Hitler doesn't invade France

foucault

Banned
So, Hitler does everything the way he does, but comes to the realization that it will take at least a hundred years to colonize German occupied Poland and it is better to consolidate than to expand further, and also decides that it is not worth risking an all out attack on France like he does. So, Hitler goes on the defensive, instead of the offensive, satisfied with repopulating Poland and Czechoslovakia with Germans.

Wouldn't the Phony War continue for a long time?
 
This gives Britain and France the chance to catch up to Germany in terms of re-armament, and denies Germany the strategic resources it gained by occupying France. The Allies aren't going to back down and reconcile with Hitler a second time after the status quo has shifted so dramatically in Germany's favor - it was in everyone's interest to take Germany down, and needless to say no one was going to trust the Nazis after they invade both Czechoslovakia and Poland.

Eventually, Stalin will decide to turn on Hitler and Germany is going to be utterly screwed.
 
I think the ideal solution for the Germans would be following the fall of Poland, Hitler is assassinated/dies, and the military, or less radical Nazis, take power and sue for peace. I'm sure taking Hitler out of the equation would make a settled peace more appetizing to the western allies. We could probably see a rump Poland with Danzig and the Polish Corridor being given to Germany in that event.
 
Unlikely, Hitler cared about taking Poland but Alsace Loraine where also pretty high up on the list of things Hitler wanted so he would atleast try to take that.
 

foucault

Banned
Something else I was wondering was if Hitler decided to launch an offensive earlier than he did, before the final changes to the war plans were made. That might have at least let France and Britain stand a chance. I also do realize that Hitler was very ambitious in his territorial aspirations, but how far was he willing to go if the war went sour
 

pike

Banned
How about the invasion of France/or some other target before taking on Poland?

What are the chances?
 
In 1941 the Allies assume the offensive and a Wehrmacht whose morale is in collapse and in the midst of a brutal bureaucratic murder-game with the SS disintegrates. The end.
 
Something else I was wondering was if Hitler decided to launch an offensive earlier than he did, before the final changes to the war plans were made. That might have at least let France and Britain stand a chance. I also do realize that Hitler was very ambitious in his territorial aspirations, but how far was he willing to go if the war went sour

Not simply stand a chance, they'd win the war in a cakewalk and Nazi Germany's military power would thus be utterly, totally, and completely destroyed. Fighting the Allies where they were strongest in 1939-40 ends one way for Germany: curbstomp defeat.
 

foucault

Banned
In 1941 the Allies assume the offensive and a Wehrmacht whose morale is in collapse and in the midst of a brutal bureaucratic murder-game with the SS disintegrates. The end.

So, if this happens. Then what happens to Germany? How badly does it get cut up land-wise? What territory does it keep?
 
Germany had to invade France. Hitler wanted his war against Russia and to gain lebensraum in the east. He had to knock France out of the war first or face an unwinnable two front war.
 
How about the invasion of France/or some other target before taking on Poland?

What are the chances?

Poland was in alliance with the UK and France at the end of 1939. If Germany would have attacked the lowlands and France instead of Poland, the poles would have attacked. I can't imagine Stalin taking advantage of that and invading Poland, he didn't want to provoke the Allies.

No, Germany attacking the West before Poland wouldn't be a good choice. Same goes for Denmark or Yugoslavia. It would cause a two way war they where trying to avoid. East Germany had little defence, unlike the siegfried line in the West which was capable enough to halt the French long enough before invasion. Poland would cause a lot of devasation in the East while Germany takes over France(imagining they use the OTL blitzkrieg plan) The British might try sending reinforcements too Poland.

Hitler had also an agreement with Stalin to divide Poland, if they would attack other targets first Stalin might feel betrayed and abandon the agreement. Any attack on another nation would result in a war with the Allies, including Poland. Even if the Polish didn't attack it would be way more difficult for the Germans to take out Poland after.

What would be interesting is Italy attacking Greece before the attack on France.
 
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