The Everlasting Reich

Peter · Mar 29, 2004

Why not annex Sweden? I don't think the Germans would accept an Democratic, Socialist, Aryan nation exist in the middle of Axis owned land. Hitler wanted to unify not just all Germans, but all Aryans. Switzerland is 60%German, Hitler would take it.

How bad were the German debts in 1939? Which countries is Germany in debt to? And wouldn't a close down on trade affect America pretty bad too, especially with the Axis in controll of the oil in the Mid east?

Faeelin · Mar 29, 2004

I'm still curious as to why Halifax accepts peace with a man who has prove he can't be trusted.

NapoleonXIV · Mar 29, 2004

Peter said:
Why would Germany pay the debts? Why not just say "Screw you, we are just taking back what what we lost due to Versailles!"
I'm pretty sure the clients would write the debt off since they are, well, clients. Sweden and Switzerland wouldn't exist anymore, same thing with many other nations. Many other countries would probably write of the debt just to keep good relations with Germany.

As I understand it a nation can't just "write off" the debt since the money is actually owed to individual businesses (banks) who have underwritten the governments loan. Some of the banks will hardly notice, others will suffer and some will go under. In any case, further loans to Germany will have a hard time, good relations or not.

A goodly portion, maybe half or more will be owed to the US. The US will by this point be spoiling for a fight, with several immigrant communities seeing their homelands prostrate before the Hun.

Also, one of the consequences of the loss of International credit is hyperinflation, not a good thing with the German people.

Besides, why wouldn't they pay it? The loot from Europe and esp Russia would be enormous, they'd have to mismanage to the point of madness to....uh...what am I saying??

Hierophant · Mar 29, 2004

I think it likely in the case of a Nazi victory in Europe that towards the late 40's Europe would be divided between the heads of the Nazi hierarchy, but kept together by a loose confederation.

MerryPrankster · Mar 29, 2004

Justin,

I had the notion once that Hitler, if he died without naming a clear successor, could end up like a modern-day Alexander. The Nazi empire, after a brief series of internal wars, is divided under various Nazi leaders. Himmler rules the "lebensraum" territories in the East, Kesselring is the power behind the throne in Italy and the Med, Donitiz in the Baltic (and Northern Germany in the original idea, but would they really want to divide Germany?), and a few others.

Peter · Mar 30, 2004

Matt Quinn said:
Justin,

I had the notion once that Hitler, if he died without naming a clear successor, could end up like a modern-day Alexander. The Nazi empire, after a brief series of internal wars, is divided under various Nazi leaders. Himmler rules the "lebensraum" territories in the East, Kesselring is the power behind the throne in Italy and the Med, Donitiz in the Baltic (and Northern Germany in the original idea, but would they really want to divide Germany?), and a few others.

Don't think they would divide it, since most of them, with all their wrong greed egoism and corruption, did belive in their cause
More importantly, you need soldiers to fight a war and most germans wouldn't be all that keen on fighting a civil war.

Hierophant · Mar 30, 2004

Not a civil war, just dividing up the spoils of war. Nobody trusts each other and this way everyone becomes a Fuerher

carlton_bach · Mar 30, 2004

I don't buy the 'division of spoils' idea. there were plans for something like personal fiefdoms in occupied territories, but the power structure was always intended as strictly pyramidal and run by one top dog. Remove Hitler and the struggle for successorship begins.
The Nazi party was run by no rule I care to name (at one point Hitler's office effectively replied to someone asking to be nominated local party head 'take over the post. If you can make it stick, you're it'). Animosities were intense, personal loyalties and hatreds counted for much, and entire departments and mass organisations stood and fell with the fate of their inventors. They never managed to create anything as lasting as the CPUSSR. Thus, I would predict a few months (or years) of nasty power struggle followed by the entrenched establishment organisations reasserting control. Above all, the Wehrmacht. They would probably not dissolve the Nazi party, but control will gradually slip through the fingers of the NSDAP leadership until vital aspects of the state are run by the OKW, a council of industrialists, and their clients in the law courts, Reichstag, ministries and professional organisations. I expect it to look something like Breshnev's Nomenklatura state.

Hierophant · Mar 30, 2004

That might be true in Most of Germany and its conquest but Himmler and Heydrich, as insane as they were, are not about to be screwed over. I think that they would probably cut a deal by which they got thier own state in the east(but wasnt Himmler promised land in france?) to do with what they pleased to prevent a civil war.