Of course, we don't know the political situation of Britain at the time Hitchens is writing. It could be that Germany won the war and Britain is in the grips of a fascist regime that demonizes Hitler, with Hitchens as their Goebbles. There are tracts in OTL that describe Churchill as the world's greatest mass-murderer. Or it could be a Britain more free than ours and Hitler literally depopulated France. We don't know enough about the actual facts to to make any judgements yet.
"Our Struggle": What If Hitler Had Been a Communist?
- Thread starter The Red
- Start date
Assuming the Spanish Civil War even still happens. At the TL's present we've not even had Primo de Rivera yet, so for all we know Spain's future might be completely different.
Chapter XXX
"In the Germany of 1919 all roads led to Russia, all the roads that mattered, all the roads that were open."
~ E. H. Carr
~ E. H. Carr
It would be in 1922, at the Mediterranean seaside resort of Genoa, that the Germans and the Soviets would make their first forays into diplomacy with each other. The Genoa Conference would be the largest international meeting since the Paris Peace Conference had finally ended the First World War, and it would be the first that the Soviet Union had been invited to attened. Whilst the emphasis of the conference was the based on the need to reconstruct and re-order the economies of Europe in the wake of the war, it was also the first opportunity for the new Bolshevik regime to normalise relations with the outside world.
From 1918 to 1920, the British and French had been actively involved in the Russian Civil War. Amongst other Allied nations they had contributed large numbers of supplies and troops to support the 'White' forces, made up of moanrchist and other anti-communist groups, in their fight against the Bolsheviks. After this failed intervention had been abandoned, they had continued to blockade Soviet-held ports and support the Poles during the Russo-Polish war. It was a proxy conflict that had caused resentment at home and appeared to have no effect as to the Soviets continued survival. With the end of the Russo-Polish conflict, and the Whites facing imminent defeat, it was clear that the Bolsheviks would remain in power for the foreseeable future, the Western powers would now have to try to adjust to the regime that they had so recently attempted to destroy.
Accomodating the Soviets had not only become a matter of reality but in some ways it was also attractive to the Anglo-French. Whilst the Soviets had initially been closed to the idea of free markets and western investment, the destruction of Russian infrastructure as a result of the civil war had caused famine to break out in large parts of the Soviet Union. This had made it necessary to call a halt on the aggressive collectivsation policies the Soviets had been pursuing.
The resulting 'New Economic Policy' opened the door to foreign investment from the capitalist powers. At Genoa, the French were especially keen to re-establish some of their old economic links with Russia, pushed by press editorials which described the Soviet Union as a 'potential gold mine'. The British had already begun some trade negotiations and the French were wary of missing out on a prosperous new relationship. Realistically, it was unlikely to have ever worked.
The attitudes and individuals that had motivated the west's anti-Bolshevik interventions remained too powerful. The 'New Economic Policy' was welcomed due to its apparent endorsement of the capitalist model rather than any willingness to have a friendship with the Soviets. The British Prime Minsiter, David Lloyd George, continued to speak of Bolshevism as a menace whilst he was at the conference. He declared that the 'New Economic Policy' only proved that the Soviets had been "beaten" ideologically and that any economic relationship would be reliant on the Soviets taking on the old debts of Tsarist Russia, a huge sum of money. The French were not as ideologically hostile, but they too sought to redeem at least some of the large amounts of money that they had lent to the Tsar. It wasn't the greatest offer of friendship.
The Bolsheviks saw no admission of failure in the 'New Economic Policy', nor were they willing to take responsibility for the large debts they Tsar had accumulated. With these opposing viewpoints, nothing substantial would come from the conference in regards to Anglo-French-Soviet diplomacy. All continued to distrust each other, with the Soviets quietly leaving the conference to speak with the German delegation.
