Skoda goes Bankrupt in 1929

What if Skoda fails to diversify as much post WW1 and therefore is more vulnerable . When the great depression comes round in 1929 they go under.

What knock on effect would this have on WW 2 .

Firstly the Royal Navy wouldn't have been able to buy armour plate off them .
 
Firstly unemployment in Czechoslovakia will be even bigger. So there is possibility for Czechoslovakia going either communist or fascist.

Czechoslovak Army will be weaker so there is also possibility there will be no Munich too but Czechoslovakia just gave up right away similar way as Austria.

With no Munich and consequent break up of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 maybe no guarantees to Poland. So Germany may avoid going to war with France and Britain over Polish issues.

On other side Germany will not incorporate over 400 tanks from Czechoslovak stocks. They will be lacking on some artillery they used in earlier stages of war.
No Pz (38T)s and everything they developed on its chassis. Even less trucks as Skoda was also trucks manufacturer.
Some German allies were using Skoda equipment too. So much weaker Hungarian, Romanian and Slovak units.

Hungary will need to look somewhere to base their Turan tank design on. OTL they used design of Skoda T-21.
 

Deleted member 1487

If that becomes an issue I think the government would be forced to step in because they could not afford to lose that critical of an industry.
 
If that becomes an issue I think the government would be forced to step in because they could not afford to lose that critical of an industry.
Very likely, however Czechoslovak government dodn't intervene in many cases during crisis even if it could. So lets play with statment Skoda went under.

There is also possibility even when going under some brunches will stay it work as separate companies.
 

Deleted member 1487

Very likely, however Czechoslovak government dodn't intervene in many cases during crisis even if it could. So lets play with statment Skoda went under.

There is also possibility even when going under some brunches will stay it work as separate companies.
Yeah it would probably restructure than go into Chapter 7 bankruptcy and liquidate. If the government did let that happen they would be destroyed economically as a nation and militarily would be a wreck too. They'd probably be begging for Germany to take them, because they'd have lost their biggest exporter (AFIAK).
 

Deleted member 1487

Bolo by to škoda. :) But Germans won't get the early tanks or the Hetzer.
The Hetzer came too late to really matter and the Pz II could have been turned into something like it (same class of tank and all). I suppose that just means more Pz IIs early on or just more focus on making Pz IIIs and IVs.
 
I don't think Czechoslovakia would stay long without a proper car maker, armor maker and tank maker. As for cars, Tartra would step up and take over the market share now available. May be the early Auto Union would buy up the Skoda works. Same thing for armor. The armor/tank division would probably be spun off and survive on government contracts until demand picks up again. Although it might be controlled by a German group through some shadow corporations as a way for German arms-makers to circumvent the treaty of Versailles
 
The Hetzer came too late to really matter and the Pz II could have been turned into something like it (same class of tank and all). I suppose that just means more Pz IIs early on or just more focus on making Pz IIIs and IVs.
Actually my mistake to mention Pz 38(t). These could be as OTL, and Hetzer could be there. Maybe even Czechoslovaks can have LT-38 sooner as there will be no LT-35s and LT-38 tank was designed and manufactured by CKD.

As to the trucks. Very likely Tatra and even Praga would take over Czechoslovak market and truck production didn't had such a big share on Skoda's work. They were more into passenger cars. However Skoda manufactured also steam engines. Do not know how much exactly up to 1945 but between 1920 and 1958 it was 3247 steam engines of various types.
 
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