Stemming the Tide

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Adolf Hitler- Fuhrer of Nazi Germany 1933-1938
"He's a man of courage and conviction. And what resolution in his speeches! There should be a handful of such people in all our churches, and at least two handfuls in the Wehrmacht. If there were, Germany would look quite different!"- Hans Oster speaking about von Brauchitsch

As March 1938 came into light the world stood on the brink of war. Germany had annexed Austria and was gearing up for a war over the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia. Despite his Generals protests Hitler was planning on going ot war lest the Munich Conference didn't pan out. In response Hans Oster of the Abwehr planned on storming the Reichskanzlei and killing Adolf. He approached Walther von Brauchuitsch nervously on joining the proposed coup, and found a willing ally. They wasted no time in planning and shipping in the weapons from numerous outside sources including Colt, Kynotch and Hotchkiss. Oster himself stole the floor plans to the Reichskanzlei to aid the plotters. So when Hitler, Mussolini, Daladier, Ciano and Chamberlain all met in Munich the world watched on nervously.

The talks dragged on for months as Hitler demanded the Sudetenland only for Chamberlain to refuse. Eventually, in June of 1938, Hitler stormed out of the Conference after Chamberlain recommended compensation to Germany in return for a promise to not invade Czechoslovakia. He returned to Berlin and ordered the German army to invade Czechoslovakia. Colonel General Walther von Brauchitsch (Commander in Chief of the Army), who was involved in the Oster plot, instead sent a coded message to Oster that signaled to begin the plot. Twenty Minutes later the gears were turning and Hitler's hours were numbered. The 1st Panzer Division moved to Berlin and around the Reichskanzlei, trapping Hitler inside. Inside the building Hitler was furious and tried to get a hold of Wehrmacht HQ but found his communications lines cut. Count Hans-Jürgen von Blumenthal then led a platoon of Wehrmacht grunts into the building where they engaged SS units. The SS put up a furious fight and Hitler even made an appearance once to try and persuade the attackers to go home, but his calls for peace fell on deaf ears. Despite the SS's best efforts the plotters were too numerous for their limited amount of men but they still held their ground to give the Fuhrer a chance of perceived escape. They called in their one and only Focke-Wulf Fw 61 Helicopter to land on the new 1930 extension to evacuate Hitler, but a faulty bolt in one of the rotors caused it to crash on the way, sealing Hitler within the building.

Hitler, when learning the news of the Focke Wulf's crash, flew into a furious rage and screamed at the top of his lungs for God to save him, the savior of the Aryans. When nothing happened he calmed and sat at his desk, took out a piece of paper and began to write; as the gunshots down the hall got closer, Hitler cried(2). When the plotters charged in von Blumenthal read Hitler his accusations "Squashing of Democracy, Repression of Basic Rights of Man and the Mass Imprisonment" before condemning him to death. According to von Bluthemal "It was then Hitler lunged at us, screaming 'Long live the Reich!' and I was forced to shoot him". With the death of Adolf Hitler the remaining SS within the Reichs Chancellery surrendered to Oster's forces.

With the Chancellery under his control Oster began the second stage, seizing Berlin. von Brauchitsch issued his now famous "Order No. 874" which ordered all units in and around Berlin to move into the city to "restore order". They obeyed and it wasn't long before Wehrmacht troops were spotted at key intersections and around buildings across Berlin. Soon after a select group of Wehrmacht troops who were loyal to Oster walked into the Reichstag and arrested Hermann Goring then announced the transfer of power to a Transitional Council made up of senior, Non-NSDAP, politicians. As word of the Revolution spread across Berlin senior Nazi officials (including Joseph Goebbels and Heinrich Himmler) tried to flee the city only to be snatched up at checkpoints on every major highway out of the city. By 3:30 that day, 2 hours after the start of the revolution, Berlin had fallen to Oster.
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Osterists(1.1) occupy Berlin and begin to transfer power to the Transitional Council​

The revolution in Berlin was followed by attacks on Nazi Regional Headquarters across the country to deprave the Hitlerites of being able to launch an effective counterattack. This attack was led by Walther von Brauchitsch and was a great success in Northern and Central Germany because the Nazi's didn't have much time to prepare. As the new German Army moved South the Nazi Parties of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg set up defenses across South Germany, hindering the German Army's advance. The short but aptly named "Southern War" helped cement the new government as rulers of Germany. This worked wonders as Great Britain, France and even the United States prepared to recognize the revolutionaries as the legitimate government of Germany, but first they needed a leader.

