Alternate European Front 1939-40.

Imagine for a moment a somewhat different take to what happend in the OTL. Hitler rearms at the same rate, the British and French let hime take the same territories, Hitler signs the the Non-Aggression pact with Stalin, thus the Carve up of Poland can occur in 1939..


Here is when things change.. The Britsh and French instead of declearing war on Germany directly, they attempt to place heavy sanctions on Hitler, Arm the Poles with weapons, perhaps arm Czech resistance too. Also the British may try to blockade the Germans in the North Sea..

Such a scenario may allow the French and Britsh to save face and may allow France to surivive 1940, by not forcing a German invasion directly West.

Here is the Problem how do the British and French Supply the Poles and Czech's? The can't supply over land obviously. But maybe the the Northern Sea and air routes are open still? The West could supply Poland this way? Also how would sanctions hurt Germany from the West. How would Arms reaching the Poles from the West make the Soviets react, Poland has been carved up.. Stalin did want Germany and the West to have a long fight..


Would the direct war between the French/British vs Germany begin in 1940 in Norway and Denmark? Instead of France. Maybe operation Weserubung and adds to its already important value in TTL? Germany would need this victory to cut off vital supplies/weapons from the West to the Poles, Keep its trade route to Sweden open, and gain northern naval/air bases.
 
That doesn't make much sense to me. France and Britain declared war on Germany not because they loved Poland, but because they were affraid of Germany's rising power. Invasion of Czechoslovakia was the final straw that confirmed their suspicions about Hitler's intentions, so they promised assistance to Poland to finally stop that maniac. How it worked, we all know.
Supplying the Poles with weapons AFTER occupation of Poland by Germany and USSR? That doesn't make sense to me. Most of the air routes are over German or Soviet territory, and sending a mass of military planes over other country's territory is usually considered an act of war. Especially when the planes are full of weapons for the enemy of said country. Not to mention the fact, that French and British didn't have enough long range planes (bombers) to do it anyway. And even if some planes had gotten through German air defence, the quantity of weapons they could haved carried would have been insignificant.
Also, I don't understand how the Allies could supply Poles with weapons by sea? Yes, Royal Navy could have controlled Northern Sea, but after the fall of Poland Germans controlled the Baltic Sea and whole Pomerania. Check the maps first.
British blockade of Northern Sea is also an act of war. Any economic sanctions don't hurt Germany too much, because they have quite a lot of supplies from Soviet Union. And trying to enforce those sanctions would have been a casus belli too.
In short, Britain and France could have ignored the fall of Poland and tried to find some way to come to agreement with Hitler, or they could have had war. The scenario you propose seems quite implausible to mee.
 
This is not after the fall of Poland by During the Fight between Poland and Germany.. That is why the Supply by the West is occuring, not after.. Also I meant Northern Air Routes as in over Norway, Northsea.. True the West had few Aircraft though.. Carved up being the Soviets in the East, Germans still fighting..

I should have have cleared this up..
 
This is not after the fall of Poland by During the Fight between Poland and Germany.. That is why the Supply by the West is occuring, not after.. Also I meant Northern Air Routes as in over Norway, Northsea.. True the West had few Aircraft though.. Carved up being the Soviets in the East, Germans still fighting..

I should have have cleared this up..

Still wouldn't happen.
The luftwaffe would simply shoot down any plane flying over the baltic heading for Poland. An airlift won't do squat.
Not to mention that these aircraft would have to overfly several neutral countries without permission which is another no no.

If France and GB don't declare war then Poland is crust much sooner then in OTL as Germany acn deply her full airforce for longer while not really worrying about a western front..

The blockade wont work as the USSR will supply all Germany's needs until barbarossa kicks off.
Not to mention that Italy is still neutral but oh so friendly to Germany so expect lots of stuff to come through is route as well.
 
I'm not sure 'heavy sanctions' would do much to Germany, I don't think they received much from Britain and France. Hitler wanted Germany to be self reliant.
 
About the only route your supplies could take would be thru Romania.
and IIRC Some supplies did travel this Route.
Till German Pressure stopped them
 
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