Little Entente - Challenge

[rldragon]

Hopefully, a novel and difficult challenge.

Make Little Entente (Czechoslovakia, Romania, Yugoslavia) a kind of an European Power (when working together-just alliance/economic union) that succeeds in preventing the WWII from happening, or at least stops it from turning into a world war.

France's aid is allowed (perhaps it's even absolutely necessary).

If plausible, other nations can join Little Entente (Greece and Poland seem the best bet to me).

CONDITIONS:

1. POD is between 1921 and 1938.

2. No ASB.

BONUS POINTS:

1. Bonus points for L.E. prevailing without significant help from the western powers.

2. SUPER MEGA bonus points (and I wear a sig of his/her choice for a month) for anybody who succeeds in creating a plausible proto-EU in the Eastern Europe.

 

[MSZ]

The Little Entente becoming a power in Inter-War Europe with a PoD after 1921 is not possible, simply due to economics and demographics - even combined, these states had a population of only about 50 mln, mostly agrarian economies with little war industry. For it to become a true regional power it would have to expand, most importantly incorporating Poland and Hungary - which in turn would de facto turn it into a Intermarum, combined with all the problems that makes.

The best chance for this challenge to be fulfilled would be for a limited war with Germany to break out in 1938 over the Sudetenland, in which Czechoslovakia stands it's ground, France enters the Rheinland and Poland enters East Prussia, leading to the Nazi's regime collapse. The Little Entente soldifies it's alliance with Poland (and maybe Hungary taking Burgenland) effecively uniting the Little Entente with the Warsaw Accord, leading to a Mutual Protection Pact being signed between them.

 

[rldragon]

Well, I did want it to be a difficult challenge.

Hmm... your solution works, and is probably the likeliest to succeed, although it's a little bit underwhelming.

Without Poland and France, it's probably a no go for the L.E to fight with Germany. However, I am a little bit in doubt about Hungary joining such an alliance.

PS. Would Italy intervene on Germany's behalf?

 

[MSZ]

I just don't see a all-central Europe alliance coming to life with a 1921 PoD. A lot of things might have happened since then though, that would result in a 1938 short "Hitler's War". Seeing that OTL Czechoslovakia wasn't economicaly worse off than for example the Netherlands, without World War 2 and communism it might have ended up equaly powerfull - and the Little Entente becoming something akin to OTL Benelux.

And yes, Hungary joining is very unlikely - I was thinking along the lines of Horthy being opportunistic, counting on a German victory in 1938 and making his pro-germanism well known, but with the Reich's loss switching sides, taking Burgenland and thus joining the 'victors'. Could be a start for recognizing it's border at some post-war peace conference.

And Italy would not join Germany - OTL Mussolini waited up until France's defeat was complete, he would to the same ITTL - wait and watch.

 

[azander12]

The Little Entente becoming a power in Inter-War Europe with a PoD after 1921 is not possible, simply due to economics and demographics - even combined, these states had a population of only about 50 mln, mostly agrarian economies with little war industry. For it to become a true regional power it would have to expand, most importantly incorporating Poland and Hungary - which in turn would de facto turn it into a Intermarum, combined with all the problems that makes.

The best chance for this challenge to be fulfilled would be for a limited war with Germany to break out in 1938 over the Sudetenland, in which Czechoslovakia stands it's ground, France enters the Rheinland and Poland enters East Prussia, leading to the Nazi's regime collapse. The Little Entente soldifies it's alliance with Poland (and maybe Hungary taking Burgenland) effecively uniting the Little Entente with the Warsaw Accord, leading to a Mutual Protection Pact being signed between them.

Could different interwar Italian politics (maybe somehow butterflying fascism) allow Italy to join the Little Entente, giving it a little bit of a boost in terms of demography and industry?

 

[MSZ]

Could different interwar Italian politics (maybe somehow butterflying fascism) allow Italy to join the Little Entente, giving it a little bit of a boost in terms of demography and industry?

Oh, absolutly - even in OTL Italy took it's time before forming a full alliance with Germany. It sought to preserve Austrian independence for a long time, and was genuinely trying form a anti-german coalition with France and Britain (Stresa Front). And for good reasons - Hitler's pan-germanic ideology conflicted with Italy's hold of South Tirol. So there certainly is a basis for Italy joining the Allies - especially non-fascist Italy which wouldn't have expantionist ambitions in Yugoslavia.