Effects of historical people becoming casulties in WW2

[Byzantion]

I saw this thread on WW1 people like Hitler, Stalin, etc. and what would change without their personal contribution to historical events, culture, politics, etc. There still are and there had been numerous people who either served in WW2 in combat, in military or supporting roles, had been civilians in war affected areas, etc. Many former heads of states for example and governments had been directly involved in combat.Which examples would you like to point out and what do you think could have been the consequences ?Edit: Not only politicans but also other notable people like religious figures, celibrities, actors, comedians, scientists, etc.

 

[Marc]

The most obvious one that comes to mind is John Kennedy, who did almost die in the war.
Given the dynamics of the Kennedy family under Joseph, the family patriarch, it does raise the notion of Robert Kennedy becoming the family's leading politician in time.
Then, perhaps the death of two Kennedy men in the war would be too much...

 

[Mark E.]

Given the number of US presidents and other world leaders who were veterans, the differences could have been substantial, but none as profound as Hitler getting killed in WW1.

 

[Cryptic]

Though not a national leader per se, Israeli super general Moshe Dayan almost became a casualty during a skirmish between British sponsored units and pro Vichy foreign legionaires in Syria.

 

[mjwebb76]

The most obvious one that comes to mind is John Kennedy, who did almost die in the war.
Given the dynamics of the Kennedy family under Joseph, the family patriarch, it does raise the notion of Robert Kennedy becoming the family's leading politician in time.
Then, perhaps the death of two Kennedy men in the war would be too much...

That is a really interesting possibility. If memory serves the reason Joe Jr took on the insanely dangerous mission he did was to win a Congressional Medal of Honor so that he could have an even more prestigious medal than his brother. If his brother dies presumably his political career can be launched in honor of his fallen hero brother and as such we talk about Joe Kennedy and perhaps ask questions about his "brilliant" brother who died tragically young.

The other President for whom a plausible death can be constructed is George HW Bush (which obviously eliminated GWB). He was shot down in the Pacific and picked up by a sub. It doesn't take much of a change for the sub to miss him and he dies of exposure. No GHWB obviously has rather profound impact from the late 80s forward.

Finally, apparently when de Gaulle re-entered Paris in 1944 someone took a shot at him. Imagine French history in the second half of the 20th century without de Gaulle. For example, would the Fourth Republic have fallen to some sortof dictatorship instead of the odd (but clearly democratic) thing that was the fifth republic.

 

[nbcman]

How about an errant German bomb hits Windsor Castle which kills Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret? Would it be Henry the Ninth I am, I am?

 

[Crowbar Six]

Henry Kissinger was a Sergeant in the US army in 1944. he served as a clerk in a Divisional HQ and was later in charge of chasing down Nazi's post war. If he got shelled or run over by a truck or knifed by some disgruntled Nazi in a back alley the world would be very different place.

 

[stevej713]

Khrushchev and Brezhnev both participated in WW2, so butterflying them away would have dramatic implications for the USSR and the world as we know it. Since there are so many possibilities, it's impossible to say whether the Soviet Union would have collapsed earlier or later, or if it would have collapsed at all, or if there would have been war or not.

 

[Byzantion]

How about an errant German bomb hits Windsor Castle which kills Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret? Would it be Henry the Ninth I am, I am?

Also Prince Phillip served in the Royal Navy and had been involved in battles during WW2. If he didn't survive the Queen would have married Somebody else
instead.

 

[Marc]

That is a really interesting possibility. If memory serves the reason Joe Jr took on the insanely dangerous mission he did was to win a Congressional Medal of Honor so that he could have an even more prestigious medal than his brother. If his brother dies presumably his political career can be launched in honor of his fallen hero brother and as such we talk about Joe Kennedy and perhaps ask questions about his "brilliant" brother who died tragically young.

The other President for whom a plausible death can be constructed is George HW Bush (which obviously eliminated GWB). He was shot down in the Pacific and picked up by a sub. It doesn't take much of a change for the sub to miss him and he dies of exposure. No GHWB obviously has rather profound impact from the late 80s forward.

Finally, apparently when de Gaulle re-entered Paris in 1944 someone took a shot at him. Imagine French history in the second half of the 20th century without de Gaulle. For example, would the Fourth Republic have fallen to some sortof dictatorship instead of the odd (but clearly democratic) thing that was the fifth republic.

Of the same political era would be the death of Bob Dole as quite plausible - Dole came extremely close to dying from his combat wounds and dealt with life long injuries - why in major part Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities act. His death would produce it's own significant set of divergences.
Hmm... this can easily get very morbid.

 

[oldironside]

A mortar bomb lands two inches to the left and kills Spike Milligan, meaning no Goon Show and (at the very least) a very different Monty Python.

 

[Byzantion]

Though not a national leader per se, Israeli super general Moshe Dayan almost became a casualty during a skirmish between British sponsored units and pro Vichy foreign legionaires in Syria.

That is an interesting fact. Also Menachem Begin, who later become president of Israel, fought in a Soviet unit of political prisoners before deserting and later for Irgun.

 

[Byzantion]

I saw this thread on WW1 people like Hitler, Stalin, etc. and what would change without their personal contribution to historical events, culture, politics, etc. There still are and there had been numerous people who either served in WW2 in combat, in military or supporting roles, had been civilians in war affected areas, etc. Many former heads of states for example and governments had been directly involved in combat.Which examples would you like to point out and what do you think could have been the consequences ?

Poland's last Communist dictator Jaruzelski fought in the Battle of Berlin. Also he had been deported as a political prisoner to Siberia after Soviets overrun Poland. He developes a Problem with his eyesights in the mines he was doing forced labor.

 

[Byzantion]

Khrushchev and Brezhnev both participated in WW2, so butterflying them away would have dramatic implications for the USSR and the world as we know it. Since there are so many possibilities, it's impossible to say whether the Soviet Union would have collapsed earlier or later, or if it would have collapsed at all, or if there would have been war or not.

Also Gorbatchov lived under German occupation as a boy and had bad experiences. If something had happened to him he wouldn't have his historical role

 

[Cryhavoc101]

Roald Dahl.

As a member of No 80 Sqn RAF he took part in the Battle of Athens - where the last 12 aircraft of 80 Sqn took on an estimated 152 bombers and fighters, the Squadron shooting down between 8 and 22 depending on sources and losing 5 of their own aircraft with 4 of the pilots including the Hurricane Ace Pat Prattle, killed.

In his book 'Going Solo' Roald makes note that Pat Prattle one of then best fighter Pilots in the world does not survive the battle while himself being one of the least experienced (although he was an ace with at least 5 'kills') survives it.

So Roald is killed in action in April 1941 and humanity remains sadly ignorant of that which it has been robbed.

His book 'The Fantastic Mr Fox' was the first book I ever read through choice.

Damn,

Does make you wonder what else we were robbed of?

 

[BlackDragon98]

Eisenhower could have been killed in a Nazi operation reminiscent of OP Long Jump.
I wonder who's going to be president then?

 

[Mr_Fanboy]

Many, many prominent United States politicians served in the Second World War. Folks have already mentioned Kennedy and Bush, Sr., but off the top of my head, Bob Dole, Dan Inouye, and George Wallace also saw combat.