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Let's say, in 1932, Hindenburg decided to not run for re-election as Reichsprasident. What are the effects? My thoughts on how this plays out:
The "stop Hitler" movement will still rally around somebody else (who after all only really has to do second place or better in the first election so that he can beat Hitler in the runoff). I've heard that Hugo Eckener is the most likely candidate here, but wouldn't be surprised if there were other potential candidates.
Whoever (other than Hitler) wins the Presidency in 1932, he is likely to survive his seven year term. (Granted, whoever the Germans elect, is likely going to dodge an assassination attempt or two before his terms done, but I think we can safely assume he beats them, so long as he's in good health.)
As long as there is a living Reichsprasident who is not Hitler, the Nazis cannot get a secure hold of power -- even with the Reichstag's OTL makeup, the President has the power to hire or fire a Chancellor at will, and can create a cabinet sidestepping the Reichstag if necessary.
(Though some might disagree, I wouldn't exactly call this outcome a "dictatorship", considering the man the government answers to is still elected; given Germany's political circumstances, I wouldn't blame the government for deferring to a "strong executive", so long as elections still happen as scheduled and political parties, KDP and/or NSDP aside, aren't outlawed.)
If Hitler does not come to power in Germany, "WWII" as we know it won't happen -- by this, I mean simply that no more wars with over a million casualties on the European continent will occur, at least for the remainder of the 20th Century.
In this sense, the Great War (1914-18) really does go on to become "the war to end all wars".
So what are your thoughts? I know a number of these points have been disputed in previous threads, but I thought they could use a spot for real debate.