Since the seizure of Berlin Oster had led an informal "Transitional Council" to run Germany. Now the Nazis were on the run and Oster recognized that the Council couldn't be a long term government. It is said that while he was wondering on who could lead Germany, he got a telegram from Munich. In it it said that German forces under Walther von Brauchitsch had smashed the Nazis inside the city. Oster found his new President of Germany. He also held an election for a new Reichstag and Chancellor. After a short but eventful election Otto Wells of the SDP was elected Chancellor and Erich Ollenhauer, also of the SDP was elected as Chancellor of the Reichstag when the SDP gained 30 seats putting them at 100 (largest in the Reichstag). With that Oster faded in obscurity.(3) Von Brauchitsch was taken aback some by his appointment of President of Germany, he was a military man after all. He was also not known much out Prussia, that would have to change if he would to want to run for reelection.


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Walther von Brauchitsch, 1934

On September 1st, 1939, a mere 3 days after his appointment, President Von Brauchitsch proposed his first bill. In it he outlined closing the work camps, starting with Buchenwald. Afterward he made a speech outside the Brandenburg Gate that laid a plan for Germany for the next 5 years. His plan worried Britain and France as it called for continuing re-arming just at a slower pace. Winston Churchill was quoted as saying "All we did was replace on nut with another!". He also called for talks with Britain and France to negotiate the reparation payments. It is suspected that this is actually the Wells talking and by some is recognized as the beginning of Wells's rise to the Presidency.

(1)As they are known in pop culture
(1.1)What they were known at the time
(2)Spots were seen on the paper, modern lab analysis proves they are tears
(3)Oster remained active in German politics until his death in 1965 at 75
 
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Driftless

Donor
Keep going, you have a fertile topic to work with here.:)

Do you have more details to flesh out how the plotters got organized and the execution of the coup (execution of the execution...)
 
Would von Brauchitsch ask for a referendum for the independence of Austria? I was thinking maybe but didn't put it in because I had too many doubts.
 
Roight. I'm interested. Subscribing.

You have me interested. Could this set the stage for a grand coalition against Russia?

I don't see it. Stalin isn't going to do anything that will get the West all over him unless they are too distracted to do so. Britain and France are not interested in embarking on a costly and bloody war to depose a non-threatening USSR. With no Hitler, we have probably butterflied away any major European war completely.

Although, there is the question of what happens with Spain and how Mussolini takes all of this.
 

Pomphis

Banned

After a short but eventful election Otto Wells of the SDP was elected Chancellor and Ernst Thalman of the KPD was elected as Chancellor of the Reichstag when the KPD gained 30 seats putting them at 100 (second largest behind the SDP).

a) SPD, not SDP.

b) There was only one chancellor, the Reichskanzler. The Reichstag had a president.

c) By long tradition a member of the party with a plurality in the Reichstag provides the president. If the SPD is the largest party, it is hard to believe that it would give up this position.

d) The military was strongly anticommunist. I have a serious problem with believing that a military government would legalize the KPD and accept a communist leader as Reichstagspresident.

e) But a good idea for an ATL. Please proceed.
 
a) SPD, not SDP.

b) There was only one chancellor, the Reichskanzler. The Reichstag had a president.

c) By long tradition a member of the party with a plurality in the Reichstag provides the president. If the SPD is the largest party, it is hard to believe that it would give up this position.

d) The military was strongly anticommunist. I have a serious problem with believing that a military government would legalize the KPD and accept a communist leader as Reichstagspresident.

e) But a good idea for an ATL. Please proceed.
a) oh, whoops

b) oh, I found that out later, haven't had a chance to change it

c) oh, Did not know that. If Otto becomes Chancellor then who becomes President of the Reichstag?

D) oh, that makes sense

e) Thank you. I have to return my computer tomorrow so after today expect irregular updates (unless the school got the money)
 
Walther von Brauchitsch (SPD)

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With the end of the Revolution von Brauchitsch settled into a tough situation. The revolution undid the cap on almost 19 years of suppressed tensions and now it was all out in the open. In the North there were multiple riots in the North in protest of the violent transfer of power; a group of Bavarian royalists calling themselves The Steel Helmet Association took over government buildings in Munich to put in a Italian style Fascist government in Bavaria; and a communist paramilitary revolted in Halle, Saxony; and to top it all off Nazi SS units were still skirmishing in Eastern Germany with government forces.

