One of the big reason's Stalin purged the officer corps in 1937 was he feared Marshall Tukhachevsky, a young and strong-willed General, was plotting to overthrow him. What if Tukhachevsky did overthrow him; perhaps he and enough loyal officers got wind of the impending tribunals and made the first move. Stalin himself is purged in 1937 and Tukhachevsky set's himself up as the "People's Dictator" in Moscow.
Obviously saving the Russian officer corps means the Red army will be much more effective in WWII. But I wonder if WWII would even have started in the same with this POD. Stalin in OTL was not invited to the Munich Conference; had the USSR been represented they would have prevented Hitler from taking the Sudentland peacefully. I have to wonder if Tukhachevsky would have been invited, if for no other reason then to give the leaders of Europe a chance to meet the new ruler. In that case Hitler would have been blocked at the conference. If he invaded Czechoslovakia afterwards, I can only see the Germans getting stomped.
Those are all the thoughts that come to mind immediately. What do you guys think about this scenario?
This is based on a scenario brought up in the last AH Podcast on the Comintern.
Obviously saving the Russian officer corps means the Red army will be much more effective in WWII. But I wonder if WWII would even have started in the same with this POD. Stalin in OTL was not invited to the Munich Conference; had the USSR been represented they would have prevented Hitler from taking the Sudentland peacefully. I have to wonder if Tukhachevsky would have been invited, if for no other reason then to give the leaders of Europe a chance to meet the new ruler. In that case Hitler would have been blocked at the conference. If he invaded Czechoslovakia afterwards, I can only see the Germans getting stomped.
Those are all the thoughts that come to mind immediately. What do you guys think about this scenario?
This is based on a scenario brought up in the last AH Podcast on the Comintern.