in the post war elections in France and Italy their Communist parties hit their high water marks, is there a way that France and Italy could become Communist States or Communist dominated states in the post war years with out any Soviet interference?
Communist France and Italy post-WWII
- Thread starter black angel
- Start date
Yes, the Italian general election of 1976 had the Commies with only 34 less MPs than the governing CDs. Though there were NATO plans for the Italian military and the neo-Fascist "deep-state" elements to prevent that occurrence...
I've been doing some reading on that, would they really over throw an elected government? also if it's in the 1940s (1945, 1946 or 1947) when there is no NATO could/would the USA over throw them?
Yes, the Italian military could enter into a coalition with the neo-Fascist Right, the Church and the elites. That was the same coalition that Ferdinand Marcos shrewdly manipulated as the civilian CINC of a military government for 14 years in Manila. In the Italian case, it would likely be a joint civilian-military junta. But in 1948, the CIA and Vatican worked to ensure a CD victory, so them losing is unlikely.
Without doubt. Both before and after NATO's creation there were contingency plans in the event of a communist victory to subvert the election's outcome.
Simply put, the right would have been proclaimed victorious no matter what, while any protests would have become the excuse to impose the martial law.
Consider then that this plans had been drawn even before the official ending of WW2. Many of the fascist leaders and high officers were quickly rehabilitaded thanks their possible usefulness in an anti-communist struggle. Prince Borghese is a prime example.
Another hint: the italian army was rearmed by the USA in 1947, much before any of the other Axis's powers. It's bit odd to sell weapons at an extremely low price to your ex-enemy just a couple of years after the end of war, isn'it?
Oh there'd definitely be a coup d'etat if the Communists ever won an election in either France or Italy, but the real question is two fold: would native reactionary forces be sufficient to maintain power, and if not, does America have the political will to intervene more directly (i.e., deploying troops)?
um just thought I'd point out the Communists did win in France, in 1945 they were the largest party and formed a government with the Popular Republican Movement and the French Section of the Workers International, in June 1946 they were the second largest party and again in government, November 1946 saw them come back as the largest party and still in government, it wasn't till 1951 that the French Communist party, which won the popular vote, was forced out of government.
Well, if the Communists win, all they will do is create the OTL conditions for the Fourth Republic's end and have a military junta step in. Or even have General de Gaulle return to power earlier than OTL.