A more realistic DBWI: What if a German Communist didn't shoot Adolph Hitler in 1938

As you know a German Communist by the name of Hans Rittentop infiiltrated the SS and shot Hitler in Berlin on Apr 17th, 1938. What would have happened if he didn't manage to do so?
 
As you know a German Communist by the name of Hans Rittentop infiiltrated the SS and shot Hitler in Berlin on Apr 17th, 1938. What would have happened if he didn't manage to do so?


Well it might not have cemented Hitler's anticommunist feelings. It's strongly believed that Rittentop's assassination attempt is what caused Hitler to so distrust the soviet union and ultimately launch barbarosa. Had he not been so focused on ridding the world of communism he might not have had his armies split when the allies invaded. He might have also had a more level head as the medication he was taking to recover from the wound is largely seen as leading to his insanity towards the end of the war.
 
Well it might not have cemented Hitler's anticommunist feelings. It's strongly believed that Rittentop's assassination attempt is what caused Hitler to so distrust the soviet union and ultimately launch barbarosa.

I've read Mein Kampf. He'd probably gun after the Soviets one way or another.

Although maybe he wouldn't have founded the infamous "Kopfjäger" Divisions assigned for the Purification Programs he enacted if he wasn't shot.

Had he not been so focused on ridding the world of communism he might not have had his armies split when the allies invaded.

He probably still would, since I don't think the Blitzkrieg strategy the Wehrmacht established would've worked on France. Their equipment wasn't outdated, and they had some of the best tanks (and tank aces) in the world. He'd have to keep a garrison in the east anyway, since the threat of Stalin and Polish partisans would require it.

Although I imagine we will see perhaps a western strategy rather than an eastern one.

He might have also had a more level head as the medication he was taking to recover from the wound is largely seen as leading to his insanity towards the end of the war.

That definitely didn't help, since his irrational beliefs cost him his best Generals in Russia and killed millions.
 
I've read Mein Kampf. He'd probably gun after the Soviets one way or another.

Although maybe he wouldn't have founded the infamous "Kopfjäger" Divisions assigned for the Purification Programs he enacted if he wasn't shot.



He probably still would, since I don't think the Blitzkrieg strategy the Wehrmacht established would've worked on France. Their equipment wasn't outdated, and they had some of the best tanks (and tank aces) in the world. He'd have to keep a garrison in the east anyway, since the threat of Stalin and Polish partisans would require it.

Although I imagine we will see perhaps a western strategy rather than an eastern one.



That definitely didn't help, since his irrational beliefs cost him his best Generals in Russia and killed millions.

Yeah, I dont see the Germans beating the French either. They had the best army in the world before the war.
 
Yeah, I dont see the Germans beating the French either. They had the best army in the world before the war.

And some of the best equipment too. I still maintain the S35 was one of the best tanks ever made in that period.

I wonder what a longer drawn war against Germany would've done? I mean IOTL, they surrendered by late 1941 (even if the crazier elements tried holding on in pieces of the Soviet Union), about a month before Pearl Harbor. Now, I'm not going to say something as stupid as "What if Germany declared war on the US in support of Japan", since that's been covered before and by better people.

Instead, I'm wondering how this affects Italy. I'm curious because IOTL, Benito Mussolini ditched Hitler pretty early on when it was clear he had nothing to gain from him. But we all know he was an opportunist and an impulsive clown (Yugoslavian Civil War ring the bell?). So I'm wondering if Germany does decide to slug it out with France, would Italy join in the fun?

Now I know Italian leadership at the time was horrible (to be nice), and their tank corp was beyond atrocious. But note that their soldiers (barring the Black Shirts) were actually pretty well equipped (barring artillery) and could fight very well given even a mediocre general. They also had the fourth best airforce in Europe at that point. Would Italy joining cause a sort of spoiling effect on the war?
 
I wonder if this would have led to a more relaxed policy towards Communism in the West, and a more leftist Europe in general. After all, it was the fear of the Soviet presence in the North Sea that led to the Entente cozying up to the fascist regimes across the Mediterranean as a counterbalance. I think it's really this, along with the Entente noninterference in both the Spanish and Yugoslav wars to allow fascist victory that's poisoned Soviet-Entente relations to this day.

I think that we might see worse Soviet-American relations as well, if the Soviets couldn't join in the destruction of the Japanese Empire. It's not for no reason that all three major parties' conventions this last year talked about our commitments to the USSR, although the PFL's talk about "solidarity with our Soviet comrades" was definitely a bit beyond the ordinary. Still rung true with the voters, it seems though! :D
 
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