The Iron Eagle - The History of the Cold War
- Thread starter Kaiser of Brazil
- Start date
I see more a balkanisation of Germany followed by an invasion of almost all its neighbours than a reform of the regime even with Führerprinzip
That's the equivalent of a Communist leader criticizing Marx or Lenin. Hitler here is both Lenin and Stalin combined, so there isn't a snowball's chance in hell he's ever going to be criticized or even cancelled.
Last edited:
Thanks for the answers. Well, I have to admit I was a bit confused about the coup.
The Coup
So the coup developed as this: the SD (the Abwehr would have probably been integrated in it, it had happened in 1944 IOTL and ITTL Himmler and Schellenberg would have all the time and prestige necessary to push for this after the war if they hadn't managed to do it before) gets wind of unusual army manoeuvres; since the SD is closely controlled by Himmler and perhaps the prevailing mood in it is that Hess is at least ineffectual as leader, the information isn't relaid to Hess. So when the coup is launched, Himmler is able to appear to act according to the law: the Reichssichercheitdienst (RSD), the agency responsible for the protection of government and Party leaders and important figures could sequester ministers at their homes or offices and transfer Bormann and Hess to an isolated location "for maximum security". Himmler can then manage to take over, by preparing to purge any opponents after these events by claiming that they were implicated at the coup attempt.
However this is spoiled when Heydrich turns on him, realising perhaps the potential to be the power brker at that moment and extract concessions from all parties, if necessary. So he leaves Goebbels unscathed and turns on Himmler, bringing the coup to an end. They still have some loose ends, like the death of Bormann (it is difficult to say that the army units in revolt broke in the RSHA and managed to get their hands on him), but in general, they could perhaps create a good enough story.
I hope I got this right
So, Heydrich is appointed Deputy Führer. Unless Hess reorganised the office and made it more like its OTL successor, the Party Chancellery, I think Heydrich would prefer nominating a loyal Party member for the post while he would remain on the sidelines. The reasons I am saying this are that:
a) the original duties of the office included a whole lot of public occasions that the holder had to attend, something Heydrich wouldn't like at all (his character and even his pitched voice for example would be an issue). Since Bormann was his predecessor, perhaps Hess has indeed made the office more bureaucratic/administrative in nature, which would solve these issues.
b) the more important reason to consider, it would basically allow Heydrich to take over the Party machinery, since Bormann and Hess had long centralised power in the StdF. I am not sure either that Hess would concede to this or that Heydrich's negotiating position would be that strong thathe could get such a high price.
By that I mean that it would be rather difficult for Hess to find himself in a position like the one he was ITTL. In our world, when Valkyrie was implemented, the coup had begun to unravel long before Remer arrived to the Reserve Army Headquarters and court-martialled the officers involved; when he went to arrest Goebbels, he didn't arrest him immediately, due to the situation being without precedent. When Hitler talked to Remer and ordered him to arrest the officers who instigated this, he didn't question this; it wasn't just the power of Hitler, but, more boringly, the fact that he was the highest authority in the army, as its Commander in Chief, his orders were to be obeyed without question (the Wehrmacht had a very clear line of command, and its officers were drilled hard in the idea to obey the orders of the superiors). From the story thus far, at least by my understanding (so sorry if I've got this wrong again), the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW) hasn't been involved. So this means that Keitel is out of the loop on this one; he would get calls from officers of the mobilised units who would just want to be sure that what they were doing was legal. If he were to tell them that no, there is no reason for them to be mobilised, they would follow his orders, since he would be, as chief of the OKW, the second highest ranking officer in the hierarchy.
Also, about Hess and Bormann, if Hess ordered his RSD guards to leave Bormann with him, I don't think that they would disobey the order, not even if the counterargument that they were to be separated for Hess' own protection was brought up (which would be weak, since if they suspected Bormann, they wouldn't have isolated him in an ordinary room, since he could in theory attempt to commit suicide while the RSHA would need him alive for questioning); and Hess would probably be shaken enought that he would want people he believed he could trust. So, unless you throw Hess in a fit of paranoia, he and Bormann would be in the same room. There, after Bormann had recovered from his initial shock, he would gather his wits and see the situation, telling Hess to contact the OKW immediately to have the rest of the army mobilised. The RSD could hardly refuse such a request, and I doubt that they could claim that all their telephone connections would have been severed. Once Hess, or Bormann, had been on the phone and reached the OKW, it would basically be game over for the conspirators. So, by the time Heydrich would arrive, it would be rather late for him to bargain for anything.
For the opposite to happen, I think it would take two more things: one, that the OKW would have been brought in the conspiracy, and two, that Hess would be incapacitated. Now the second one happen perhaps if Hess has a breakdown and is resigned. Had this happened, he would probably say nothing when the RSD men isolated him and remain passive for the duration of the coup, but would be difficult. The first one would largely (but not entirely) depend on the aforementioned development: if Hess had been out of reach and the OKW was with the coup officers, then a larger number of army units would probably side with the coup, since the OKW could spin it as the SS pulling a coup. However, if the OKW staff had been brought in the plan and Himmler was aware of this, he would have probably broken the news to Hess, simply because the brewing army coup would have been more dangerous for him and his plans than a small delay and the subsequent purge would allow him to weaken army opposition, strengthen the position of the Waffen SS in it and gain more Hess' trsut, therefore having an easier time pulling his coup another time (Himmler wasn't driven by conviction alone, he was a very competent infighter too, which is largely what helped him build his empire). Without the OKW on board, its leadership, if only out of fear of backing the wrong player, would at least order the units to stand down or assume direct control from the officers until the situation was clear, and the officers would have little option but to follow these orders; and without Hess neutralised, his orders would conuntermand everyone else's, including the OKW's.
Heydrich's promotions
Assuming that these two happened and were effective, and the story progressed as it currently is, there would be questions after the coup: first of all, why didn't Heydrich, who would be the one who would have received the information first - hand, gone to the Führer personally to present him the evidence. Perhaps he could say that Bormann was implicated as well, and with him most likely controlling the whole investigation process (as he would control both the Gestapo and the other agencies that would be involved in it), it would have a chance of standing. Perhaps Heydrich could then lead Hess to conduct a new purge of the Party, which he could direct against his potential enemies, thus eliminating most of the opposition to his appointment as Deputy Führer. However, again, it would be a tough story to sell, since if he was so sure, he could still have informed the Führer, by other means, while Bormann's proteges wouldn't stay idle, for their future would be at stake too; it would be difficult for Hess I think to act with utter ruthlessness and very quickly in this case, since we are talking about people he had been working with for 20 or 30 years and people who had been in the same faction with him, the Control Faction, so people in Bormann's staff would have at least numerous chances to try to convince Hess. Therefore it's not so certain that whether Heydrich would manage to pull this off.
