perhaps at the expense of the Navy
The Polish Navy was of little use in keeping Poland free of Germans or Russians.
Money spent of 5 subs and 4 Destroyers could have been spent anywhere else to have had more use in 1939
perhaps at the expense of the Navy
No way for any Soviet Soldier to set foot in Poland, 'Volunteer' or not, without causing the Polish Government to implode
In 1939, The Poles knew how bad the Soviets would be, after fighting the Bolsheviks in 1920 and being oppressed by the Tzars for 200 years before that.The Polish government has a choice. Willingly let in some Soviet "volunteers" with strict guidelines on how long and how many can come in, or unwillingly watch as Germany enters Poland and at best captures Danzig, Poland's only access to the sea. At worst you're looking at a similar situation to 1939 except this time Germany gets all of Poland. (No Ribbentrop/Molotov pact). At this point Poland does not have many good choices. And it's just seen how the Western Allies are willing to throw nations they've "guaranteed independence" under the train. They might not like the Soviets coming in but if they impose some controls on numbers and time the Russians can stay, that could make the choice more bearable.
Alliance value. 2 Destroyers and 3 Subs were built in France and the Poles would be expecting supply and assistance from France in the Baltic against a Soviet aggressor.The Polish Navy was of little use in keeping Poland free of Germans or Russians.
Money spent of 5 subs and 4 Destroyers could have been spent anywhere else to have had more use in 1939
Again, Battleships in the Baltic are of no use when T-28 and BT-7s are in Warsaw.Alliance value. 2 Destroyers and 3 Subs were built in France and the Poles would be expecting supply and assistance from France in the Baltic against a Soviet aggressor.
Is there a way to butterfly the Polish-Czechoslovak border conflicts in order to allow for an earlier form of Polish-Czechoslovak federation or at least a mutual defense pact against Germany, years before Beneš began viewing the Soviets as the lesser evil compared to the Germans?
Whether the Allies would still be overwhelmed by the blitzkreig tactics is another matter.
Seems ASBish but Poland might, conceivably, have stood a chance. IIRC back in the '20s Pilsudski opined that Poland shouldn't build an airforce other than a few reconnaissance planes. Evidently, he thought an airforce was a luxury Poland couldn't afford. Pilsudski's advice wasn't heeded. In the '30s Rayski, who was influenced by Douhet, was fairly influential--notwithstanding the impracticality of a small country building bombers. What if, starting c 1930, the Poles had listened to Pilsudski and not embarked on a futile attempt to match nazi air power? What if all the money and resources sunk into the air force was invested in (homemade) 75mm antiaircraft guns and plenty of antitank guns of the same caliber? With much better means to deal with panzers and the Luftwaffe, maybe Poland could've repelled the attack.
You don't play this kind of games with Soviets without repercussionsThe Polish government has a choice. Willingly let in some Soviet "volunteers" with strict guidelines on how long and how many can come in, or unwillingly watch as Germany enters Poland and at best captures Danzig, Poland's only access to the sea. At worst you're looking at a similar situation to 1939 except this time Germany gets all of Poland. (No Ribbentrop/Molotov pact). At this point Poland does not have many good choices. And it's just seen how the Western Allies are willing to throw nations they've "guaranteed independence" under the train. They might not like the Soviets coming in but if they impose some controls on numbers and time the Russians can stay, that could make the choice more bearable.
Each of the ships Poland got cost about as much as raising and equipping a battalion of 7tp tanks. Of course when Poland bought destroyers and subs from France nobody dreamed of 7tp... Vickers E would be another matter.Alliance value. 2 Destroyers and 3 Subs were built in France and the Poles would be expecting supply and assistance from France in the Baltic against a Soviet aggressor.
Someone did a great one-shot timeline of this, but I can't remember who it was.
Maybe invest more money in AT defences (perhaps at the expense of the Navy ?) Doctrine and training to employ the new assets would also be needed.
Maybe lots of small units equipped with AT weapons, mines, mortars and machine guns that fight delaying actions against the Germans and use camouflage to avoid air attack prior to engaging the German army ?
Yet, aside of Kutrzeba and Army Poznań there was little maneuvering and much retreating. Anyway you cannot conduct maneuver warfare when your forces are slower than enemy and you are 24 hours or so behind them in decision cycle.That goes contrary to the lesson learned in 1919-1920, however. The Wojska's attack mentality was a result of the victory in that war. Maneuver and offensive were what led to victory. You are asking them to switch to the stationary defensive. I'm not saying it's impossible, but you need to change the Soviet-Polish War.
Yet, aside of Kutrzeba and Army Poznań there was little maneuvering and much retreating. Anyway you cannot conduct maneuver warfare when your forces are slower than enemy and you are 24 hours or so behind them in decision cycle.
Poland supports Czechslovakia rather than being incredibly shortsighted. USSR mobilises as they wanted to anyway (only didn't because Poland refused troop transit) and together Polish, Soviets and Czechs fight Nazis.
French and British probably don't help Nazis even with them supporting at Munich
This pod can be done up to Munich conference, either by having Czechslovakia agree to border change with Poland in return for support or Poland just agreeing to USSR troop movement
The Polish government has a choice. Willingly let in some Soviet "volunteers" with strict guidelines on how long and how many can come in, or unwillingly watch as Germany enters Poland and at best captures Danzig, Poland's only access to the sea. At worst you're looking at a similar situation to 1939 except this time Germany gets all of Poland. (No Ribbentrop/Molotov pact). At this point Poland does not have many good choices. And it's just seen how the Western Allies are willing to throw nations they've "guaranteed independence" under the train. They might not like the Soviets coming in but if they impose some controls on numbers and time the Russians can stay, that could make the choice more bearable.