Lenin's successor without Stalin

[AdanALW]

Hitler's rise to power was not inevitable, with a divergence in the early 1920's, his path to power could well be butterflied away. Which is not say that some right wing regime won't take over, just that there's no guarantee that it will be Hitler's. Even if it is, there's no guarantee that the history of his regime will proceed as it did historically. Yes he'd want to fight the USSR, but he might never have an opportunity to do so. Germany could lose a quick war in 1938, or if circumstances are worse for them in 1939 and 1940, they could become bogged down in France and end up losing the war in the west before they invade The USSR

Hitler won't just butterfly away based on something happening in the Soviet Union itself. However, the other poster's point about having a left-wing alliance keep the Nazis from taking parlimitary control of the Riechstag could very well prevent Hitler and the Nazis from that route to power. The thing is, Hitler had already once tried a coup in the 1920s. My view of Hitler is that he never was going to give up until he ultimately succeed. If he doesn't get his way one way, he'll tr another. Only having an opposing dictatorship could destroy the Nazis. Possibly a competing right-wing ideology, but most likely it would have to be left-wing.

 

[Glass Onion]

Hitler won't just butterfly away based on something happening in the Soviet Union itself. However, the other poster's point about having a left-wing alliance keep the Nazis from taking parlimitary control of the Riechstag could very well prevent Hitler and the Nazis from that route to power. The thing is, Hitler had already once tried a coup in the 1920s. My view of Hitler is that he never was going to give up until he ultimately succeed. If he doesn't get his way one way, he'll tr another. Only having an opposing dictatorship could destroy the Nazis. Possibly a competing right-wing ideology, but most likely it would have to be left-wing.

I agree that a left wing Germany is not likely. I just do not believe that Hitler is the only right wing force that can rise in that time period. A decade is a long time, and there's no guarantee that German political circumstances will replicate themselves. Hitler trying to seize power by force in the late 1920's or early 1930's is a recipe for a German Civil War, as he will not have the support of the military. Sure, Hitler could win that conflict, but it would put Germany in much worse shape. And there's no guarantee that say, a military dictatorship, is going to be as eager for War as Hitler was.

 

[AdanALW]

I agree that a left wing Germany is not likely. I just do not believe that Hitler is the only right wing force that can rise in that time period. A decade is a long time, and there's no guarantee that German political circumstances will replicate themselves. Hitler trying to seize power by force in the late 1920's or early 1930's is a recipe for a German Civil War, as he will not have the support of the military. Sure, Hitler could win that conflict, but it would put Germany in much worse shape. And there's no guarantee that say, a military dictatorship, is going to be as eager for War as Hitler was.

Good points. I don't want to stray this thread too far from the focus of the Soviet Union. I think the general point I am making is that we need to think about how removing Stalin will effect Soviet-German relations and the outcome of Europe.

 

[Soup]

I don't think Kirov really had the clout in the mid-20s to really be considered for leadership, even in a troika. Now, if Stalin had died before Kirov's own death, that's a situation where he could really shine. (my pipedream TL right here...) But I'm not sure that in a situation where Stalin isn't a player at all Kirov is still going to rise to prominence.