AHC: Amplify German influence and Power post WW2

Pretty much what it says on the tin, really. With a POD after the German surrender, have Germany be more powerful, more influential politically, economically and culturally than it is today. What could help make Germany even more powerful than it is today? Better economic decisions, different election outcomes, more attention payed to the Bundeswehr? Could Germany do even better than it has done thus far?
 
Option 1
EH.. THEY DID PRETTY DAMN GOOD
No eu or Rome accords.. No rebuilding trust.

No choice on nato.. But let's say they declare neutrality.. Not sure who is going to listen, but if they did.. That means a much reduced military and political ties.

So otl is pretty darn good for what took place.

Option 2. Continued iron curtin.. Continued Soviet union. With sometimes minor hot events in Europe. This keeps Germany from and center. You could have a smaller eu that is western Europe

Option 3. Soviets keep rolling--allies fight back, Germans show quite the fight all considering to stop the soviets from going west. All of Germany is freed - iron curtin at the new German border with is basically Germany 1934 including koinigsburg.


Biggest issue is as Germany integrates into the European Post war world where the indavidual states are not as strong seperate against the USA or Soviet union - it just doesn't matter and drawing closer together was most logical choice
 

Khanzeer

Banned
I would have germany unifies as one neutral country postwar like a giant sweeden in middle of Europe , weak military but powerful economy

Then germany joins the non-aligned movement and a new german culture of pacifism , humanism and non-violence spreads in postwar decolonization struggles in asia , africa and even latin america

german pope leads the struggle of liberation of commnist east european states from soviet rule
 
I would have germany unifies as one neutral country postwar like a giant sweeden in middle of Europe , weak military but powerful economy

Then germany joins the non-aligned movement and a new german culture of pacifism , humanism and non-violence spreads in postwar decolonization struggles in asia , africa and even latin america

german pope leads the struggle of liberation of commnist east european states from soviet rule
That was an option.. Problem is.. East Germany, lots of Soviet tanks saying nyet
 
Option 1
EH.. THEY DID PRETTY DAMN GOOD
No eu or Rome accords.. No rebuilding trust.

No choice on nato.. But let's say they declare neutrality.. Not sure who is going to listen, but if they did.. That means a much reduced military and political ties.

So otl is pretty darn good for what took place.

Option 2. Continued iron curtin.. Continued Soviet union. With sometimes minor hot events in Europe. This keeps Germany from and center. You could have a smaller eu that is western Europe

Option 3. Soviets keep rolling--allies fight back, Germans show quite the fight all considering to stop the soviets from going west. All of Germany is freed - iron curtin at the new German border with is basically Germany 1934 including koinigsburg.


Biggest issue is as Germany integrates into the European Post war world where the indavidual states are not as strong seperate against the USA or Soviet union - it just doesn't matter and drawing closer together was most logical choice

Im not refuting the fact that they did very well, in fact I think that Germany's managed to pull of so,etching incredible here. I'm asking whether they could do even better, that is, whether there were missed opportunities after the end of WW2, whether they could have made better choices, etc.

For example, would a Germany that doesn't wind down spending on the army but instead uses it to project influence and power abroad more like in Yugoslavia could be a change, would it be for the best as far as Germany is concerned or not? Could a Franz Josef Strauß Led West Germany obtain a nuclear deterrent much akin to the French one, or do. it like the Israelis? Could Germany be richer or have a higher HDI had the SPD been the natural Party of government in the Federal Republic instead of the CDU? That was what I was thinking, mainly. Of course, had Germany charted a course outside of the EEC or the EU, and inside the Warsaw Pact or tried to go it alone, They would be in a worse position.
 
Im not refuting the fact that they did very well, in fact I think that Germany's managed to pull of so,etching incredible here. I'm asking whether they could do even better, that is, whether there were missed opportunities after the end of WW2, whether they could have made better choices, etc.

For example, would a Germany that doesn't wind down spending on the army but instead uses it to project influence and power abroad more like in Yugoslavia could be a change, would it be for the best as far as Germany is concerned or not? Could a Franz Josef Strauß Led West Germany obtain a nuclear deterrent much akin to the French one, or do. it like the Israelis? Could Germany be richer or have a higher HDI had the SPD been the natural Party of government in the Federal Republic instead of the CDU? That was what I was thinking, mainly. Of course, had Germany charted a course outside of the EEC or the EU, and inside the Warsaw Pact or tried to go it alone, They would be in a worse position.
After Ww2.. Nukes?
Negative

And idea of Germany going alone wasn't akin to everyone else's interests. They saw what happens last time. Plus with no real deterent they are going to get couped.

Now the spd and csu question is valid..

After 92 the Germans didn't need a real military and Noone really wanted them to have one. Part of German success was to build weapons for others and spend on germany
 
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