The Germans, still bitter towards the western powers for the harsh treatment imposed by the Treaty of Versailles, were far more open to a relationship with the Soviets and had already recognised the Bolshevik regime a year prior to the conference. Negotations were held first in the town of Santa Margarhita Ligure, and later in the city of Rapallo. In the resulting Treaty of Rapallo, the Germans and the Soviets renounced any territorial claims or past debts on each other and agreed to establish a new trade agreement with would very quickly make Germany the Soviet Union's largest trading partner.
These events in the Summer of 1922 would be a foreshadowing of the more major events of 1936, mutual distrust of the western powers had led to the first major German-Soviet treaty. It would be a treaty had held far more significance than what was agreed on paper, and not just for historical reasons.
~ John Penny, The Unpopular Front
---
"And then we sent him a letter of thanks!"
Laughter burst out around the room, the genuine smiles all around the table were a relief amongst such conspiratorial events. This conference room was dark, deep inside the Imperial Hotel the venue was spartan, without any of the splendour of the agreements of the previous few months. General Kurt Von Schleicher couldn't help but feel it had been an appropriate setting for agreeing the clauses of the Treaty of Rapallo that wouldn't technically exist.
"Oh well then, enough conspiracy, let's get out into the sunshine and have some more stories!"
There were loud calls of agreement from both sides as they began to exit the stuffy room, soon they had walked the past the hall where the official agreement had been made two months beforehand. All white walls, white furniture, and the sun puring in from a myriad of windows, it was a lovely scene but perhaps one that would have been rather tainted by the cause of today's discussions. Von Schliecher felt himself being patted on the back and nodded at General Oskar Von Niedermayer. The old spymaster had helped open up talks with the Soviets before Versailles had even been signed, and now he was back to cast even more shadows.
"They really are keen, aren't they?"
Von Niedermayer nodded severely, a scowl appearing on his face.
"I've seen hungry animals with more tact."
Von Schleicher shook his head, he wasn't exactly blind to political intrigue but the two faced-nature in which the Russians were discussed had become nasueating, one moment they were brave warrior colleagues, the next they were animals.
"I just hope that we can be as serious when the time comes."
Von Niedermayer sighed, but only for a moment.
"This meeting isn't officially happening, I think that underlines how much work this is going to take from here on to make sure that this deal goes under the noses of the Allies, not to mention our enemies in the Reichstag."
"I don't think this is going to work in the shadows. The amounts of money that were being talked about in there, it's a level of investment that would have raised eyebrows in 1917. Now the nation's broke and we're going to be funnelling millions into the Soviet Union. This is something that will be noticed."
Even as they joined the rest of the party on the balconies,neither the beautiful day nor the relaxed atmosphere could improve the mood of etheir man. Von Schleicher continued to think out aloud, all the more wary of who might be listening,
"To pull this off we can't hide this off we can't hide away from politics, we must use politicians for our own means, not to mention the civil service. It isn't enough to lie to them, they'll have to lie to themselves as well. Two Reicshwehrs will have to exist from now on, one for the public and for the foreign powers, another for us and the Russians. Both will have to be real, so that the French can sleep easily thinking that they can walk all over us whenever we want, whilst we can sleep soundly knowing that they'll actually be facing a force that is ten time larger and training with all the modern equipment the Russians can supply us with."
Von Niedermayer began to smile again,
"It looks like I might be of better service to my country in the worker's paradise then. This hidden Reicshwehr will need to find places for tank training, airfields, maybe even submarines. I'll make a start at trying to find them, Russia is vast after all. Von Seeckt and yourself are far more suited to the politics game, I'd rather spend my time dealing with people who don't pretend that they aren't communists."
Von Schleicher laughed and the two men shook hands, as the storytelling Russian apporached them three glasses, beaming under his large moustache. The German generals beamed as they noticed the bottle of riesling.
"Nothing but the best for our German friends!"
The way he poured the glasses, along with his odd little bowtie, made Smeyon Budyonny appear like an eccentric waiter from a Habsburg cafe. Neither of the Germans had seen him in action, but they had heard the stories of his military prowess. Here was one of Red Army's greatest officers, a man who had slain the White forces, and now was looking to the future. Von Schleicher couldn't help but see it as an act. He handed a glass to each of them and shouted "Let’s drink to love! Gorka!".