The British and French were worried about von Brauchitsch government and weather it would stand up to this pressure. While they looked on nervously President Walther sent in the troops. They first turned to the Steel Helmets in Munich as they posed the most pressing issue. When the German army first met the Steel Helmet forces outside the Munich city hall they were surprised at the level of weaponry they possessed, not to mention their stunning level of organization for an apparent spur of the moment revolt. This aroused the interest of the Abwehr, Germany's military intelligence organization, who began to look into the Steel Helmets. Meanwhile there was war in the streets of Munich while the two forces battled for control of Munich. Due to their numbers it was losing battle from the start for the Steel Helmets. It took 12 hours but eventually they were all either dead or imprisoned. Soon after the Steel Helmets were defeated their "Operational Headquarters" of sorts was raided by the Abwehr. In it they found many different documents outlining Italian support for the Steel Helmets.

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Steel Helmets on the roof of a Munich building, October 1938​

This was a startling discovery as Fascist Italy showed no inclination of hostility to Germany before. Wilhelm Canaris personally briefed the President on the connection which included financial and political support allowing them to buy weapons. This was inexcusable, especially since it was proven that it had been going on for almost 20 years and suddenly increased with the deposition of the Nazi's. When confronted Mussolini reluctantly admitted to funding the Steel Helmets. Germany demanded payment for the damage caused in the revolt, Italy refused and tensions began to flare. A new crisis was brewing and war seemed on the horizon for the second time this year.

Great Britain and France, wanting to avoid a war, called for a conference in Paris. With Petan and Chamberlain acting as a mediator von Brauchitsch and Mussolini, Germany and Italy who were allies not even a year ago, met at the table to avoid war. Brauchitsch came with simple demands, Italy pay for the damage done to Munich in the Steel Helmet Rebellion; Italy unfortunately was not hearing it. Much like the Munich Conference talks quickly went nowhere and Mussolini threatened to walk while Brauchitsch threatened war if he did. In a last ditch effort to avoid war France presented a ultimatum, Germany would forgive Italy if Italy stopped funding Austrian nationalists. Italy agreed but Germany held firm, still demanding payment and nothing more, nothing less. Italy stormed off in a huff and mobilized their reserves, preparing for a German attack they were sure was just around the corner.
Mussolini returned to Rome with a worrying tone, when asked why he had this to say I fought the Germans in 1917 and they were tough, nothing changes that fast."

Meanwhile in Berlin, 700 miles to the North, von Brauchitsch made a speech before a crowd of 100,000 German Army grunts and called for the Reichstag to approve his motion for "Complete and unbridled war with the Italian nation." which granted a enthusiastic battle cry from the green recruits who didn't know how horrifying the coming war would be. It was not surprising that the next day the vote passed with a hardy 756 Ja to 57 Nein. Just like that the German-Italian War began and the Western Power's worst fears became a reality.
 
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Well, on the one hand Mussolini's government is pretty shaky, but then so is Brauchistch's. The Alp's is such bad terrain that even the Italians could mount a credible defense there and the Germans will have none of the room for a blitzkrieg.

This would be a classic condition for stalemate except for the implications of the title of the war.

On a different note, the Spanish civil war just got even more confusing. :p
 
Well, on the one hand Mussolini's government is pretty shaky, but then so is Brauchistch's. The Alp's is such bad terrain that even the Italians could mount a credible defense there and the Germans will have none of the room for a blitzkrieg.

This would be a classic condition for stalemate except for the implications of the title of the war.

On a different note, the Spanish civil war just got even more confusing. :p
I completely forgot about the Spanish Civil War...the Transitional Council recalled German forces from the Nationalist side after deposing Hitler. I will expand later...probably. I was planning for Britain and France interveneing which would bring them in against Italy with the Soviets sneaking aid to Italy which brings it to war. Also Japan capitalises on this and invades the Pacific like IOTL
 
with the Soviets sneaking aid to Italy which brings it to war.

I don't see Stalin backing Mussolini. The Italians don't have anything to offer the Soviets and Stalin wasn't interested in making deals with people who don't have anything to offer him. More likely he tries to take advantage of the Western Powers distraction to pick on the Baltic States, Finland, or Romania.
 
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