Hi guys,recently i came across an article which informed it's readers about an alliance being negotiated between Hitler and India's chamber of princes during Berlin olympics.
http://m.timesofindia.com/city/vado...end-Sayajirao-Gaekwad/articleshow/6313013.cms
The secret pact was forgotten when the prince
helming this initiative died in 1939.What if he had somehow survived during ww2 and carried out his plans at an early stage when the British were losing on all sides.
fyi-the chamber of princes controlled large swathes of Indian subcontinent and some were one of the wealthiest people of that time like the nawab of Hyderabed.
It could have had multiple repurcussions for the allies-
1.Numerical loss of colonial forces.(India was one of the biggest contributer of British forces)-British Indian forces totalled 2.5 million men by the end of ww2.The indian forces were involved in some famous endeavours like operation compass and furthur battles against the desert fox,indian forces in Singapore and Burma against the invading Japaneese and the allied invasion of Italy.
2.An easy passage for the Japaneese in comparison to the deadly battle of Kohima-The advancing Japaneese forces were stopped in the battle of kohima and a successful counter offensive was launched in Burma.
3.Possible soviet invasion from south(The opposite of soviet invasion of Afghanistan)-Division of forces is always a better alternative than concentration of all forces along one front.During the initial days of operation Barbarossa,the soviets still kept some of their best forces along the Japaneese border fearing a possible Japaneese invasion and a 2 front war.An invasion from south would have been a crippling blow to soviet resistance.India had almost infinite supply of men in comparison to axis powers.
4.Loss of material support to china through stillwell road-The stilwell road was an alternative supply chain from the allies towards the Chiang shek government.It could have dealt a heavy blow towards the kuomintang war efforts.
5.Britain's loss of a major supplier-Indian provided more than 70% of its wartime requirements and produced more than 50 kinds of arms and ammunitions.India had a bumper harvest in 1942 but still suffered from famine as most of the produce was shifted for allied supplies.
These are some of the issues i was pondering about.Any new POV is highly appreciated.I will keep on researching about more alternative possiblities.