A few of the Russians behind them laughed, the two Germans instead chanted in unison:
"Prost!"
Budyonny beamed at the serious men underneath his thick moustache,
"Tell me, why is it that you Prussians always have such a stick up your ass?"
Von Schleicher shrugged,
"Something to do with history I imagine, frontiers, wild savages, that sort of thing"
As Budyonny refilled the glasses he left a large space in each, before producing a hip flask from his tweed coat and poured in a silvery, peppered liquid to fill them up.
"This always makes it taste better I find."
Von Niedermayer examined his glass before raising it,
"To new frontiers!"
Von Schleicher couldn't understand why, but the riesling really did taste better this time.
---
The painting is Lovers by Magnus Zeller
Obergruppenführer Smith
Banned
Ah right, figured it out: How is Oskar Von Niedermayer already a general here?
He hasn't resigned from the Reichswehr yet and as such hasn't lost his original rank.
Obergruppenführer Smith
Banned
Which makes it more interesting, since he was given the brevet rank of Major after he nominally retired in 1921, OTL. In fact, he only became a general in 1942.
15.07.1905 Fahnenjunker
24.02.1906 Fähnrich
08.03.1907 Leutnant
05.01.1914 Oberleutnant
17.08.1916 Hauptmann (Pat. Nr. 23)
01.08.1922 Charakter als Major
01.05.1932 Major (E)
01.10.1932 Oberstleutnant (E)
01.10.1938 Oberst (E)
01.05.1942 Oberst (mit Pat. v. 01.10.1938)
01.09.1942 Generalmajor
Obergruppenführer Smith
Banned
Post from Axis History Forum, but it is backed up by Lexikon der Wehrmacht. It also makes sense, since he was in his 30s during this time period.
Oh well, butterflies I suppose?
What did you think of the update aside from that?
Understatement of the year (at least). There is no situation that cannot be worsened by von Schleicher's involvement.
dcharles
Banned
Oh well, butterflies I suppose?
What did you think of the update aside from that?
This is excellent as usual. In general, this body of work is based on an interesting and unusual premise. (I mean, you know something's good when you hear about an idea and immediately wonder why you haven't thought about it. That's what I said to myself when I started reading it.) You cover the updates from interesting and unexpected angles, only glimpsing flashes of the People's Fuhrer and never seeing him head on, which always keeps me wanting more.
And I love the art that you put at the beginning of each chapter.
I've been thinking about it for a while, but the alternate history "timelines" that were initially developed in soc.history.what-if all those years ago have really come into their own in this community. I think that, without realizing it, the AH community has developed an entirely new narrative form. It's not a novel, short story, or play. Calling it a "timeline" is not only underwhelming, but not that accurate.
What we do here is almost like creating a scrapbook from another dimension, where history went differently. And what you're writing here is a fine example of the latest stage in the evolution of the form.
You should be proud.
Quoted for truth. We as a community have done an interesting thing, and The Red is truly showing it at its finest. I am both amazed at the quality, and grateful he is taking the time to write and share it. Props to you The Red, you are an inspiration to us all.
I think you definitely got the point across that Hitler is still a prejudiced sod and for all his Communist views he doesn't really see black people as fitting in with his better world.
I think Johann might be my favourite character so far, though I can't quite put my finger on why. I like him a lot.
I suspect that the generals are going to be setting up something they can't control with their secret army, navy and air force in Russia. Especially if Hitler and his comrades infiltrate them.
And at the same time, couching his prejudice in anti-colonialist terms, which again makes it clear this is a very different Hitler we're dealing with.
Well what Communist always hate more than Capitalists are the various "Tools of the Oppressors". Compared to all the other rationalisations Communists have always used to justify what other people might consider the horseshoe theory in action, it wouldn't be out of character for TTLs Communists to mask what is old-fashioned racist bigotry as righteous anger against the Capitalists "African Enforcers".
