AHC: Make The Munic Agreement Remain Popular

[Peelitebkearns]

Hi all,

Title says it all I guess, come up with a plausible scenario to make the Munic Agreement remain popular to this day.

Your pod must be no earlier than the 30th September 1938, so Chainberlain must sign the agreement/come back with his peace of paper.

So, got any ideas of how to bring this about?

[Anaxagoras]

The German Army overthrows the Nazi between September of 1938 and March of 1939 and keeps Germany's side of the agreement? Even then, I don't think it would work, though. It was still a betrayal before the German swallowed the whole country.

[KACKO]

Originally Posted by Anaxagoras

The German Army overthrows the Nazi between September of 1938 and March of 1939 and keeps Germany's side of the agreement? Even then, I don't think it would work, though. It was still a betrayal before the German swallowed the whole country.

Exactly. Hitler got disposed of and WWII never started. Chamberlain brought to world peace for our time.

[MSZ]

Obviously you need something to happen to prevent the Germans from breaking the agreement - also in the "no other territorial claims part". It would also be good if the Nazis aren't considered the absolute evil (so that deals with them remain seen as acceptable) and with the principle of self-determination (the basis for the agreement) to become more important (so that retroactively, Munich is viewed as exercising the right, not a western betrayal).

A coup kicking out the nazis somewhere between September 1938 and March 1939, replacing them with an unpopular military regime, which inherits Germany's economic difficulties could be a good start. The agreement is held, the nazis aren't the "bad guys" (compared to what follows), the Germans remaining outside Germany give upon trying to br "reunited" due to the country undergoing a second recession. Later, decolonization is started with the "right of nations for self-determination" being the founding principle, making Munich look like an early use of it.

[redcoatT]

As long as Germany respects the agreement, it will remain popular.
Let's not forget a large majority of the inhabitants of the Sudatenland were in favour of union with Germany.

[MerryPrankster]

Maybe Hitler keels over dead soon afterward and infighting among the Nazis delays their attack on Poland for longer than OTL. When WWII comes, the Western Allies and the USSR are much more prepared and Nazi Germany gets curb-stomped.

Then Munich is seen as a clever move to placate the Nazis until the Allies are strong enough to crush them.

[Mikestone8]

Originally Posted by MerryPrankster

Maybe Hitler keels over dead soon afterward and infighting among the Nazis delays their attack on Poland for longer than OTL. When WWII comes, the Western Allies and the USSR are much more prepared and Nazi Germany gets curb-stomped.

Then Munich is seen as a clever move to placate the Nazis until the Allies are strong enough to crush them.

Would the Polish iussue still lead to war?

If Hitler dies, and the new government doesn't occupy Prague in March, tension eases. No guarantee to Poland is ever made. If Goering (or whoever has taken over) puts Danzig on the back burner for a few years, everyone gets far more relaxed. And when it finally is raised, they reflect that German claims to Danzig are, if anything, better than they were to the Sudetenland, so why not? Either Germany gets Danzig peacefully in a "second Munich" or (more likely) the Poles resist, Germany grabs Danzig in a limited military operation, and uses Polish "intransigence" as an excuse to take the Corridor as well - but doesn't press on any further. The democracies acquiesce.

A generation later, there are statues of Hitler all over Germany, and he is remembered (abroad as well as at home) as the greatest German statesman since Bismarck.

[lukedalton]

The only means that Munich can resist is that Adolf die before the occupation of the remain of Czechoslovakia.
There will be some diplomatic friction over Danzig but without the precedent of reneging the previous agreement, Germany can still be seen as a diplomatic viable nation, but aside for that she will be too much occupied with the economic problem too think to start another round

[Meadow]

Originally Posted by Mikestone8

Would the Polish iussue still lead to war?

If Hitler dies, and the new government doesn't occupy Prague in March, tension eases. No guarantee to Poland is ever made. If Goering (or whoever has taken over) puts Danzig on the back burner for a few years, everyone gets far more relaxed. And when it finally is raised, they reflect that German claims to Danzig are, if anything, better than they were to the Sudetenland, so why not? Either Germany gets Danzig peacefully in a "second Munich" or (more likely) the Poles resist, Germany grabs Danzig in a limited military operation, and uses Polish "intransigence" as an excuse to take the Corridor as well - but doesn't press on any further. The democracies acquiesce.

A generation later, there are statues of Hitler all over Germany, and he is remembered (abroad as well as at home) as the greatest German statesman since Bismarck.

What happens to the Jews in this scenario? Does the new military government quietly overturn the Nuremberg laws? Things were pretty far gone by 1938. Hitler's legacy would surely be tainted at least a little, or would it all be forgotten because of how quickly it was undone in his wake?

[wietze]

Originally Posted by Meadow

What happens to the Jews in this scenario? Does the new military government quietly overturn the Nuremberg laws? Things were pretty far gone by 1938. Hitler's legacy would surely be tainted at least a little, or would it all be forgotten because of how quickly it was undone in his wake?

All forgotten is unlikely, low level anti-semitism was rather accepted at that time, the nuremberg laws most likely will be revoked, but expect some eugenics stuff to stay. without the nazis making eugenics making highly unfashionable (understatement of the weekend ) I could see eugenics staying fashionable much longer also the low level anti-semitism that was so normal in this era (not just in germany) will stay around much longer. Maybe poland (which had strong anti-semtic tendencies at that time) continues where germany stopped.