alternatehistory.com

1938: A promishing Soviet official's career is brutally cut short when he becomes the victim of Stalinist purges. His name, which shall remain obscure to all but his family and close friends and collegues, was Georgy Zukhov.

[...]

August 1939: The undeclared border war between Japan and Soviet Russia culminates in the indecisive battle of Kalkhin Gol. The Soviet frontal attack eventually forces the Japanese to retreat, but both sides suffer extremely high losses, are exausted, and decide to back down for a while, in the face of the indecisive result of armed confrontation and the worsening tensions in Europe. Both the Japanese High Command and the Soviet leadership, however, deem the issue far from settled.

[...]

May 1940: Hermann Goering suffers a nasty car accident, which immobilizes him for a few months. Ernst udet temporarily takes over as deputy chief of the Luftwaffe. When Hitler asks Udet advice about the Luftwaffe's ability to subdue the Dunkerque pocket by air power, he expresses a negative advice. This leads Hitler, prodded by Guderian and von Manstein, to rescind von Rundsdet's halt order for German armored divisions. Although the brief delay allows some British troops (about 40,000 soldiers) to be reimbarked, the quick restart of German offensive leads to the capture of Dunkerque and the surrender of the vast majority of English and French troops in the pocket. Britain suffers its worst military defeat in centuries. Churchill is able to remain in charge, but barely. A significant peace faction takes root in the Conservative and Labour Parties. Queen Wilhelmina of Netherlands dies during the German invasion of the Netherlands when HMS Hereward, the British destroyed that had evacauted him from the Hague, is bombed by the Luftwaffe.

[...]

June 1940: Italo Balbo, the Governor-General of Libya, narrowly avoids being shot down in a friendly fire incident. France surrenders and in the unoccupied southern portion the fascist-authoritarian pro-German regime by Marechal Petain takes over. The Dutch government decides to return to the Netherlands and sign an armistice with Germany. Queen Juliana, still reeling from her mother's death, does not oppose the move.

July 1940: The British government refuses German offers of peace. However it is forced to wtihdraw troops from the colonies to refurbish the defense of the Home Isles. In order to prevent the possible German seizure of the French navy, Churchill orders the RN to attack the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kabir. Hitler is enraged and orders to prepare plans for the subdual of Britain. udet again expresses doubts about the feasibility of a German invasion of England. This causes Hitler to listen to Raeder's advice about subduing Britain by attacking its possessions in the Mediterranean and in the Middle East. Stalin sends an ultimatum to Romania, demanding the cession of Bukovina and Bessarabia. Hitler reluctantly advises Romania to comply, but sends troops into Romania, as he fears a Soviet seizure of the Ploesti oilfields.

August-September 1940: Despite Hitler's insistence, Franco refuses to join the Axis, which causes German plans to conquer Gibraltar to flounder for the time being. German attempts to coordinate a combined offensive with Italy in the Mediterranean are more successful, albeit partially. Mussolini accepts to wage a combined German-Italian air offensive and amphibious-airbone landing against Malta. The attack, despite significant but bearable losses, is eventually successful. Hitler and OKW are left with a positive opinion about the usefulness of airbone troops for future operations. Mussolini initially opposes the presence of a German expeditionary corps in Libya, but eventually accepts when Balbo pressures him to. Balbo also pressures Mussolini to provide better equipment for Italian troops in Libya, and to delay offensives until requipping is completed. Mussolini reluctantly concedes a delay. He plans to make an invasion of his own in the Balkans to "balance" German inroads in Romania. He initially wavers between attacking Yugoslavia and Greece, but since Greece has moved close to the Axis after Dunkirk, he eventually sticks with the old plan against Yugoslavia. Hungary is given Northern Transylvania in the Second Vienna Award. Hitler pressures Petain to declare war on Britain and join the Axis, as a retaliation for Mers-el-Kabir. Petain is agreeable in principle, but demands a honorable peace treaty for France. Germany, Italy, and Japan sign the Tripartite Pact.
Top