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Hello all. This is a bit of a poll. I am penning an alternate history series that begins in the Crimean War and centers around the World Wars. The question I am asking of you is this: Between Poland and the Soviet Union in 1937, which is most likely to win? Will the war be long or short? Let me provide context first, that way this is not so much a one-word answer. Explaining this timeline at length would take me ages, and that is *not* what I am here to do, so if you are curious about the timeline as a whole and all its deviations, PM me. Okay, onto the context. My version of the Soviet Union finds itself under Leon Trotsky's leadership due to Fanny Kaplan's assassination attempt going completely awry, rather than Lenin taking two bullets. Lenin goes on to lead Russia into the late 20s, retires, Stalin is absent due to his death in the Polish-Soviet War, leaving Trotsky to take up the mantle as premier. Fast forward to 1937, and he is planning to reinitiate the World Revolution, yet is against a stronger opponent at his Western border than before. Instead of newly independent Poland, Trotsky faces a smaller Intermarium, with only Poland, Finland, and the Baltic nations as members. (the other nations never signed thanks to a Third Balkan War following Yugoslavia's collapse, but that is not as relevant to this post). Now, I imagine removing the weakest link, i.e. the Baltic nations, out of the equation, would be Soviets top priority, and would mean fighting a two-front war, Finland on their north flank and Poland in the south. The two allies cannot exactly support each other except via the Baltic Sea--with neither having so much a strong naval presence (as far as I know). Considering our timeline reveals exactly how a war between Finland and the Soviet Union would go, ala the Winter War, what about Poland? She did not have a chance to show her true strength against an opponent on even ground. This is where my question comes into play. The Soviet Union, under Trotsky, is invading Poland simultaneously to Finland; can Poland hold the line? Or will she fall to the Red Army? Remember, it's 1937.
I appreciate your opinions on the matter. If you have any other questions relating to this, as in context, I can provide more.
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