Help on potential future timeline required.

I've had an idea for a new timeline. Neville Chamberlain as we know, died in November 1940 from bowel cancer. Now what if the disease had taken him in November 1937?

Now, I was planning on having Anthony Eden become Prime Minister, which in a way makes sense, as looking at the cabinet, other than Halifax, who would not really be in a position to become Prime Minister at this stage outside of a national emergency and Churchill, who was not in the cabinet, I feel he would be the strongest candidate, albiet Hoare and Simon would be other potential leaders in waiting.

What happens next? Eden resigned over Munich, which means no Munich agreement as it happened in reality, and a possible war in 1938. Does this sound plausible? How do you think the run up to WW2 would be with an anti-appeaser in Ten Downing Street?
 
This thread may be dead, but it's interesting.
Simon's pretty much out as a Liberal National, I doubt they would choose Halifax without a national emergency, what with him being a lord - so that leaves Eden and Hoare, who I know nothing about.
If the war started over the munich agreement, the UK, France, and Czechoslovakia would be backed by the Soviets, and the Czechs and Slovaks were in a better defensive position geographically than the Poles. They may even be able to get Italy on their side, or at least to stay neutral, though it's getting late in the day for an alliance with Italy.
 
This thread may be dead, but it's interesting.
Simon's pretty much out as a Liberal National, I doubt they would choose Halifax without a national emergency, what with him being a lord - so that leaves Eden and Hoare, who I know nothing about.
If the war started over the munich agreement, the UK, France, and Czechoslovakia would be backed by the Soviets, and the Czechs and Slovaks were in a better defensive position geographically than the Poles. They may even be able to get Italy on their side, or at least to stay neutral, though it's getting late in the day for an alliance with Italy.
I never bothered bumping this as I never thouight the interest was there. Its pretty much as I suspected then, all round its better for the Allies, although there are elements which mean I think initial defeats may still be forthcoming.

The French leadership, which was apalling, would still be the same, meaning that any hope of a swift war would likely be quashed. The British were not fully ready for the war, so this would also likely play into the Germans hands. The Poles or Romanians would likely be the wildcard countries here as the level of Soviet involvement would require the Red Army marching through their countries, assuming indeed that the Soviets simply do do what they did in helping the Czechs as they did the Spanish in the Spanish Civil War.

Even then, if Eden did become Prime Minister and brought anti-appeasers such as Churchill into the cabinet, how would the Germans react?

All in all, this is interesting.
 
Even then, if Eden did become Prime Minister and brought anti-appeasers such as Churchill into the cabinet, how would the Germans react?

All in all, this is interesting.

True, they might be more hesitant to push for further gains if such a cabinet were to form against them.

I would have to say it completely depends on the Soviet Pact, if it still happens but at an earlier date war might happen if not I don't think they would be stupid enough to go for it.
 
Originally posted by FletcherofSaltoun
Eden resigned over Munich

No, he resigned on 20 February 1938 over Chamberlain's policy towards Italy.

I don't know if Eden would be acceptable to the 'magic circle' in the Conservative Party as their leader and therefore Prime Minister in November 1937. He was still only forty years old. But the only plausible alternative to Eden was Sir Samuel Hoare. I don't think Sir John Simon being a Liberal National would have been an insurmountable barrier, if the Tories were prepared to be bold, with the hope and intention of attracting liberals/Liberals. But he was not popular with his colleagues. He was known as 'soapy Simon'. He and Eden disliked each other.

Here are the members of Chamberlain's cabinet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_National_Ministry .
 
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