FDR too sick to go to Yalta

oudi14

The thread about FDR living longer made me think of this. Back in my youth, I was a real hater of communism, and I used to debate my dad about what might have happened had it been Truman at Yalta instead of the POTUS.
So let us say that in the winter of '45, FDR comes down with a bad bout of flu or something; and given his weakened condition, his doctor says something to the effect of "No, Mr. President, I cannot let you take this risk, there is a good chance this journey might kill you." He considers disobeying the doctor's orders, because he considers his presence at Yalta to be vital, but Eleanor puts her foot down, and sees to it that Franklin is kept a virtual prisoner until he recovers. He moans, but doesn't have the strength to fight her. In the meantime, Truman leaves for Yalta.
So, what butterflies, if any?
 

Craigo

Few, if any. Churchill was in broad agreement with Yalta's terms (except for Polish elections), Truman is there as an envoy and not a head of government with real power like the other two, he's inexperienced, and probably has instructions from FDR.

And at the end of the day, Stalin occupies Eastern Europe no matter what some piece of paper says.
 

Wendell

The problem here is FDR. You have to change FDR or use an earlier POD to produce a different outcome at Yalta and thereafter.
 

Minchandre

There's also the issue that Yalta or no Yalta, the East/West boundary line was actually fairly reflective of the boots-on-the-ground situation at the end of WWII.
 

MacCaulay

Banned
FDR too sick to go to Yalta
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FDR: Why did the dead baby cross the road?

Truman: ...

FDR: Well?

Truman: I don't know, Franklin. Why did the dead baby cross the road?

FDR: BECAUSE IT WAS STAPLED TO THE CHICKEN!

Truman: Ew! You're too sick to go to Yalta!
 

Minchandre

Wendell said:
Which, arguably, was influenced by politicians too.
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Definitely to some extent, but generals on both sides of the line were willing to ignore it, leading to the race by which both Allied and Soviet leaders were often more interested in getting as far east/west as they could than they were in pacifying the Germans (after all, they could always come back and finish that later). I've heard anecdotes that Eisenhower wanted to invade Berlin, regardless of who was in control of it.
 

Kerblo

Could a result have been Truman backing up Churchill in calling for free elections in Poland? In our timeline, FDR was silent when Churchill demanded this. Stalin promised free elections when Poland was ready but that never happened. A Poland that was even semi-democratic would be a huge blow to Stalin's grip on Eastern Europe.
 

Mr Qwerty

Kerblo said:
Could a result have been Truman backing up Churchill in calling for free elections in Poland? In our timeline, FDR was silent when Churchill demanded this. Stalin promised free elections when Poland was ready but that never happened. A Poland that was even semi-democratic would be a huge blow to Stalin's grip on Eastern Europe.
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Sadly impossible, no matter what the Western leaders say. The Red Army controlled Poland and whatever government Stalin chose to install he would.
 

usertron2020

Donor
FDR was a man utterly incapable of recognizing his own mortality. Unless he was nearly comatose, he would have gone, doctor's orders and Eleanor be damned. More likely, Yalta is delayed.
 

DuQuense

FDR was a man utterly incapable of recognizing his own mortality. Unless he was nearly comatose, he would have gone, doctor's orders and Eleanor be damned. More likely, Yalta is delayed.
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?Ok -- How about FDR dieing in early 45 -pre Yalta?
 

Evan

Mr Qwerty said:
Sadly impossible, no matter what the Western leaders say. The Red Army controlled Poland and whatever government Stalin chose to install he would.
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I think you there's at least a possibility you could get a free Hungary, Czechoslovakia, or Bulgaria, though. Churchill did make a deal with Stalin about Greece, and he kept it.
 
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