Reaction and After-effects of a Italo-German War?

If Urban Fox is right and the Italians can stop the Germans in the Alps, that means Hitler has stumbled into a quagmire and he will probably be overthrown.
 
think of image, mass media and politics

Regardless of the pleasure of looking at two opponents blleding consider a thing from the mass media point of view.

Let's suppose germany is winning.
It would mean that one of the winners of the great war is being defeated by one of the losers, just 15 years after.
That would cast shadows on the whole Versailles order.
Sure, Italy is no longer a friendly pal, but germany is still the huns in the mass media opinion.
If it become clear Italy is being beaten, I expect a HUGE pressure to intervene and at lest restore the status quo ante
 
I agree, as long as they manage to keep the frontlines within the Alps which is a labyrinth of Thermopylae. Much depends on at which point the Luftwaffe and Panzer become more than the Italians can handle.

Italy may well hold firm, the Germans were weak both in terms of panzers and airforce, the small pre-Nazi German Army was highly skilled by the new troops raised since 1933 still lack eqipment, officers & NCO plus their tanks and aircraft ar behind those of Italy at this point.

The Italians will have high morale too, fighting the hated Germans.

That doesn't make much sense. Italy had no further irredentist claims vs Austria (rather against Switzerland, actually). Having a post-war Austria closely aligned to Italy, maybe with Italian garrisons, would be their aim.

If Italy hopes for territorial gains in such a situation then they have to find Yugoslavia in the wrong camp and still be victorious. Then Mussolini would try to turn the Adriatic into an Italian pond.

Hmm, I was sure Italy still wanted to nab parts of Austria they didnt get after WW1 but I could be wrong II Duce would at the very least want Austria as a puppet state and would likely set out his stall to attack the Yugoslavs at some point later.

Italy could stir up trouble in Croata at the very least.

I absolutely agree, though I can imagine Poland in this scenario. As I wrote before, they could play Germany's saviour (they had a non-aggression pact with the Reich at this point of time) - and trigger Sovjet intervention.

The NAP wasnt simply to prevent the danger of a two front war against both Germany and the Soviets. I have no doubt the Poles saw Nazi Germany as a major threat and would leap at the chance to knock Germany down a peg, the Soviets would likely remain passive.

If they decide to backstab the Germans at the right point of time (assuming that Germany already fights on a 1000km front vs Italy, Austria and the CSR) this might actually result in a Polandwank. There are tempting strategical possibilities; either invading East Prussia or a joint offensive with the Czechs vs Upper Silesia.

Well if things go really bad for Germany that could happen...

Il Duce would certainly be cherished as the destroyer of Nazism. But the brave Austrians who stood up and resisted would also have a completely different standing than OTL.

Also the Czechs would have a better image than the Poles. As it would be strategically soundest, the Czech would fight to liberate the Northern parts of Austria (securing the link to Italy, guarding Vienna and shortening the front with each km they push the Germans westwards; also it wouldn't make much sense for the Czechs to leave their excellent defensive positions on their Northern and Western borders). Whereas the Poles would be more seen as conquerors who gain the fruits of other peoples' labours (again, I assume they would join the alliance rather late)

Of course now II Duce has craved out his own ''little Axis'', and the Polish Junta would be even more bellicose due to their victory over Germany, which could provoke a dangerous clash with the Soviets. Who for all the problems the Red Army had, will steamroller Poland quite quickly if it came to an all out war.:eek:
 
In OTL, the anti-Hitler elements in the German military command were plotting a coup against him, to be enacted in the event of war with Czechoslovakia and/or Britain and France. Of course Munich took the wind out of that plan, but in this TL...

I have great faith in the ability of German generals to thoroughly screw up any effort they might make to remove Hitler, but even a failed putsch in the middle of a war that Germany will have enough trouble winning with the disadvantages they still had in 1938 would surely be of advantage to Mussolini and allies.

Of course now II Duce has craved out his own ''little Axis'', and the Polish Junta would be even more bellicose due to their victory over Germany, which could provoke a dangerous clash with the Soviets. Who for all the problems the Red Army had, will steamroller Poland quite quickly if it came to an all out war.:eek:

Which would split the war-winning Italian alliance, as I imagine Czechoslovakia would side with the Soviets against Poland?

God knows what France and Britain would do in this scenario. While he wanted to stave off war at any cost, I could see Chamberlain being more willing to get behind a coalition war against the Soviets than against Germany... Especially if Il Duce's newfound status as The Man Who Knobbled Adolf makes the rest of Europe and the world look on him more favourably than they had since before Abyssinia.
 
Thanks for the replies guys :)

To give you a little more information, I'm thinking of writing a TL on WW2, and the point at which war is declared between the two powers is in fact around June 1939, so after the annexation of the rump Czech territories by Germany. The conflict arises from years of previous tensions between Germany and Italy, with Hitler feeling Italy is an enemy from the Great War.

An event involving land occurs, in which Hitler demands it be ceded, Mussolini refuses, and thus war begins.

So now that you know that basically it's same as OTL in 1939 apart from this war now going on, what do you think would happen and all that?
 
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