AHC: Earliest possible World War III.

If you choose to accept this challenge, you must have World War II occur in roughly the same fashion as in OTL. It is okay if you have a POD during World War II. Bonus points if you can get it to occur before 1950. More bonus points if you can get it to occur in 1946. Tons and tons of bonus points if you can get it to occur in 1945. It is not essential that nuclear weapons be involved.
 
If you choose to accept this challenge, you must have World War II occur in roughly the same fashion as in OTL. It is okay if you have a POD during World War II. Bonus points if you can get it to occur before 1950. More bonus points if you can get it to occur in 1946. Tons and tons of bonus points if you can get it to occur in 1945. It is not essential that nuclear weapons be involved.

The first possibility that comes to mind is right at the end of WW2. One could imagine that the war in the Pacific ends without the atomic bombings (perhaps Japan surrenders without them), leaving the world without that graphic demonstration of the power in such weapons. In such a situation, it's possible that Stalin might have pushed for more territory after the war, for example trying to seize Hokkaido (successfully or not). That might ignite matters.

Or, during the Korean War, had Caesar MacArthurus gotten his way and been allowed to attack points across the Chinese border, or even (nightmare scenario) been allowed to use a nuke or two, that might well have provoked a wider conflict.
 
The first possibility that comes to mind is right at the end of WW2. One could imagine that the war in the Pacific ends without the atomic bombings (perhaps Japan surrenders without them), leaving the world without that graphic demonstration of the power in such weapons. In such a situation, it's possible that Stalin might have pushed for more territory after the war, for example trying to seize Hokkaido (successfully or not). That might ignite matters.

That seems plausible.
 
Ja, I think it's entirely possible that escalating mishaps near the end of WWII lead directly to WWIII.

Clearly, no one in high authority WANTED it, but Soviet and WAlly forces clash by accident. Stalin demands an apology, Patton shoots his mouth off, Soviets perceive that as the REAL Western response, not Roosevelt's platitudes.

It would require a major concatenation of missteps, errors and misunderstandings, and the chances are probably <1/1000, but it's far from ASB.
Edit: especially if someone in the Kremlin decides 'it's now or never' before the US gets enough nukes.
 

sharlin

Banned
You could do it almost after or during the fall of Germany, if somehow Patton got his way or there was even a friendly fire incident, a badly targetted Russian arty barrage or something hits an Allied unit and they fire back near where the two armies met.
 
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