Pre-WWII Soviet Southern Strategy?

Teleology

Banned
I've heard scenarios where the pre-Purges Soviet military pushed into Central Europe to aid the German Spartakists, but another thought occurs to me.

Suppose the early Soviet Union decided to shape it's military adventurism/tendril of political influence around turning the Mediterranean into a Communist lake. Why and how might this happen?

I've got some vague notions about pushing down through the Balkans as well as beefed up support of the Arab Socialists, agitating either Turkey or Greece against the either, and some sort of Spanish Civil War analogue in which Soviet-supported communist South Italy separates from the North; leading into an alternate WWII where...

where I'd like the Soviets to take Vichy North Africa, but in a alt-WWII there's in all likelihood as much chance for French Africa to be Free French as there is for collaborators to not only be successful but to expand their influence into France's North African possessions.

Anyway, what are your thoughts?
 
Oy, dude, what? :confused:

I've heard scenarios where the pre-Purges Soviet military pushed into Central Europe to aid the German Spartakists, but another thought occurs to me.

Spartakists were crushed by 1919 at which point Red Army is kind of busy dealing with Whites

Suppose the early Soviet Union decided to shape it's military adventurism/tendril of political influence around turning the Mediterranean into a Communist lake. Why and how might this happen?

Well, the only way I see this happenening is if they manage to get support of sympathetic ASBs They can't get past Black Sea

I've got some vague notions about pushing down through the Balkans as well as beefed up support of the Arab Socialists,

Arabs were under western administration. and foreign meddling will be frowned upon

agitating either Turkey or Greece against the either,

Why would they go for it?

and some sort of Spanish Civil War analogue in which Soviet-supported communist South Italy separates from the North; leading into an alternate WWII where...

And Mussolini will just eat his spaghetti while south Italy develops political force opposed to his rule?

where I'd like the Soviets to take Vichy North Africa, but in a alt-WWII there's in all likelihood as much chance for French Africa to be Free French as there is for collaborators to not only be successful but to expand their influence into France's North African possessions.

you said alternate WW2 but you assume things turn out for France as per OTL? with Italy in this supposed civil war germany will do soemthing else.

And how do you suggest Soviets get to N Africa? Ever looked at a map od Med?

Anyway, what are your thoughts?

No, no, no & no. :rolleyes:
 
One of my early TLs was called "Revolution South" and featured a Soviet invasion of British India via Afghanistan (due to basically buying off all the tribes and the emir) and maybe via Persia.

In OTL, there was a chance for the Soviets to aid the Hungarian Reds, but that didn't work out.
 
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