Europe (1)
JF '40: +1 chit Pacific (3)
MA '40: +1 chit Pacific (1)
MJ '40: +1 chit Pacific (1)
JA '40: +1 chit Pacific (3)
JA '40: Resources to China (no tension)
SO '40: +1 chit Japan (2)
SO '40: Freeze Japanese assets (no tension)
ND '40: +1 chit Europe (3)
JF '41: +1 chit Europe (5)
MA '41: +1 chit Pacific (3)
MJ '41: CW DOW Iraq (-5) no effect
MJ '41: Italy DOW Greece (+3) no effect
MJ '41: USSR DOW Persia (-9) -1 chit (4)
MJ '41: +1 chit Pacific (0)
MJ '41: Build Chinese aircraft (tension: a 1 chit)
JA '41: +1 chit Europe (3)
SO '41: +1 chit Pacific (4)
SO '41: Gear up Production (Pacific tension: a 3 chit)
ND '41: USSR and Japan sign neutrality pact (+3) +1 chit (2)
ND '41: +1 chit Pacific (2)
JF '42: +1 chit Europe (3)
JF '42: +1 chit Pacific (5)
JF '42: Fleet to Pearl Harbor (Pacific tension: a 5 chit)
MA '42: Japan DOW Netherlands (+28) + 3 chits (2, 4, 6)
MA '42: note: had to add 1943 chits to pool now
MA '42: Japan activates Siam (+5) no effect
MA '42: +1 chit Europe (5)
MA '42: +2 chits Pacific (4, 4)
MA '42: Gear up production (Pacific tension: a 3 chit)

Location	US Entry chits	Chit Total	Effective Value
European Entry	5, 5, 3, 3, 3, 2	21	49
European Tension	none	0	6
Pacific Entry	6, 4, 4, 4, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 1, 0	34	62
Pacific Tension	5, 3, 3, 1	12	18

The US is receiving 2 chits per turn (standard for '42), plus 1 chit per turn for the Pacific (due to Japanese DOW on the Netherlands).

US Entry: Looking Ahead

May/June '42 required declarations of war:

Germany on Russia (Europe +8)
Japan on CW (Pacific +28, +1/turn)
Japan on USA (Pacific +45, +1/turn)
CW on USSR (use Allies DOW Spain, Europe -17)
FR on Germany (Europe, -9)
Other rolls are likely for aligning minors

The USA will be in the war in the Pacific right away, and likely in Europe very soon, possibly this turn. However, US European entry levels are spiraling upwards fast, so more tension is highly desirable to get into the 50%+ range of the It's War chart. It's unlikely you'll have better than a 40% chance on the first turn, though there are few constraints for trying more than once.

Here is the War Situation, including starting set ups and the build policies from SO '39 that led to them.