PC/WI: No Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia?

CaliGuy

Banned
Finland didn't border the Soviet Union? It hadn't fought it during World War II? It didn't present a potential threat to Leningrad? As for no common ethnicity and threats of subversion, during the Great Terror of the 1930's, "In Karelia, he [Zhdanov] violently attacked the leadership-—Irglis, Gylling, Rovio, and others, all of whom were arrested as Finnish spies. All the ten Finnish-language newspapers were closed down." https://books.google.com/books?id=ubXQSk2qfXMC&pg=PA222

I don't doubt the strategic importance of Czechoslovakia. But if there had been a Communist seizure of power in Finland, people would say that it was inevitable because of course Stalin would never allow a non-Communist Finland--which had resisted his demands in 1939 and fought him in both the Winter War and later in the Continuation War--to continue to exist, especially given its proximity to Leningrad....

In any event, the internal political situation of Czechoslovakia did matter in that it allowed the Communists to seize power *without* the use of Soviet troops. I am not saying that Stalin would not have used them if necessary but "The newly released documents argue against the currently widespread version, which claims that the Kremlin considered it appropriate for the Soviet Army in Hungary to move towards the frontier with Czechoslovakia or even to enter Czechoslovak territory. It is clear from the telegrams, that the Soviet leadership considered the Soviet demonstration of military might at the frontier with Czechoslovakia, which according to Zorin Premier Gottwald and General Secretary Slansky were demanding, to be inappropriate..." http://web.archive.org/web/20030709111152/http://www.usd.cas.cz/usdeng/zorin.html
I have a question--had Czechoslovakia been neutral during the Cold War, would it have joined NATO after the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union (assuming that it doesn't get avoided in this TL)?

Basically, I am curious about this considering that, if Czechoslovakia remains neutral after the end of the Cold War in this TL, NATO's logistics are going to be extremely burdensome and problematic due to the fact that there will be a chain of neutral states from Switzerland to Ukraine in the middle of the NATO bloc. Thus, if one would have wanted to get German, or Polish, or Baltic troops to the Balkans, one would have needed to go all of the way around France!
 
I have a question--had Czechoslovakia been neutral during the Cold War, would it have joined NATO after the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union (assuming that it doesn't get avoided in this TL)?

Basically, I am curious about this considering that, if Czechoslovakia remains neutral after the end of the Cold War in this TL, NATO's logistics are going to be extremely burdensome and problematic due to the fact that there will be a chain of neutral states from Switzerland to Ukraine in the middle of the NATO bloc. Thus, if one would have wanted to get German, or Polish, or Baltic troops to the Balkans, one would have needed to go all of the way around France!
If Czechoslovakia somehow remained neutral during cold war and survived as Federation especially with Soviets respecting that neutrality, there would be strong oposition about entering NATO - reasoning would be simple Soviets/ Russians linerated Czechoslovakia and respected neutrality. Why to enter now when Russians are on their knees.
Also neutrality would be very possiblly in Czechoslovak constitution.
 
While the Soviet Union was carving up Poland with the Nazis...
Well if we consider that "first" victim of Nazis, Poland, was carving year earlier Czechoslovakia... And year earlier Soviet Union was ally of France and Czechoslovakia... Isn't world interesting place?
 

CaliGuy

Banned
If Czechoslovakia somehow remained neutral during cold war and survived as Federation especially with Soviets respecting that neutrality, there would be strong oposition about entering NATO - reasoning would be simple Soviets/ Russians linerated Czechoslovakia and respected neutrality. Why to enter now when Russians are on their knees.

Agreed.

Also neutrality would be very possiblly in Czechoslovak constitution.

That part could be changed, though.

Also, if Czechoslovakia remains neutral, would NATO be less willing to expand into the Balkans in order to avoid stretching its logistical lines?
 

CaliGuy

Banned
Well if we consider that "first" victim of Nazis, Poland, was carving year earlier Czechoslovakia... And year earlier Soviet Union was ally of France and Czechoslovakia... Isn't world interesting place?
It's a topsy-turvy world!
 
While the Soviet Union was carving up Poland with the Nazis...

Prior to this the Soviet Union had tried to form a treaty with Britain and France to jointly invade Germany to remove the Nazis. Britain and France refused, probably, because their governments hated bolshevism more than fascism.
 
It should also be noted, on a tangent, that the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia still gets over 10% of votes in elections today.
Well if we consider aftet 1989 living standard of many went down and one who retired never recovered, 10% is not so much. More like protest votes.
 
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