The plot to kill Hitler, Himmler and Goring in November 16, 1943 succeeds, now what?

This could screw over de-Nazification because the Nazis weren't beaten, they were couped by their "supposedly loyal military". And so we got another, even bigger stab-in-the-back. (Either if Germany gives in soon after, or keep fighting, but still loose.)

It'll turn into a clusterfuck.
 
I don't think there were too many people left in Germany who were deft enough to pull this off, but a quick offer of a peace in the West including a withdrawal from occupied territories in Western Europe could be enough to cause public support for the war to collapse in the UK and US. It would be a hard sell for Churchill and Roosevelt to argue for prosecuting a war when many of its aims have already been offered up by a new German government. Remember, this is late 1943, 6 months before Overlord and a time when the ultimate cost of victory in Europe was still very much in doubt while the outcome of the Pacific War was also in doubt. It is a hard thing to tell families that their sons are still going to die in Europe for war aims that are already being offered up by the enemy at no cost. Moreover, the US military might balk a bit at the prospect of continuing to fight a two front war that is arguably unnecessary.

The ultimate cost is unknown, but the outcome by this time is certain - barring miracle weapons. The outcome in the Pacific is even more certain.

And the one thing neither the U.S. nor the British public will stand for at this time is for Germany to get off with a half-assed peace like 1918. The SK's idea was that in return for Germany withdrawing from western Europe, the Western Allies would:
  • End all military action action against Germany.
  • Completely lift the blockade and all controls on German trade.
  • Cease all military aid to the USSR.
  • Accept the German annexation of Austria and the Czech lands.
  • Accept German annexation of Danzig and Posen (restoring the 1918 border).
  • Accept continued German occupation of Poland, so that Germany could continue to fight the USSR.
  • Not occupy Germany.
  • Not demand reparations from Germany.
  • Agree that all Nazis and German war criminals would be tried by Germany.
In short, something far short of the Allies' proclaimed victory conditions, and a definite betrayal of the Soviet Union. There was widespread feeling that the war and German bad conduct was the responsibility of all or nearly all Germans, with tens of thousands deeply implicated, and that it would be be cheating justice to make a few Nazis the scapegoats. Also, that it would be extremely foolish to leave Germany's vast war machine intact and its military leadership in place.

So no, that offer would not seriously shift public opinion in either Britain or the US.
 
Stalin was equally determined. At Tehran, IIRC, he tossed off a suggestion that the 25,000 top German officers should be executed.

IIRC it was 50,000, and Roosevelt agreed. Churchill stormed out of the room.

Stalin proposed executing 50,000–100,000 German officers so that Germany could not plan another war. Roosevelt, believing Stalin was not serious, joked that "maybe 49,000 would be enough". Churchill, however, was outraged and denounced "the cold blooded execution of soldiers who fought for their country". He said that only war criminals should be put on trial in accordance with the Moscow Document, which he himself had written. He stormed out of the room, but was brought back in by Stalin who said he was joking. Churchill was glad Stalin had relented, but thought Stalin was testing the waters.
 
IIRC it was 50,000, and Roosevelt agreed. Churchill stormed out of the room.

Churchill was a firm believer that large scale purges a staple of Stalinist Soviet Union are not something honorable nations or democracies should do.
 

thorr97

Banned
Churchill was a firm believer that large scale purges a staple of Stalinist Soviet Union are not something honorable nations or democracies should do.

And Churchill was also a firm believer in using chemical weapons against "uncivilized tribes" contesting British colonial rule. Interesting the "scale" the man used to view the world with...
 
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