alternatehistory.com

I've seen Alternative history questions in which one thing is changed, and people ask what would happen. However, I wonder, what if a lot was changed in favor of the Axis? These are the changes I would make in favor of the Axis.

-- Yugoslavia joins the Axis and the Government isn't overthrown (Historical they did, but they were overthrown).

Benefits: No occupation force by the Axis, and another ally against the Allies and Soviet Union.

--Norway joins the Axis. Norway joins after British mines accidentally destroy Norwegian trading ships or if the British invade Norway to cut of the supply of Iron Ore to Germany. If that doesn't push them to joining the Axis, then the invasion of the Finland by the Soviet Union would likely do the trick.

Benefits: Germany maintains its surface fleet, no occupation force in Norway, and another ally against the Allies and the Soviet Union.

--Sweden joins the Axis. With both Norway and Finland joining the Axis, the British invading Norway or destroying Norwegian ships, the invasion of the Finland by the Soviet Union, and its neighbors joining the Axis; I can see Sweden being pressured to join the Axis against the Soviet Union and the Allies.

Benefits: Another Ally against the Allies and Soviet Union. If Finland, Norway, and Sweden were to join the Axis, then they would have a better chance against the Soviet Union in the Continuation War. I'm not sure about the strength of the Air force and Navy of Finland, Norway, and Sweden (along with the German surface fleet) during WW2, but their combined strength might be enough to act as a coastal defense. They might be able to control the waters around Norway.

--The Battle of Britain never happened. The Germans instead decide to focus on the British trading ships through the use of their U-boats. They do not use their air force to bomb the United Kingdom, nor do they waste resources on building V-1 or V-2 rockets.

Benefits: The Germans maintain their Air force, and save resources instead of building V-1 or V-2 rockets.

--The Holocaust didn't happen. The Germans focus on defeating the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the USA instead of wasting resources on the Holocaust. Now, this isn't to say they Holocaust would never happen, but they decide that they would do some house cleaning after the war.

Benefits: The Axis forces wouldn't be needed to guard the concentration camps, which means more troops they can send against the Allies and the Soviet Union, and more supplies that could be sent to the front lines instead of the concentration camps.

--Roosevelt has no Good Neighbor Policy. Under the Roosevelt administration, his foreign policy for Latin America was to not invade them like Theodore Roosevelt or Wilson did, along with other stuff. However, what if Roosevelt instead decide to ignore Latin America, and focus his efforts on domestic affairs. The Great Depression affected millions of Americans, and I wouldn't be surprised if Roosevelt would focus most of his effects on the USA.

Benefits: Latin American countries might join with the Axis, help the Axis in other ways, or remain neutral instead of joining with the Allies. In other words, Brazil and Argentina might join the Axis, and other nations might follow suit as an Alliance against the aggressive USA. Depending on how strong the Latin America countries are, they might force the USA to spend troops to South America. At the very least, a South America against the USA could end up with them controlling the Panama canal and prevent the American Navy from easily going from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Also, it would mean that Brazil would not be helping the Allies in Italy during WW2. This would mean that the Allies would be stuck fighting in Italy longer.

--The Axis powers withdrawing from Tunisia after Operation Torch. If I was alive during WW2, I would believe the Axis still had a chance to win North Africa, up to the British and the Americans landed in Morocco while Montgomery was pushing in from the East. At that point, with the Germans and Italians being attacked on two fronts, I would order the Germans and Italians to first withdraw to Sicily and then main land Italy. It didn't make sense to not withdraw troops from Tunisia after Operation Torch.

Benefits: Experienced German and Italian troops that can be used to defend Italy and Sicily from Allies, and they might have saved their equipment they had in Tunisia. Germany might not have taken troops off the Eastern Front to deal with the invasion of Italy.

--The Battle of Stalingrad never happened. Although I've seen posts that ask what would happened if the Axis won Stalingrad, but such a victory would still exhaust the Axis. I would argue that it would be better from the Axis to have never attack Stalingrad to begin with. When the Soviets won Stalingrad, they defeated the German Sixth Army, and more or less knocked Germany's allies out of the war. The Axis forces in the South should've either held the line, instead of attacking into Stalingrad. Maybe build anti-infantry and anti-tank defensive along this front.

--Italy never switched sides during WW2.

Benefits: This would mean that Mussolini wasn't killed, and the Italians could help defend Italy from the invasion of the Allied forces.

--Bulgaria joining with the Axis against the Soviet Union. Historically, Bulgaria was friendly to the Soviet Union, and it is unlikely for them to declare war on them and invade them. This is a Maybe.

Benefits: Another ally against the Soviet Union.

--German didn't sink Mexican ships. Mexico only joined the Allies in 1942 because their ships were sunk by the Germans.

Benefits: One less Nation against the Axis.

--Chiang Kai-Shek defeating Mao Zedong. Although a united China would be strong against the Japanese, Chiang Kai-Shek's conventional warfare might've lose against the Japanese unlike Mao Zedong's guerrilla warfare.

--The Japanese switching out its Ace Fighter pilots. Unlike the Japanese,the USA had a tendency to take its Ace Fighter pilots off the fight lines and sending them back home to train the new recruits. However, what if Japan did that?

Benefits: Their pilots would be better trained as they would be taught by people who had first hand experience fighting against the Allies.





However, there are things that are likely to still happen:

--The French Navy would be destroyed during WW2. Either the British would destroy it prevent it from falling into German hands or the French would scuttle their own ships.

--Italy would invade Greece. Mussolini wanted his Roman Empire, and I can't see him leaving Greece alone. I can't see the Greece joining the Axis, because the British can provide them support. At best, Greece could remain neutral, but Mussolini would likely invade them.

--Italy attacking the British in North Africa. Mussolini wanted his Roman Empire, and if he wanted to recreate it, he would need the lands that Rome formerly held.

--Japan attacking Pearl Harbor, and bringing the USA into WW2. I can't see Japan not attacking the USA. There are a ton of reasons why, and I really don't want to sit here and write it all down.

--Japan would not attack the Soviet Union. Japan was already at war with China, and their forces had last to the Soviet Union back in 1939. There is no way they wanted to go to war with the Soviet Union anytime soon.

--Italy getting kicked out of North Africa. They were unprepared for war.

--Hitler not ordering retreats. I would've had the German forces advance into the Soviet Union, and then slowly retreat back while counter attacking the Soviet Union when they overextend themselves. As the Axis retreat, they will shorten their supply lines, while also extending their Soviet's supply lines. However, as Hitler would not allow retreats, this would be unlikely to happen.

--Turkey remaining neutral. If they join the Allies, then the Axis would invade them. If they join the Axis, then they would be invaded by the British and the Soviet Union like Iran was. Being Neutral was their best option.

--Nationalist Spain remaining neutral. They recently got out of a Civil War, and Franco would rather consolidate his gains before he ever thinks about expanding outwards. Also, if Nationalist Spain joins the Axis, then I see Portugal joining the Allies, but they know that the Axis would invade them and the British would send troops to defend them.

--The USA getting Nukes. Once the USA gets Nukes, it is hard for me to see how the Axis powers could win. The only way to prevent a Nuclear strike from the Allies during WW2 would be to take out their bombers, but eventually a plane would get through.

--The USA's industry overpowering the Axis powers. The USA could pump out equipment like no tomorrow.


That's it. I decided to cram everything I can think of into one post that could have happen that would tilt WW2 in the Axis favor. Some are more realistic than others, but I feel they are more realistic than some that I've seen. So what impact with all of these together have on WW2?
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