Heydrich's position and the succession question
About the succession thing: Hitler's will was still a will. At least by my understanding, Hitler's will would be binding only at the time of its execution: by that I mean that the fact that Hitler would have nominated Hess (I think another important thing is that he named Hess, not the Deputy Führer as an office) doesn't mean that Hess has to do the same. The will was about Hitler, and while he and his office would be identified, the legal differences would be there. Personally I think that in general, there would have been attempts to address the matter of the succession in a more official way: the Party at least would want to ensure that their fortunes wouldn't be subject to the whims of each Führer, since a precedent wouldn't be binding, and that they would always be a seat on the table for them. Enter the Constitution.
A major problem in German political and legal circles was that the creation of the National Socialist state was a gradual and often not completed process: the power of the Führer and the Party rested on special dispensations and emergency measures (the Enabling Act), legislative measures (the Law about the unity of Party and State) and Führer decrees (which increasingly formed the bulk of legislation as time passed). But in effect, all these resulted, technically, from the old Weimar constitution; therefore, it was expected that at some point, a new constitution would be needed, one to reflect the character and situation of the new, National Socialist state. There had been various proposals for constitutional reform, starting from 1935 iirc; while the war postponed these discussions to a large extent, after the war, they would return to the forefront, as the Party would seek to consolidate its position and settle a vast array of issues, from Party - State relations to Reichsreform-related questions, such as the future of the Länder. Succession would also be touched, since I expect that the StdF would be rather anxious about the prospect of Göring taking over; however, Hitler's potential opposition to discussions around this issue and Göring's death would probably put the matter on the backburner, as the immediate danger would seem to be no more and Bormann et co. would turn their attention to other matters.
So it is possible that when Hess comes to power, the succession is open. He would have two options: either follow Hitler's example and make himself the sole arbiter of the issue, deciding the succession in his own will; or decide to establish a formal line of sucession, in turn either dependent on his choice (like the Führer chooses the first option, and if he incapacitated, there is a fomal line of succession) or "fully independent" (like the succession isn't given to persons as persons, but to persons as office holders and is preset). Bormann would reopen the matter and probably push the last option, for it would be the most secure for the Party and would allow him to better influence and control the process, but in front of Hess' potential intrasigence (after all, how is he supposed to be omnipotent when he can't choose his successor), he could try to reach a middle ground, where the Führer has to consult the senior Party officials before nominating the first-order successor. While this wouldn't be "bullet - proof", it would give Bormann the chance to be able to influence Hess' decision and in general steer future Führers in a similar fashion. He could sell it to Hess perhaps as a sort of the "Senate" Hitler had mentioned on various occasions, something that would have the desired effect on Hess.
Of course, succession would be a very sensitive matter, which means that it would probably still be open when the coup would have erupted. The coup itself, with the eventuality of Hess dying with no succession having become more than distant would in turn breathe new life into the discussions on the matter. This time the Party and the Control Faction would be faced with a rather big problem: while before the coup, it would be ideal from their point of view to make the Deputy Führer the successor, now they have Heydrich occupting the office, which instantly derails their plans; worse, with Bormann dead, the Control Faction would be in disarray or at least in serious trouble, as Bormann's enemies inside the Party would try to capitalise on the sudden void to advance their own position and enemies from without would do the same. That would Heydrich time to consolidate his position, but it would be only brief: for what it matters, Hess is still committed to partification and the Party Chancellery staff would probably manage to reorganise. Klopfer, Friedrichs, Hoffmann would all be around and I don't think that Hess would remove them; since he wouldn't trust Heydrich, these three could therefore bypass him and gain direct access to the Führer. Of course Heydrich wouldn't remain inactive, but he would face major difficulties with being from the SS. Hoffmann et co. could perhaps pull all sorts of tricks, like making it mandatory that all StdF personnel being from inside the Party and perhaps having spent a period of time in purely Party positions that would bar most SS personnel. Another way, somewhat complemetary, could be to actually start gradually weakening the position of the Deputy Führer: this would be difficult, for the most obvious way to achieve this would probably be to reverse the previous course and actually devolve responsibilities; perhaps they could avoid this by actually transferring most administrative responsibilities to the one remaining Reichsleiter office that could be considered to be in their favour: the office of the Reichsschatzmeister der NSDAP (Treasury), under Schwartz. It could be easily disguised as an effort to reduce bureaucracy, and since the office dealt with all financial matters, gradually adding more administrative duties would be possible; considering that Hess, if not out of calculation, then out of spite and commitment to the Party/the Control Faction, would probably want to neutralise Heydrich, then it could happen. If this was to succeed, then the Control Faction would most likely manage to turn the StdF into a shadow of its former self.
Still though, this would solve the problem only until Hess' death, or change of mind on the subject and Heydrich would try to counter the moves of the Control Faction; so perhaps the Party people would consider going once again for the independent option: a Senate would elect the next Führer. The Führer could in theory get his candidate by being able to place supporters of his and his supported candidate in that body when necessary and since its members would most likely drawn from the Gauleiter corps, where the majority would probably be people like Lauterbacher, and thus loyal to the central Party line, it would be possible to secure that the Party/Control Faction would control the process. Heydrich would of course attempt to prevent this: he wouldn't be without some cards up his sleeve, for a good number of Gauleiter would have SS titles and feel closer to the SS, and his control of the Police would allow him to use investigation into criminal activities to purge enemy elements and thus be able to promote his own people; but it would make things much more difficult for him.
