A slightly different Cold War (v2.0)

[Winner]

I posted a map way back for an Alternate Cold War, where the division of Europe ended up a bit different as result of a faster and more decisive Allied advance into German-occupied Europe in 1944. I decided to revisit that project and here's the revised map:

Thoughts and questions are welcome. And you can of course just try to guess what happened


.

 

[JoeyB2198]

No GDR in East Prussia?

 

[Alternate History Geek]

How, exactly, do you propose that the Wallies advance that far into Europe in less than a year? The Germans decide to ignore the invasions in the west to concentrate on the Soviet Union?

 

[Winner]

No GDR in East Prussia?

It would be kind of hard to make it anything but a joke, considering it is a small enclave, mostly devoid of any actualy Germans by the end of WW2. In the end, the USSR took its spoils and the rest went to People's Republic of Poland, pretty much like in OTL.

How, exactly, do you propose that the Wallies advance that far into Europe in less than a year? The Germans decide to ignore the invasions in the west to concentrate on the Soviet Union?

After revision, I do not have one exact POD. The Allies choose to be a bit more aggressive and do not stick to the "broad front" strategy following their break-out of Normandy. More attention is paid to the logistics and the seizure of several crucial ports, including Antwerpen, which are captured faster. As a result, the Germans are unable to re-establish the Western front with any strength, and their losses in the withdrawal from France are bigger.

Hitler becomes personally fixated on the alarming situation in the West, giving the German military in the East greater freedom to implement elastic defence with the forces it has available.

Stalin is spooked by the quick Western advance and believing he could be deprived of his slice of Germany, he pushes for a new offensive in Poland ahead of schedule despite his generals' strong opposition. The offensive fails miserably and costs the Soviets some of their best units; the Germans establish a strong defensive position along Vistula which blocks further Red Army advance to the west. The Soviets are, on the other hand, more successful in their southward thrust through Romania into the Balkans and Hungary; however, the Germans are able to conserve their forces by withdrawing in an orderly fashion.

WW2 ends half a year earlier than in OTL, following Hitler's assassination in Berlin, which by that time is about to be surrounded by Allied forces. The new German government surrenders to the Western Allies only and the German units hold their positions in the East to the last possible moment before Western Allied forces arrive to accept that surrender; as in OTL, the strong desire to save the Fatherland from the "bloodthirsty, vengeful Bolsheviks" keeps the soldiers from just giving up and fleeing to the West.

Stalin is of course not amused and being denied spoils in Central Europe, he overcompensates elsewhere. The Cold War erupts with full strength earlier than in OTL.

 

[Komnenos002]

With the different shades of blue on the map, does it signify full NATO (or alt equivalent) and Western-leaning un-associated members?

 

[Winner]

With the different shades of blue on the map, does it signify full NATO (or alt equivalent) and Western-leaning un-associated members?

The lightest blue signifies non-NATO countries which, however, closely co-operate with NATO military planning. For all intents and purposes, they are allies. They include neutral Sweden and Austria, and the still Francoist Spain.

The different shades of blue and red in case of Poland are there just for emphasis. Western Poland (RoP) is a member of NATO, Eastern Poland (PRoP) is a member of the Warsaw Pact.

White and pink colours highlight various border changes. The internal borders of the Soviet republics are self-explanatory (note that the USSR annexed parts of northern Iran).

 

[Alternate History Geek]

In this situation, wouldn't Turkey have fallen into revolution and civil war?

 

[Winner]

In this situation, wouldn't Turkey have fallen into revolution and civil war?

Why? It successfully managed to stay out of WW2, and the military was fiercely conservative. After the collapse of Greece and the victory of the communists in the Greek civil war, however, the Western support for Turkey intensified and the country was admitted into NATO shortly thereafter.

It is very vulnerable in case of any escalation, though; the Soviets+eastern bloc allies would likely steamroll it in a hot war.

 

[Komnenos002]

The lightest blue signifies non-NATO countries which, however, closely co-operate with NATO military planning. For all intents and purposes, they are allies. They include neutral Sweden and Austria, and the still Francoist Spain.

The different shades of blue and red in case of Poland are there just for emphasis. Western Poland (RoP) is a member of NATO, Eastern Poland (PRoP) is a member of the Warsaw Pact.

White and pink colours highlight various border changes. The internal borders of the Soviet republics are self-explanatory (note that the USSR annexed parts of northern Iran).

Makes sense, cheers.

My interest has definitely been piqued, you have at least one more reader.

 

[Zaqwer]

This seems like an interesting idea. I'll try to follow it and see where it goes.

A question about the Republic of Greece, is it at war with Greek Socialist Republic or is it more like current relationship of PRC and Taiwan?

 

[TRH]

Hmm. I'll be following this, for sure. I imagine Churchill is furious about what happened to Greece, though; he'd probably figure that that for Germany is a bad trade.

Oh, and what's Yugoslavia's status? In this environment, I imagine it's under a tighter leash from Moscow. That could be dangerous, given the stubbornness of Tito's partisans.

 

[arrowiv]

I would say that the GSR of Greece could be similar to Tito's Yugoslavia at best or at worst, Hoxha's Albania.

 

[Winner]

Makes sense, cheers.

My interest has definitely been piqued, you have at least one more reader.

I am not planning a detailed timeline; this is just a sort of a Q&A form of thread. I know what happened in a rough outline, but I do not have it written down.

For instance, there was a mini-war between Socialist Slovakia and the C.F.R. in the early 1950s for the little bit of Slovakia occupied by C.F.R. Something akin to a Korean mini-war

This seems like an interesting idea. I'll try to follow it and see where it goes.

A question about the Republic of Greece, is it at war with Greek Socialist Republic or is it more like current relationship of PRC and Taiwan?

The latter. 'Officially' the civil war never ended and the Republic of Greece claims the whole of the Greek territory, just as the Socialist Republic of Greece claims the remaining islands.

In the beginnings of R.o.G., the British Navy shielded it from Communist takeover. Since then, the little republic has strengthened its defences, so any attempt to occupy it by force would be very difficult for the mainland Communists, and would likely require substantial Soviet assistance - meaning it would likely lead to WW3.

Hmm. I'll be following this, for sure. I imagine Churchill is furious about what happened to Greece, though; he'd probably figure that that for Germany is a bad trade.

Oh, and what's Yugoslavia's status? In this environment, I imagine it's under a tighter leash from Moscow. That could be dangerous, given the stubbornness of Tito's partisans.

Exactly, on both points. In the short term, it is on a short leash because the Soviets liberated it directly, instead of letting the partisans do it themselves (for the most part). In the long term, there is a strong, albeit repressed resentment of the Moscow's overlordship among the former partisans and a lot of people in the Yugoslav communist party. I foresee it could erupt later during the Cold War, which could lead to a Yugoslav spring, perhaps followed by a brutal Soviet intervention, maybe even prolonged insurgency. It depends on whether the Serbs and Croats unite against the Soviets, or they continue to allow themselves be played against each other.

I would say that the GSR of Greece could be similar to Tito's Yugoslavia at best or at worst, Hoxha's Albania.

G.S.R. is very dependent on the USSR from the beginning of the revolution. If it wasn't for Stalin's immediate and generous assistance, the Communists would have lost. G.S.R. is also an IMPORTANT (capital letters) base for the Soviet Navy in the Mediterranean Sea, and it was called "the Russian springboard to the Levant" by some Western politicians, including Mr. Churchill.