Right as it says on the tin, during WW2 can you think of any way to have the Vatican come under threat of invasion and thus have to stop its neutrality, and then ally with whoever attacked it be it Axis or Allied. Same with San Marino. It would be VERY interesting to see some Swiss Guards fight some Nazis...
Plausibility Check:The Vatican and San Marino didn't stay neutral.
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(I reported it to ask the mods to move it to post-1900.)
The Nazis had distinct suspicions, if not absolute evidence, that the Vatican was harboring many Jews. (It was.) IOTL, they didn't attack because they didn't want the horrible publicity, I think. But with Hitler as insane as he was, I certainly wouldn't call an invasion impossible.
The Nazis had distinct suspicions, if not absolute evidence, that the Vatican was harboring many Jews. (It was.) IOTL, they didn't attack because they didn't want the horrible publicity, I think. But with Hitler as insane as he was, I certainly wouldn't call an invasion impossible.
if Hitler attacked the pope and executed him, i think a lot of people are going to be angry. then they have to elect a new pope and cardinals somewhere else since Vatican is occupied.
But if the Cardinals can't leave Italy we may get to see the sight of hitler trying to pressurise them into electing a sutible candidate. Do you think this could lead to another anti-pope?
What about San Marino? Do you think if the Vatican AND San Marino teamed up, they would provide at least decent resistance?
no i think the cardinals would be killed as well. some other catholic country that isn't occupied or Fascist would have to elect new cardinals and a pope, at least on a temporary basis.
what would the nuetral catholic countries do.
Hundreds of thousands troups from south america join in on the invasion of Europe.
Even if the governments don't officialy join how many volenters would there be
Hundreds of thousands troups from south america join in on the invasion of Europe.
Even if the governments don't officialy join how many volenters would there be
Alex Richards
Donor
Technically OTL there was a German occupation of San Marino during the assault on the Gothic Line. It lasted for a couple of weeks before the allies ejected them. This did not lead to San Marino declaring a seccesion of Neutrality. If the Germans had occupied the country much earlier (say when the allies had taken Rome) then they might have done otherwise.
EDIT: Actually they had a facist government which declared war on the Allies in 1940, followed by neutrality after the facists were ousted soon after Mussolini fell, and then they declared war on Germany after the occupation.
EDIT: Actually they had a facist government which declared war on the Allies in 1940, followed by neutrality after the facists were ousted soon after Mussolini fell, and then they declared war on Germany after the occupation.
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This would be a godsent for the German resistance. While Hitler wasn't a catholic except by baptism, he had many catholics among his supporters, even in the SS (for ex. Leon Degrelle). If all of them suddenly abandon him, he could easily fall.
Pius set out policy to deal with the Vatican being attacked. Basically, he'll step down as Pope and the leadership of the Church will be transferred to Rio De Janeiro for the duration of the conflict. Once the Cardinals have arrived in Brazil, a Papal Conclave will be called.