What if Oswald Mosley was able to gain power in Great Britain? What would come of his "Union of Fascists"? What stance do you think he would have toward the Nazi's?
It is hard to see how Mosley would gain power with the BUF. It had limited appeal to the vast majority of the British people; parading around in silly uniforms has always seemed...well...silly.What if Oswald Mosley was able to gain power in Great Britain? What would come of his "Union of Fascists"? What stance do you think he would have toward the Nazi's?
[snip]It is hard to see how Mosley would gain power with the BUF.
Mosley wanted peace between the British Empire and Germany, as did most during the 30s. In particular, the Labour Party opposed re-armament. There is no evidence at all that he would have been a Quisling; it would have been entirely contrary to his previous life history. It is in any event unlikely that Germany would have chosen him to be the head of a defeated UK. It would have chosen a more emollient character in order to placate the populace. Occupation of a defeated country with an inherently hostile population requires huge manpower; it is best to appoint an effective administrator who will try to normalise the occupation and get the population onside or at least accepting. Mosley can never be classified as emollient.From everything I've read he was considered nothing more than a member of the fringe element and not really taken seriously.
Mosley said in his biography he would have refused any offer to collaborate with the Nazi's had Sealion taken place (and worked). Being the book was written postwar I take that statement with a LARGE grain of salt...
You can't deny that Mosley had a brand of Fascism that set him apart from his contemporaries.
An interesting timeline would be the consequences of Labour having adopted his manifesto.
I don't think Mosley could have transformed Labour into a Fascist Party. Even if he were leader, he would be accountable to primarily his MPs and the Trade Unions, most of whom would be highly resistant to such a change. If Mosley were to go down the path of outright fascism that he did OTL, then he wouldn't remain as Labour leader for long. Maybe you'd see a split which would create a stronger New Party/BUF equivalent.When Mosely was apart of the Labor party, he had a pretty large gathering of people in the (Liverpool area?) Had he stayed in the party and morphed it into his Union of Fascists he might of had a chance. And if he becomes Prime Minister instead of Churchill, I honestly think he still would have joined France and the US to fight Germany. Mosely's brand of Fascism was more alligned with Mussolini than the Nazis.
Granted that Mosely becoming Prime Minister is almost impossible, I think that if it were to happen, it would be interesting to see how history would play out.
British Huey Long.
Every man a kin-... Oh wait, there is just one king and he's Edward VIII... Ok mates, Every citizen a President, but no one wears a presidential sash!
When Mosely was apart of the Labor party, he had a pretty large gathering of people in the (Liverpool area?) Had he stayed in the party and morphed it into his Union of Fascists