(I hope my comment doesn't have any factual errors 😅
XXII - OPERAZIONE PUGNALE
THE IRON EAGLE
OPERAZIONE PUGNALE
OPERAZIONE PUGNALE
The year of 1952 was an oddity in the context of the greater Cold War, it was a year where an international crisis threatened to start a war between Powers, but without the direct interest of the two main Great World Powers. The unique political context made it so that other than occasional comments or arms sales, the Great Powers avoided being involved into the proxy conflict, opting to instead watch from the sidelines as two nations that were becoming more known as "Second-rate" powers in their respective sides went through the main burden of the war. Furthermore, it was also one of the main reasons of the cooling of the Italo-German relationship that has been in a decline since the end of the War in Europe, especially as one of the most unconventional conflicts in the Middle East put the Anglo-American and German interests awkwardly aligned in containing the growth of Arab Nationalism fanned by the Italians. And if that wasn't enough to classify the "Suez War" or "The Second Levantine War" as one of the most unconventional conflicts in Modern History, the German government's complete disfunction was showcased for the first time as Rudolf Hess and the Reich's Government declared one thing, while Reinhard Heydrich's SS did another thing. The Conflict, named in Italy as "Operazione Pugnale" or Operation Dagger, was a conflict between Old Colonialism and Neo-Colonialism, where Italy desired to grow it's sphere of Influence in the Mediterranean to achieve the dreamed "Mare Nostrum" by ironically allying with Pan-Arabism and Islam against both German-allied Syria, old British interests in the Arab states, and the Anglo-allied support for the State of Israel. Once more, Israel would be fighting a war for it's survival, ironically being on the same side as the "Little Wehrmacht" of the Middle East as they both fought against the rising leader of the Arab States: President Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Ever since the end of the First Levantine War, a rough definition of peace came to the Middle East. Other than frequent raids by militias across the border between Israel and Jordan, and the constant tension over the Jewish settlement of Bersheeba within Jordanian territory, there were no major military confrontations. As part of Huey Long's general isolationist atitude, the American garrison retreated from the region in 1949, with the British being the main providers for the UN peacekeeping operation. The constant presence of British troops, not just in Israel but in most of the Middle East, was bringing tensions to a breaking point. Ever since the end of the war, Egypt has been under the garrison of between 80 thousand and 120 thousand British troops, their main priority being to safeguard the Suez Canal. However, the economic purpose of the canal to Britain has been under a steady fall, as the Linz Pakt controlled Malta and Gibraltar, British trade ships already avoided the Mediterranean, and with the increasingly violent calls for Independence in the Indian Raj since the end of the war, it became more of a matter of military and political pride to keep Egypt. Cyprus, the last British possession on the Mediterranean, depended exclusively on the Suez Canal to keep itself supplied outside of "Lake Germania", especially with the Cypriots waging a guerrilla war supported by Italy. Turkey too depended on the Suez, as the last neutral power in the region surrounded by German-allied States such as Greece, the Reichskommissariat of the Caucasus, the Social Nationalist State in Syria, and the increasingly Pro-German Pahlavi Dynasty in Iran, without the canal, Iraq would be the only connection of Turkey to the world outside the Linz Pakt. In his later years, Hitler had instructed Franz von Papen to increase the pressure on Turkey to join the Pakt under veiled threats, as he desired to secure a safe land route to the Middle East that did not depend on the Italians, and Turkey did allow German supplies to go through it's territory to reach Syria during the First Levantine War after Hitler showed in Sweden and Switzerland that Neutrality was not an option.
However, no nation depended more on the continued British presence in the Canal than Israel. The Jewish State, under a paranoia of it's neighbors, was not unjustified in it's thoughts, as Hitler continued his growing militarization and support for Syria as if an offensive was being prepared, and hundreds of thousands of Jews were expelled from Muslim states all across the region as retaliation for the Levantine War, only the settlements in Jordan being protected by King Abdullah's moderate stance and the post-war settlement. In fact, many Jews in Jordan were loyal to Abdullah, seeing him as a protector against the much greater evil of the "Hitlerite Syrian State" that was still awaiting it's opportunity across the border, over 2,000 Jews formed the core of the so-called "Jewish Legion", an army loyal to the King himself that protected Jewish settlements and the Palace, although they had some disputes with the Arab Legion, they mostly shared a loyalty to the crown. However, things were far from peaceful under the surface, especially as Arab groups began to radicalize following the war, many even thought that Abdullah was an Israelite puppet King supported by Zionist interests in London and Tel Aviv, which was a resentment that only grew as the Linz Pakt began to ramp up it's anti-semite propaganda to the Middle East in 1950, with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Amin al-Hussayni, being the main spokesman from Radio Stations through Europe, moving to Italian Libya that same year with the Establishment of the "Radio Benghazi", as part of Mussolini's efforts to grow his influence in the Arab World.
The constant presence of British troops in Egypt, as it was the only access to the Mediterranean, was seen by many as an insult, and that was something that Prime Minister Anthony Eden had to contend with. The Arab nations were becoming increasingly allied with Hitler and his anti-semite rhetoric, Syria was constantly breathing down at the "neck" of London's centerpiece of the Mediterranean in Suez, in fact, the main reason for the British backing for the UN intervention was not out of pure sympathy for the Jewish people, although they did claim to be doing so for "Humanitarian purposes", but to prevent Saadeh's troops from surrounding Egypt, and by consequence the Canal. Eden believed that if Britain lost the Suez, they would have to abandon Cyprus, Israel would cease to exist, and any hopes of one day striking from the south into Europe in case of a renewed war would be dashed. It was also a matter of personal pride for Albion, as if they left the Suez, the French government of Laval would use the opportunity to claim the British shares and take control of it instead, and a retreat of Britain against the pressures of the Linz pact would generate a domino effect through the Middle East that would cripple the British supply of oil, making them more dependent of US imports from Long's Government. It was no secret that Eden had a personal despise of Huey Long as a populist coward, making not very subtle comments that America needed to go back to the world stage, that "not even the most Naive in Britain believe that Hitler would back down if we dropped our weapons, it appears that even the most naive men in Britain are still more shrewd than the ones in charge of the American international affairs".
In Syria, Saadeh's government looked strong from the outside, but on the inside the defeat was a blow on his personal Authority. More radical factions within the military, led by Generals Adib Shishakli and Husni al-Za'im, called for increasingly authoritarian methods to keep control as the frustrated population was disillusioned by the loss in the war. Saadeh continued as a Public figure, rallying the people by claiming the United Nations was a Jewish organization that intervened to stop the Syrian struggle, while he also condemned Pan-Arabism as an unnatural ideology, however such ideology was also getting popular in Syria, as many saw that only a united Arab effort could destroy Israel. That is a point where German and Italian interests clashed, as Hitler had supported Saadeh's Pan-Syrianism over Pan-Arabism, and while Hitler was alive that propaganda was greatly toned down by Italy as they did not seek to compromise their relationship. However, Hitler's death led to the rise of a more vocal anti-arab leader in the Reich, Rudolf Hess, a man who grew up in Alexandria and instead believed Britain as a natural ally of Germania, and that British imperialism was a moral force of good to spread civilization through the world, which was a shock to the Pan-Arabs who had for so long placed their hopes in the Reich. Suddenly the German rhetoric had changed, something many considered that a mockery, that Germany was just playing with the Arabs with a false discourse of Unity against Zionist Imperialism only to now want reconciliation with Britain. But as many of the things concerning the Reich, the relationship was full of contradictions and inner struggles, the SS continuing to supply weapons as their officers had to live the confusing position of being devoutely loyal to the Führer and going against his expressed wishes by the orders of Heydrich.
