Change what happens with Czechoslovakia - ie Germany does not occupy parts and later all of it in 38/39 or even before that have pressure brought to bear on Germany over Austria - and this allows the referendum of 13th March 1938 to go ahead
Another idea is that the invasion of Poland is conducted by Germany and the USSR on the same day
This gives France and the UK pause and they do not declare war on either or both. Sanctions etc yes but not war.
Change what happens with Czechoslovakia - ie Germany does not occupy parts and later all of it in 38/39 or even before that have pressure brought to bear on Germany over Austria - and this allows the referendum of 13th March 1938 to go ahead
Another idea is that the invasion of Poland is conducted by Germany and the USSR on the same day
This gives France and the UK pause and they do not declare war on either or both. Sanctions etc yes but not war.
Yeah I know this is a hard one but I'm such a fan of some of the late war planes like the BearCat that I wonder what they could of done giving legit shots never mind some of the late war/post war tanks that never saw combat.
Japan to me is the one that would not be open for delaying much later then they did.
True. So lets say Germany , Italy & Japan have a meeting and decide to start everything roughly eight months later.But Germany is also operating on limited time too. Had they not occupied Prague they would have lots of trouble as they were running out of resources. Same story is about Poland. Hitler needed the war.
Question: When did World War 2, well, get called World War 2? If you delay the Asia-Pacific front, do people lack justification to give both conflicts the same appellation until later?
True. So lets say Germany , Italy & Japan have a meeting and decide to start everything roughly eight months later.
So instead of:
'Yo, Benito my man, I am going to war against Poland next week...'
'What! You won't be ready by 1942? Yes, yes I know I told you it will start in 1942. But it is boring in Berlin, and Todt dropped in the other day and told me the economy is going down the toilet...'
'Yeah? Whatever. Feel free to join me in 1942. If the war is still on. I'll keep you posted...'
As far as Hitler is concerned, 1939 is the time. Even leaving aside that the German economy overheated if he waits until 1942, the British, French, and Soviet military's will have built up to such an extent that they would crush him out of hand.
Some people assume Hitler didn't know the risks he was taking in declaring war on the West and Russia. The evidence is that he did, he just realized that Germany would never be stronger vis a vis her rivals than she was in the late 30's/early 40's. His decision to wage a genocidal war came at the point where Germany had the greatest chance of winning it, something he identified yet surprisingly few others in the German military establishment did (and of those who did, they drew the opposite conclusion from Hitler - that war should be avoided - since they weren't amoral megalomaniacs). Part of Hitler's disdain for so many around him was due to the fact that very often he was right, when so many others who surrounded him were wrong.
Really they were much smarter then Hitler.
Yeah that's how I see the convo happening.
If Germany and USSR Attacked Poland on the same day . The western allies would just declare war on Germany .
Why that ?
Don't forget that Britain considered bombing the Bakou oil fields that provided the german army with oil.
Now, I understand your point which is : how could Britain and France cope with 2 monsters openly allied on the continent ?
Nazi Germany and the USSR never officially admitted to being allied, although they secretely were allies in all but in name.
This is an important point but the fact the western powers don't have a good answer does not mean that they will give an inconsistent answer.
This is a situation where, without the existence of some kind of NATO including Japan too, the western powers just can't cope with. Just look at the figures in populations and industries : Britain and France alone, although having colonial empires, just could not face alone the alliance of Germany and the USSR.