A Hitler that does this? What Happens?

foucault

Banned
Let's pretend that Hitler was a little less 'aggressive' in his foreign policy. Essentially, there might be no action taken against Austria, or Czechia. Instead, Hitler waits till like 1939, then, he moves troops into Danzig with the intention of sparking a war with Poland.
If anything else, within reason, that needs to be changed about Hitler and the decisions he should make, feel free to say it. In this timeline, I imagine that France and Britain would be pushovers when this move against Poland takes place as Hitler wouldn't have established a precedent of taking over countries, so there isn't much incentive to do anything. Russia might have done something, but I question how well they would be able to handle themselves, so early on as it is. I'm thinking Austria may not do a thing. Czechia may do something, but kind of doubt it. Italy... doubt anything will become of them. Let's assume that Hitler is fully satisfied with the absorption of a decent amount of Poland, not necessarily the entire thing, much like what was done OTL.
What do you think? How could this work?
 
first, Hitler's army would be rather weaker, since they wouldn't have all those foreign AFVs he looted from the Czechs and others. Second... those German enclaves left around Germany's borders in the wake of WW1 were what Hitler really wanted more than anything else in his early years... not sure just what POD would change that...
 

foucault

Banned
first, Hitler's army would be rather weaker, since they wouldn't have all those foreign AFVs he looted from the Czechs and others. Second... those German enclaves left around Germany's borders in the wake of WW1 were what Hitler really wanted more than anything else in his early years... not sure just what POD would change that...

If there is no logical basis for Hitler doing this, then so be it, but I would like to know what happens if he did do this. I figured that a less extreme Hitler might do this...
 

foucault

Banned
If there is no logical basis for him doing this (which there isn't) then this belongs in ASB...

Well, it's not like I can move the topic... All this called for was a less extreme Hitler, not like that is completely unfeasible, don't know what makes you the authority...
 

RousseauX

Donor
Let's pretend that Hitler was a little less 'aggressive' in his foreign policy. Essentially, there might be no action taken against Austria, or Czechia. Instead, Hitler waits till like 1939, then, he moves troops into Danzig with the intention of sparking a war with Poland.
I
How does he pay for his arms buildup without annexing Austria and Czechoslovakia?
 
If there is no logical basis for Hitler doing this, then so be it, but I would like to know what happens if he did do this. I figured that a less extreme Hitler might do this...

A less extreme Hitler will never be Chancellor of Germany in anything like the way the OTL one was. A less extreme Hitler will be grateful to be Vice-Chancellor in a coalition government and take much longer for Gleichsaltung to proceed from caution.
 

MSZ

Banned
Without Austria and Czechia Hitler's army would be significantly weaker than OTL. The Franco-Polish alliance and the Little Entente would be in place. Since it would be almost unthinkable for Poland to agree to any likely German demands, the war would be an "all or nothing" war like OTL - in which case both France and Britain would have to intervene at some point as they couldn't afford Germany to grow that powerful. Plus Germany is likely to do much worse in this ATL, so it might run out of ammo and fuel before it even reaches Warsaw - opening itself for an attack on the Rheinland more than OTL.
 

CalBear

Moderator
Donor
Monthly Donor
If there is no logical basis for Hitler doing this, then so be it, but I would like to know what happens if he did do this. I figured that a less extreme Hitler might do this...

The Heer has about a third of the tanks it had in 1939. It gets its ass kicked by the Czechs who have had an extra year months or so to get ready and finish their already impressive border defenses. The Heer's attempt to overrun Poland in a blitzkrieg fail due to the lack of armor and trucks. Poland still falls (thanks to the Soviets attack) but the Reich takes around 3x losses.

When the Wehrmacht goes after the French they still lack sufficient armor (take a look at the the number of 35t & 38t the Reich used in France) so the French & British pound them flat.
 
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