Mussolini was a more reliable ally for the Arab cause in 1952, despite his previous efforts in the "Pacification of Libya" and the destruction of the Senussi Order, he was a more consistent man in comparison to Hess. That wasn't to say Benito had any particular devotion to Islam, however, many noted the growing prosperity of cities like Tunis, Benghazi, Tobruk, and Tripoli after the Libyan golden rush started in the late 1940s. With that growing influx of money to it's coffers, safe from German regulations and direct interference, Italy began to carve out it's own destiny in the Mediterranean to achieve the famous, or infamous, dream of Mare Nostrum. Not by direct control, but by ensuring a network of client and satellite states friendly to it's interests. The rise of the Falangists in Spain was a boon, however there was worry with the developments in France as Darnand's French SS took control after Laval's symbolic execution by Guilloutine, which only ended up throwing fuel to the fire in Algeria, a French territory considered part of France proper, a part that was ready to blow up. That was one of the first times the Italian Intelligence service, in some ways more specialized in foreign affairs than the German RSHA, began to act against the interests of the Linz Pakt. Mussolini did not trust Darnand, differently from Laval who was a friendly politician even in the 1930s during the Stressa Front, and he saw the Algerian insurrection as a way to both improve his standing in the Middle East and ensure the French would stay occupied instead of turning to territorial disputes about their losses in the Second World War. As a result, the Servizio Informazioni Military (Military Information Service) turned a blind eye to bases of Algerian nationalists in Tunisia, as well as "missing" military Caches, keeping an underground agreement for members of the FLN to not launch attacks or support Nationalists in Italian colonies.
The Crisis in 1952 began in Egypt, on the 10th of January, a raid by British authorities on the base of an underground movement led to a short shootout, with the rebels moving into a police station where the police refused to turn them over. After the negotiations failed, the British soldiers moved into the station, the fight resulting in dozens of deaths and the spark of protests in Egypt. The protests, sparked at first by opposition against British occupation, soon began to turn against King Farouk's corrupt rule, considering him a puppet of London, despite the fact Farouk supported the nationalists several times. The protests also took a very strong antisemitic tone, directed at the defeat in the First Levant War and Egypt's supposed "collaboration" with the Zionist movement, despite the fact several Egyptian units took part in the Arab effort, the overall failure of the invasion still loomed as a stain to the Egyptian society. The local British garrison kept since the War was barely able to contain the protests, with a general strike being called to strike at the logistics of the British forces locally. Eden and Farouk would discuss the situation over the phone lines and despite the continued assurance by the Prime Minister that the local forces would protect the Monarchy, the King would flee into exile, with OSS head Bill Donovan calling him "A cowardly fat fucker" upon reporting it informally to President Long. Months of successive failed governments with a spiral of inflation and corruption would lead to Farouk's breakdown on the 18th of April and his escape. The Egyptian Army, led by Generals Mohammed Naguib and Gamal Nasser would quickly make their move by capturing Cairo, with the British government initially refusing to recognize the new government of President Naguib. It would not take long for such a government to change as Naguib, despite his status as a War Hero, lacked the political acumen of his partner, with General Gamal Abdel Nasser becoming the New President of Egypt.
The shock of the Egyptian revolution sent shockwaves across the Middle East and the world with mixed reactions. Britain was initially reluctant on recognizing the New government, as despite Nasser's assurances, it had a clear anti-British agenda which included the interests in the Suez and Sudan. In Italy, Mussolini would be one of the first to recognize the new Egyptian government as he saw the opportunity of a lifetime before his eyes to fully wrestle the Eastern Mediterranean from British control. In the US, Long was watching attentively, having a certain admiration for Nasser's anti-imperialist and populist stance, yet being weary of alienating Britain even more than it already did. Paris and Dakkar issued their statements, according to their "overlords" in Germania and London, but with both expressing concern about this wave of Anti-Imperialism in Arab lands further provoking unrest in North Africa. Finally, there was Germania, which to the shock of everyone, opposed the Egyptian aspirations, with Hess considering an attack on Civilization that a "savage horde of camel jockeys" was ending the "Anglo-Saxon civilizatory mission". It was a PR disaster for all those who saw the Führer throwing a golden opportunity away and shooting it dead with a Walther pistol, and even Mussolini expressed private condemnation of Hess' atitude. Eden himself was continuously incredulous as far as the intentions of the German leader came, either the man was completely delusional or that was some long-term statesmanship that would make Otto von Bismarck seem as diplomatically competent as Kaiser Wilhelm II.
Nowhere was this all felt more than in the region itself from Israel to Iraq. The Jewish State grew increasingly alarmed at the rising nationalist government in Egypt and the clear anti-Zionist message of Nasser, who made no secret that Israel was his greatest foe besides Britain. Furthermore, the new Prime Minister Peretz Bernstein was worried about the possible loss of the Suez Canal, which would completely surround the Israeli State and it's economy, making it easily vulnerable to a blockade by it's neighbors. Usually these concerns would be settled by the friendly relations with the Jordanian State, a natural ally against the aggressive Syrians, but things would take a turn to the worse in Jordan. King Abdullah, while on a trip to the region of Gaza, would suffer an assassination attempt by Palestinean militants, leading to him becoming bedridden and further stroking chaos in the country, only worsened by the fall of the Egyptian Monarchy. Abdullah planned to organize an united Federation between Jordan and Iraq, with possible support of Israel, in order to contain Saadeh's Pan-Syrian ambitions. Ultimately, his enemy became Pan-Arabism instead, and while in a weakened position, the British feared that a similar overthrow would happen in Jordan. The Jordanian Legion, as well as the Jewish Legion, were at a heightened alert as unrest increased in the territories west of the Jordan river, with a high level of illegal activities, from smuggling to bribery, increasing in the Egypt-Jordan border. Four days later, on the 27th of May, Abdullah was dead, which led to the worst fears of the British high command to happen as the new Emir, Talal bin Abdullah, was a known supporter of the Free Officers in Egypt and the Pan-Arabist cause. Talal's rise caused concerns in London and Tel Aviv that an Union between him and Nasser would happen, and a drastic course of action would be implemented.
