Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Franco, and Pétain die in the beginning of 1924

[the Imperium of Canada]

Obviously not exactly plausible but not impossible.

Suppose that in a bizarre string of random accidents, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco, and Philippe Pétain die within the first week of 1924.

What would be the ramifications of the premature deaths of all these would-be dictators? How does this affect the interwar politics of the Soviet Union, Germany, Italy, Spain and France?

 

[Whiteshore]

Assuming Trotsky takes over the USSR, well, guess it is time for Red Alert with less wacky tech and more fantasies of a world revolution!

 

[the Imperium of Canada]

Assuming Trotsky takes over the USSR, well, guess it is time for Red Alert with less wacky tech and more fantasies of a world revolution!

From what I've read Trotsky never really had a chance of taking power because of his unpopularity in the party and being generally unlikable, and him being a nutcase that would immediately invade Europe is a caricature.

 

[Mark E.]

Suppose that in a bizarre string of random accidents, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco, and Philippe Pétain die within the first week of 1924.

That's so many PODs that it is impossible to chart the future. Take out just Hitler and you re-write the century.

Take out Mussolini and the trains stay off-schedule.
Take out Stalin and the result can range from constitutional monarchy to dictatorial chaos.
Take out Franco, little changes; maybe Spain improves.

 

[Lalli]

In USSR Trotsky has not indeeed any chances to take power. He wasn't really popular on the party. Most likely consueqence is that Soviet Union is at least fistly led collectively by few Bolsheviks. Later Kamenev, Bukharin or Zinoviev take full leadership. There probably is not purges nor Holodomor, at least not on such degree as Stalin had. Since no Hitler WW2 might be avoided.

Germany without Hitler is going take totally different path. Nazis have not chances to take power. But probably there will be still some kind of authotarian government but probably not that totalitarian, extreme antisemitic and militaristic.

Facist regime in Italy is not getting much power without Mussolini. So country might remain democracy or then fall to communism.

Falangists might still win Spanish Civil War without Franco altough not sure who would support Falangists Someone else would take leadership. Altough there might be too chance that republicans win and Spain remain as republic.

Pétain seems bit odd pick here. Since Hitler is too removed from this TL, Pétain probably never become collaboratist and leader of France.

 

[marktaha]

Petain remembered the way de Gaulle is now.

 

[Fatt Shea]

Obviously not exactly plausible but not impossible.

Suppose that in a bizarre string of random accidents, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco, and Philippe Pétain die within the first week of 1924.

What would be the ramifications of the premature deaths of all these would-be dictators? How does this affect the interwar politics of the Soviet Union, Germany, Italy, Spain and France?

No hitler = either weimar survives or a right wing party takes over germany, most likely less extreme that hitler, they do not do the holocaust and likely do not start ww2
No mussolini = I'm not sure, maybe it can lead to return to democracy or he can be succeeded as leader, I dont know who by or if they would be as popular, this could lead to avoiding joining ww2 or invasion of ethiopia (due to fearing UK, not due to not desiring it.) Fascists have good chance of not surviving because Mussolini only ruled for a short while
No franco = civil war will still happen, if nationalists win they will have a different leader, this leader will have a different ideology, it could lead to a early restoration or carlist restoration or no restoration and focusing on falangism
No petain = he is remembered as a hero
No stalin = I dont know enough about soviet union, but I dont think Trotsky will rule it as he was unpopular in the party