On the morning of the 13th of June, the Chief of Staff of the Arab Legion announced a military exercise, supposedly due to the heightened threat in the region. While the work for the Jordanian Constitution was still underway, Talal planned to visit the Assembly only to be stopped due to "Security Concerns". Queen Zein, wife of Talal, had left the Palace under escort to the Assembly an hour before the ruler was awake, and upon entering the Parliament, she spoke of the Emir's supposed insanity, as he was rumored to be suffering attacks of Schizophrenia, and that the night before he threatened her and the heir, Prince Hussein, with a knife. Such declarations were made while the Assembly was essentially under military lockdown, and the Prime Minister Tawfik was called to make an emergency vote to force the Emir to abdicate in favor of his brother Naif. Talal was outraged upon hearing the news that he was supposed to be brought to London for a forced psychiatric treatment and accused the British, the military, his wife and the Assembly for launching a coup against him. Ali Abu Nuwar, a high-ranking officer known for his connections with Nasser, informed his troops of the ongoing conspiracy by Anglo-Zionist interests to install the Anglophilic Prince Naif as Emir, soon the news spread across the ranks as Talal was taken to London in a RAF plane, with Naif being installed as Emir. Nuwar would mobilize his own troops against the coup, reaching to fellow-minded officers and a large network of supporters in Palestine. The situation was quickly spiraling in a potential civil war as the Pan-Arabist officers rising up against Glubb and Naif, both denounced as colonialist usurpers. That is when the Italians approached Nuwar with an offer, through proxies in the region the SIM would offer the support of Italian arms to launch a coup at Amman. A shipment of weapons, with over a million rounds of ammunition, and rifles such as the new Carcanno M1945 and the Submachine gun Beretta 43. There was also a group of 20 light tanks, and several light artillery pieces. Furthermore, Egypt would send both political and financial support for the rebels, even the SS would influence the coup by offering information of the enemy troop formations taken by Syrian informants of the RSHA.
On the 5th of July, Ali and the Pan-Arabists launched a coup, leading to a brutal battle in Amman, especially against the Jewish Legion, who offered the most fierce of resistance before the superior firepower of the putschists took the Capital. Self-Proclaimed General Ali Nuwar would declare himself President of the Arab Republic of Jordan-Palestine, and from there Nasser felt emboldened to prepare his next step: The Suez Canal. Protected by a strong British garrison, the Canal was a last bastion for the former Allied powers in the Mediterranean, as it still allowed them access to the region, especially towards Israel, Cyprus, and Turkey. However, on the 1st of August, Nasser announced the Nationalization of the Suez Canal Company, claiming that the canal, dug by Egyptian workers, would be put back in the hands of Egyptians. A move many in Britain were worried about ever since the rise of Nasser, and especially of his ally Nuwar, and with the MI6 noticing the increasing supplies of weapons, as well as Mussolini's recent agreement to fund the Aswan Dam, there was no doubt in Eden's mind that Mussolini, and by consequence Hess, were the ones truly behind it. Through informal channels, the Reich's foreign office continuously denied any relationship with the Egyptians, claiming that Nasser's Pan-Arabism was also opposed to the Reich's interests in Syria, in fact an arms agreement was refused just months prior in May. The Italians, on the other hand, pointed out the self-proclaimed support of the British to the UN's charter of "Self-Determination", which meant that Egypt did have the right to control access to it's own territory. Initially, Nasser was wary of coming closer to Mussolini, especially as the later continued in an Italianization campaign in both Libya and Eritrea, but the carrot and stick proved an effective method. As he saw the direction the wind was blowing, Mussolini planned to "tame" Pan-Arabism, directing it against Britain, using Nasser as a proxy both by supplying him, while also giving subtle nods about the Nile river and the Italian control over the Blue Nile in Ethiopia, the source of 80% of the waters of the river that served as the basis of the Egyptian civilization since milennia, a flow that could be changed if Mussolini decided to provide hydroelectricity to Eastern Africa.
The Tensions continued to rise through August as Egypt repudiated the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936, while the British refused to recognize Nasser and instead continued to claim their right to mantain bases in Egypt until 1956. With the Canal being Nationalized under Egyptian control, Nasser's rhetoric was to claim that the canal was under occupation of British troops, severing Egypt's connection with Gaza and the Sinai. Egyptian army forces were being mobilized near the Canal zone while the roads were closed down, a blockade made in land while Egyptian workers in the Canal went on strike, leading to Eden further challenge the Arab President by supplying the canal with air and naval transportation, starting to build up forces at Cyprus and bringing foreign operators to the Canal. President Long was watching with increasing concern, as the Canal was still the main access of Asian and East African markets towards Europe, alongside American oil interests in the area being caught in the wave of unrest gripping the Arab World. But Eden and Long's relationship had deteriorated more and more since the Dakkar Crisis, with the British still blaming Long's inaction for the continued German control over Europe. Secretary of State Burton K. Wheeler, the former President and a respected Statesman, attempted to organize a conference between both sides to negotiate the Status of the Suez Canal. Immediately the question asked was, who would represent the French, who once built the Canal and owned one of it's largest shares? Would it be Darnand's government in Paris or de Gaulle's in Dakkar. Ever since Laval's death, Britain had chosen to recognize Charles de Gaulle as leader of the French People, while the United States, under Wheeler's own advice, refused to recognize de Gaulle by claiming he was a dictatorial strongman no different from Petain and Darnand, a rather grievous insult, and they had yet not retracted their recognition of the Paris government. Furthermore, Nasser called for Mussolini to act as Mediator in a negotiation instead, a move Eden had completely refused while Long and Wheeler still vacillated much to Eden's outrage. The Prime Minister felt as if he was the last sane leader of the World, stuck between a delusional lunatics.
The Conference went ahead without the presence of Nasser or Mussolini, called in London, the Free French sent their representative which led to the French State refusing to attend. Surprisingly, the Germans accepted the invitation, with that being one of the first times since the Treaty of Lisbon that a German, a British, and an American representative sat down at the table. The Israeli delegation begrudingly accepted after intense protests in the backrooms, but refused to recognize the presence of the German delegates, the same being said of the German delegation who always avoided interacting with the Jewish one. Mussolini and Nasser were both in shock by Hess' acceptance, which only solidified their perception of the new "Detente Führer", and alongside him would come most of the Linz Pakt, with the exception of Spain, Greece, Croatia, and other Italian protectorates. Portugal began to act more as a bridge between both sides, and by the end of the Conference, there was a general agreement that the Suez Canal should return to International Ownership. This Conference, held on the 4th of September, would lead to further division within the Linz Pakt, starting the drift between Rome and Germania in the 1950s that would only worsen during the purges later on against the Catholic Church. Instead, Italian, Egyptian and Jordanian military officers drafted a plan in order to expel the British garrison: Operazione Pugnale, Operation Dagger.
The Plan called for a quick and overwhelming strike against the British garrison to be concluded within 72 hours, with the recently modernized Italian Navy, using it's two Aircraft Carriers, the Aquila and the Cesare, as well as three battleships to cut the connection between the Suez and Cyprus, with an attack with planes launched from Crete and Tobruk at Port Said. Land forces from the three nations were planned to converge and overwhelm the enemies, while the Italian Navy would prevent the arrival of reinforcements. The plan depended on the fact that Eden would not escalate into a full scale war against the Italo-Arabian alliance, both out of fear of alienating his Arab subjects, over the reduced capacity of the British armed forces after the decolonization of India, and due to the United States. Huey Long was running for reelection, using a platform of isolationism as his base, he would not risk throwing off his supporters so close to the Election Day over the economically-diminished Suez Canal, especially knowing that a full scale war would likely lead to nuclear confrontation with the Reich. The plan was for a limited, quick conflict that would not even be called a war, but a "Military exercise" on the Sinai desert, which would take out the British garrison and cut off both Cyprus and Israel from outside support. The Operation was so secretive in fact, not even the Germans were notified of it's existence, and the SD would go through one of it's greatest humiliations for failing to discover the plan of their own ally.
But one nation stood more to lose than any other, and said nation went in contact with Britain in order to save itself. Ever since the coup by Ali Nuwar in Jordan-Palestine, IPF forces have been on a heightened state of alert, with Arab partisans launching more and more provocative attacks, and the Jewish settlements in Jordan, especially Bersheeba, coming under growing raids and harassment by the government that reminisced the SA attacks in Germany during the 1930s. Prime Minister Bernstein would approach Eden in secret, a plan was drafted in order to stop the Pan-Arab tide in the Middle East, by striking both Nasser and Nuwar in a single stroke and launching heavy attacks to turn the people against their regimes. The "Liverpool Protocol" would set for the Israeli forces to launch a Preemptive strike against both Jordanian and Egyptian forces, pushing to the Straits of Tiran and the Sinai. With that as an excuse, the British would call for a ceasefire, so that all forces retreat from the Sinai and Palestine for a peacekeeping operation led by the British, with Israel accepting and the Arabs obviously refusing, which would lead to Britain joining the war in support of Israel, using it's assets on Cyprus and the Suez Zone to bombard both Egypt and Jordan, sending in military forces to occupy the lands between the Suez and the Dead Sea. However, the plan was only to be put into effect after January, as Eden hoped that McCarthy would win the elections, giving the crucial support of a faithful ally in Washington to back both Britain and Israel against possible retaliations. If, however, Long was reelected, then the plan could be launched no later than in November.
With so much at stake depending on the results of the increasingly unpredictable American leadership, one side would strike first: Operation Pugnale would be put into effect on the 5th of October 1952, a Sunday morning as Air and Naval forces from Italy, Egypt and Jordan took off from their bases and came down upon Port Said and the British checkpoints in the Canal. 10,000 troops of the British garrison would come under heavy attack by hundreds of aircraft, an event which had a striking resemblance to the attack on Pearl Harbor almost a decade earlier. However, the plan began to show it's failings almost immediately as the British anti-aircraft fire was at the ready and the RAF Fighters quickly took to the skies to meet the Egyptian attackers. Jordanian forces, however, would never be able to arrive at the battle thanks to the efforts of the Israeli Mossad, which intercepted the attack orders for Operation Dagger. Knowing that the Arab capture of the Suez would lead to the strangling of the Jewish economy, the Israeli Protection Force launched a preemptive strike that same day, hitting communication and logistical lines connecting the Arab armies and striking south against the Jordanians with a force of over 70,000 troops. The Israeli Air Force, armed with the newest British and American Jets, was a far more organized and formidable foe than during the First Levantine War, and as the Second Levantine War began, the Operational plans to strike the Jordanian planes under "Operation Kadosh", which coincided with the fueling of the enemy planes for the strike on the Suez. In two hours, the majority of the Jordanian airforce was destroyed on the ground, that was followed by the launching of paratrooper brigades under the command of Ariel Sharon into Bersheeba, capturing the settlement with the support of the local Jewish population. Jordanian troops, several of them being gathered in the Sinai, were caught by complete surprise, as well as Egyptian forces in Gaza that immediately came under attack.
The question of who shot first was the first thing to be debated, with the Arabs and Italians claiming that British and Israeli forces struck first, while the British claimed the Arabs struck the Suez first. But while the international community was rudely awakened on a sunday of war, the confrontation between entrenched British troops in the canal against the overwhelming assault of Egyptian forces was ongoing. The Italian navy ordered a blockade of the Suez as it was declared a warzone, Mussolini calling for both sides to stand down to the negotiation table while under the relentless assault of accusations that Italian planes took off from Crete, rather than Alexandria, shot down pilots confirming such accusations. British and Italian ambassadors were recalled as the two nations were on the brink of war, the Royal Navy forces in Nicosia were being mobilized to move into Port Said while the Italian forces in Egypt were claimed to be "International Volunteers". As the two sides threw accusations, including of the Italians claiming an Italian scout plane was shot down by British forces in Egyptian Air Space, both the Liverpool Protocol and Operation Dagger came under effect. The result was a war erupting from the Nile to the Jordan rivers. British planes, launched from two Aircraft carriers in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Ark Royal and Centaur, and Cypriot air bases, struck against Egypt itself, bombing Radio Cairo, bridges, supply depots, and infrastructure targets linking to the Suez. The effort of the Egyptian forces in the Sinai and Gaza depended on a quick capture of the Canal Zone within 72 hours, and that is not counting on the surprise Israeli assault, which was now driving south towards the settlement of Eilat, across the Negev desert at a speed unseen since the Second World War. Egyptian troops defending Gaza had to be resupplied by air and sea, and the Israeli forces under Moshe Dayam planned to use the first few days to achieve decisive victories while the enemy was undersupplied before linking up with the Canal Zone and digging in on the Jordan river. The fight was light in the regions of East Jerusalem and the West Bank, as the main objective of the Jewish forces was to reach the Red Sea, from where the Strait of Tiran would serve as an alternative to the Suez Canal.
Jordan was not willing to give up it's main sea access, while Jordanian and Egyptian forces fought surrounded in Gaza and Israeli troops pushed through the Sinai, General Ali Nuwar ordered for Aqaba to be defended to the last man, mobilizing the Arab Legion and recalling his troops from the Sinai. However, the purge of British officers and many pro-British commanders in the Jordanian forces took it's toll on the performance of the troops which were still readapting to new methods. The forces storming the Canal Zone were recalled East, clashing in Al-Kuntillah northwest of Aqaba against the spearhead of the 7th Armored brigade of the IPF. Meanwhile, the British commandos held strong on the Sinai for 52 hours before the Egyptian-Italian troops finally achieved a breakthrough in the North by capturing Raswa on the 8th of October. The capture of the Waterworks was followed by an overall attack at Port Said, where the garrison has been holding out against relentless attacks for three days. The Air War intensified in the region, and the fact that the majority of the Egyptian planes were Italian made things even more obvious to the British High Command. John Cunningham, First Lord of Admiralty and former commander of the Mediterranean forces of the Royal Navy, called for an escalation of the war in Egypt, as the current forces were said to be unable to face down a combined Italo-Arabic offensive before supplies ran out. He called for an attack on Italian Djbouti in order to secure the entrance to the Red Sea, so that supplies could be sent to the Suez, as the forces and equipment in Cyprus would not be enough to sustain a long conflict, especially as insurgents were striking against the war effort in Cyprus, mostly Greek partisans supported by the Italian Intelligence Services. Eden was reluctant, despite his commitment towards victory, he knew that directly retaliating against Italy would bring in the Reich, as he did not believe Hess' offers for Detente, and sparking a war while Huey Long was still the President just was not an option due to the overwhelming firepower of the Luftwaffe and the Linz Pakt. In 1939, Britain certainly could've defended their air space against the German Air Force, but over a decade of German military buildup, with the support of the rest of Europe, all while Britain lost more and more territory such as the Raj, made the fears of a potential German air superiority over the British Isles a very possible reality without the support of the USAAF.
Taking a plane on the 12th, Hess took off on a plane towards London, invading British Air Space with an unscheduled visit that caught everyone in Germania and London by surprise. Two RAF Mosquito jets would come to escort the German Bf. 110, Hess' personal plane, which was almost shot down at first, an international incident being barely avoided as the Führer, who commanded the plane himself with Two SS bodyguards accompanying him. The press was kept out as the plane came at night and the Police was in the awkward situation where a foreign Head of State was trespassing into British soil, he was detained in the Airport while Eden was awakened in the middle of the Night. King Edward VIII would be notified of the incident and insisted on accompanying Eden at the occasion, mostly out of curiosity of his intentions. After an hour, the three men would meet in the Airport at 4:32 AM, while BBC reporters were kept unaware of what was happening, with many believing the King and Eden were meeting in secret to discuss the Prime Minister's potential resignation as news were coming from Port Said that British troops had lost control of the Airfield and were running out of ammunition. Hess, with several antiquated views of the British nobility, addressed the King with more respect than Eden, and he told his story as a former British subject in Egypt, admiring the Anglo-Saxon "White Civilization", and speaking of how the Reich and Britain were natural allies against the Zionists and Americans. Hess spoke of the Middle Eastern War, saying that he would stand with Britain against Mussolini and Nasser, if Edward made a commitment to direct British forces into a joint attack with the Syrians against Israel, emphasizing how Zionist groups launched terrorist attacks against British forces in Palestine during the Mandate. The talks continued for two hours, and Eden remarked that if Hess wanted to show commitment to a Detente, Arab forces would have to retreat from the Canal and allow a British peacekeeping force in the Sinai Desert. Hess remarked that if he was able to reach an alliance with Britain as a fellow "Germanic race", he would ditch Mussolini and the "Mediterraneans" for sake of a united "White Anglo-Germanic Front against Zionists and Negroids". Edward was often incredulous when Eden spoke to him as to how incoherently confused Hess was in his words, but with that first secret meeting between the two all doubts were gone. The Two British leaders bid their farewells as Hess returned on his plane as the sun was rising, returning to Germania as he hoped to have made the greatest stroke of diplomacy in the Century. Eden and Edward would remain on the airport discussing if Hess was the world's greatest conman or a raging lunatic, especially as he spoke of occultist elements and even mentioned how he was communicating in secret with the Aryan Avatar of Adolf Hitler.
That incident would only be confirmed officially by British sources after Eden's memoirs were published, while Goebbels and Heydrich used the Press and the Reich's secret services to keep the story as subtle and vague as possible. Hess is said to have gone on an angry rant against the two by claiming they were undermining his achievements, and he would have to be calmed down as Goebbels made a concession, by taking off the air the movie Titanic, which blamed the sinking of the famous vessel on the arrogant British high class. The Ministers had to publicly make concessions to Hess' Anglophilia, but in private the majority were convinced that it was an idea that would only lead to further alienation of German allies, especially as that was sending the wrong messages to nations such as Portugal, the only European State that was not a full member of the Pakt except Turkey. Hess' suggestion was ignored by the British who instead sent warnings to the Israeli high command that the Syrians could be pushed into the war if the Northern border was left unattended for too long. By Mid October, the Canal Zone had mostly fallen to the Egyptian forces, at an enormous cost for the Arab armies, while the IPF managed to take Eilat and Aqaba after fierce fighting, starting to drive westwards to the Canal while digging in on to contain Jordanian counter attacks. There were serious discussions in Eden's cabinet of just how much was the Canal worth, as the uprising against Nasser failed to materialize and relations with the Arab states were only being more and more crippled by the war, while there was a risk that Huey Long could win the Reelection, even if he didn't, he would still be President until January. Unless the British sent forces through the Red Sea, which meant facing the Regia Marina directly and escalating into a full war. There were also worries that the Egyptians would sabotage the Canal, trapping the British Mediterranean Fleet in Cyprus. There was little strategic worth in Suez since the war, as the fall of Malta and Gibraltar gave the Linz Pakt the control over the Mediterranean, and with India going it's way, the main reason for the canal's very existence for the British was gone. Cyprus by itself was a strategically important island, but keeping a hold of it as Egypt switched into the arms of the Italians was unrealistic. Israel depended far more on the Suez than Britain, even then, as IPF forces captured the Gulf of Aqaba, there would now be an alternative for the Canal.
There was also the matter of Syria, since the fall of the Egyptian and Jordanian Monarchies, there was a rising paranoia in Saadeh's mind that the "unnatural" force of Pan-Arabism would sweep into Syria. While Israel was the greatest public enemy for Syria, the Zionists were no threat to the Social Nationalist hold over Damascus, the Ba'athists, main force of Pan-Arabism in Syria, were. It was still a surprise to many on the 18th of October when the Syrian army mobilized it's forces to war. The "Little Wehrmacht" no doubt had the strength to tip the balance over in the war. Nasser hoped that the Syrians would strike Israel, which would stop the relentless assault of Israeli forces from linking with the British at Al-Jafjafar. Bernstein hoped that the reports given by the British about Hess' insatisfaction with Mussolini were genuine, and Saadeh would recognize the greater threat of Nasser and Nuwar to his power base. The IPF was not willing to gamble it's existence, the advances on the Sinai were slowed down as many forces withdrew North to face the Syrians. To the surprise of all involved, Syrian troops crossed into the Jordanian desert with an amassed armored assault, with the use of German plane models and tanks that overwhelmed the already weakened Jordanian troops, which were mostly concentrated in the south during a counter attack at Aqaba. The Little Wehrmacht entered the war by Bombing Amman and advancing through the Jordan River valley and capturing Irbid in less than 48 hours. As if the Month of October 1952 could not be more confusing, Waffen-SS volunteers were fighting on the same side as Jewish forces against Arab Nationalists, backed up by an Imperialist Catholic nation. The Jordanians collapsed against the combined effort of the IPF and the Syrian Army, as Moshe Dayam concentrated the war effort against Jordan in order to capture the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Nasser was shocked at this development, reaching out to Hess and accusing him of ordering the Syrians to attack. In fact, even in Germania, many could not understand why Hess was instructing a cooperation with the Jews and British against the Arabs, Goebbels would privately comment with Magda and Eva Hitler that "The Führer would be ordering us shot with good reason if we had ever done this".
As Amman fell, the British troops still left in the Canal Zone would be finally forced to surrender after over two weeks of intense combat as the ammunition and food supplies were gone. Seeing as the Egyptians could now essentially trap one of Britain's main naval assets in the Mediterranean, Eden began to reach towards Washington to mediate a truce. Wanting to be seen as a Peacemaker as the elections were weeks away, Long invited the involved to New York on the 27th, 22 days of war coming to an end with a Ceasefire. On the 2nd of November, the Peace Settlement was signed: The Nationalization as well as the Nasser government would be recognized by the British who would give up the Canal Zone. The British Warships would be allowed to continue uninterrupted passage of the Straits until 1962, and Nasser would give up any Egyptian claims towards Sudan. But while the IPF would retreat from the Sinai, Nasser would garantee free passage of Israeli ships through the Straits of Tiran. No doubt the greatest defeated in this war was Jordan, as Ali Nuwar would be forced to cede all territories west of the Jordan river and the Negev Desert to Israel, including the control of East Jerusalem and Gaza, losing the Mediterranean access and all Jordanian territories in "Palestine". The Syrians would also annex the provinces of Irbid and the Mafraq Desert. The City of Aqaba would be returned to Jordan, and President Nuwar would be recognized as leader of Jordan. Overall, it is hard to say who won in the "Suez War", Nasser did manage to take the Canal, but at the cost of shackling Egypt in debt with the Italians as the devastation of the war forced him to get more loans from Italian banks. The Syrians contained the momentum of Pan-Arabism, and the new territories along the Jordan river gave a better strategic launchpad for future conflicts with Israel and Jordan, as well as control of the water flowing from the Jordan River. The Jordanians lost some of it's most important territories, but President Nuwar's regime was recognized, now enjoying close links with Nasser and Italy. Israel more than doubled in size, at the cost of essentially losing it's Mediterranean exit that could be closed down at any moment, ships under Israeli flag being subjected to raids in the Sea. Now, surrounded by enemies even more, the Jewish State would have to make peace with a large Arab minority in the new territories and protect itself against both Syrians and Arabs. Mussolini achieved his victory at the cost of his good relations with the Reich as both him and Hess now looked at one another with distrust. The United States, showing itself as a neutral arbiter, would keep goodwill with the Arab States, although relations with Britain deteriorated further, at least between Eden and Long. Speaking of Eden, the Prime Minister would resign in disgrace after his failure, with Rab Butler taking his place as Prime Minister, although Edward, a personal friend of former Prime Minister Atlee, claimed in private that the "Conservatives should have called a General Election for this disgrace". Edward himself wanted to take a more active role in Government affairs, it was mostly the influence of his brother Albert which contained him, but it was clear that after the Suez War, the King was losing his patience with Parliamentary politics.
Last edited:
Can a populist sitting President be enough to break a Party system? Is it really a good thing if the Political Establishment is broken by a rising power-hungry populist?
What can a Totalitarian State centered around a single leader do to fight off the incompetence of said leader?
What if the alternative of a sitting corrupt establishment is something that can be far worse? Is it worth the risk of replacing the Devil you know?
What can a Totalitarian State centered around a single leader do to fight off the incompetence of said leader?
What if the alternative of a sitting corrupt establishment is something that can be far worse? Is it worth the risk of replacing the Devil you know?
Or the last phrase could very well describe the three, maybe even a fourth nation.
Very interesting things to consider in this timeline. As for the third question which is likely in regards to China, this is of course the author's choice, but I personally believe that whatever mistakes and bad decisions Mao make here are unlikely to be different from his OTL ones and eventually China will have a chance to escape the madness for something more logical although it could also remain a hellhole forever so who knows.
Here is a thing to consider about Mao in here. We all know the Cultural Revolution, but what if someone could do something similar, to such a disastrous extent that even Mao would hesitate to go along his idea? What if he is not the most insane madman in the world? Who do you believe is someone that, given the power, could be even worse than him?
I'm assuming you're talking about the Nazis here. I remember the gist of a quote on the difference between Nazism and Communism on this website to the lines of how Communism was in a way of twisting of western ideals and thoughts, Nazism is a complete apostasy with all its insanity and racial doctrine. Well I guess the "Great Leap Backward" could still happen. However given that discredited Mao and with no Sino-Soviet split and other things perhaps moderates like Zhou EnLai could take over and have cordial relations with the US and others.
It is interesting to think that Communism in this world will be essentially associated with China and Maoism. As the Soviet Union saw it's violent end in the 1940s, the only major communist leader will be Mao, who will give it a more agrarian, militant and anti-imperialist tone. On the other hand, if/when there is a reform, more countries will be inspired by the Chinese example.
And I would keep an eye out for Japan, let's just say that Operation Sunset, the Vengeful and Racist policies of Thurmond, MacArthur's abandonment for his political run and Huey Long's Isolationism are not a good formula to rebuild the country that you just destroyed.
El_Fodedor
Banned
Another amazing chapter! Where are we going in the next one, @Kaiser of Brazil?
Last edited:
Um, Will Communist China become a 3rd Superpower?
Also who controls China by 1950, KMT or CCP?
Would a Victorious KMT joined the Linz Pact/ Allies?
What happened to India?
Also, How much is Revanchism in Russia?
I also wonder what's going on in Iran?
Also I feel that Italy and UK is going to switch places.
Last edited:
very good chapter,if you adapt it to a hoi mod then the suez crisis would be multiple choice and would vary depending on the führer and the player's choices, for example I imagine that with Hess you would have a 20% chance of getting England to change sides but at the cost of having the majority of the Latin states create their own factions, whereas with Speer you could strengthen the ties with Italy and crush Israel once and for all It's an excellent story on a par with the AANW
Last edited:
As mentioned in the chapter, it has already been decolonized. However, as the war in the Pacific lasted until 1947, and there was greater reluctance in London to let go of it, the Independence was delayed. As consequence, a certain death has happened that changed the Partition.