The War That Changed the World; An Alternate WW2

Ok, so I realize this is likely a concept that has been done-to-death. But I recently took it upon myself to start writing a WW2 TL, and besides, a fresh look on the scenario has a lot of potential, no?

1939 - 1940; The Beginning of the War that changed the World

September - December; 1939

Europe


It started in September. On the first of the month, at 4:45 AM, Nazi Germany begins its invasion of Poland, as the Luftwaffe enter the country in order to bomb strategic city targets. Soon after, by 8:00 AM, Nazi land forces enter the country, near the town of Mokra.

This does not go unnoticed by France and the United Kingdom however, who promptly issue ultimatums against the Third Reich, preparing for war. Soon to follow, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Newfoundland, South Africa and India also declare war on the Reich. But the tide was soon to change.

To the surprise of many, the USSR began its own invasion of Poland on the 17th, Soviet troops entering the country from the East. The minor offensives by the French and the British against Germany all but grind to a halt as commanders gawk in shock at the new found alliance between Stalin and Hitler.

In the short war, the Polish military is crushed between the skilled troops of the Third Reich and the sheer mass of the Soviet army. Poland is partitioned along the river Wisla, with Hitler's Germany gaining a land corridor to the formerly free state of Danzig, and a portion of the border facing the Slovak Republic.

The great powers of Europe as of yet make no great move against Nazi Germany, or the USSR as Stalin begins to bully the lesser powers of North Eastern Europe.

By December, Poland is fully partitioned by both Germany and the USSR, Western Poland becoming a direct part of the Third Reich, and Eastern Poland being annexed by the SRs of Belorussia and the Ukraine. As the month draws to a close, Soviet troops enter Finland, looking to secure the country against a possible beach-head by the growing number of enemies.

The Soviets make little gains against the Finns in the advent of the Winter War, the Finns making absolute destructive use of captured Soviet weapons and vehicles, grinding the Soviet forces to all-but-a-halt, but the sheer mass of Soviet troops continues to push them forward.

Asia


Japan continues its encroaching into mainland China, as well as scattered border skirmishes against the USSR. While the border-war beteen the USSR and Japan has not yet ended, skirmishes begin to decrease in severity, alluding to a coming end to the conflict.

Japanese-Russian tensions flare up once more after a Soviet Officer (one of the few to escape the purge), is accidentally killed by Japanese Artillery fire. The Soviets begin increasing the troops stationed in Japan, drawing more away from the European front, due to the peace secured with Hitler.

Fully armed warfare begins between the states of Mongolia and Manchuria, obviously backed by their respective powers. While no truly formal war has been sparked between Japan and the USSR as of yet, the gun is still waiting with its trigger ready to be pulled.

In mid-December, Japan and the USSR declare war on each other "in support" of their respective puppet-states. Japanese land troops clash with Soviet troops in Manchuria, and elements of the Japanese Navy assail the Eastern Russian coast. Japanese advance in China slows, as troops are called away to support the Russian front

1939 - December.png
 
The next update, as the war begins to swing into a higher gear.

January-March; 1940

Europe


The Soviet advance in Finland is halted by a string of Finnish victories. Stalin orders the halt of the advance until more favorable weather of Spring will allow his forces to continue their advance.

German troops enter Hungary from the Slovak Republic and from the territory of the Third Reich, quickly overwhemling the country. While the country hadn't completely fallen by the closing of January, it soon would.

The German invasion of Hungary is completed, the puppet-country of East Hungary being established, Germany siezing western Hungary as its own territory. Soviet troops begin making head-way in Finland again, under the support of the North Sea navy.

The Third Reich begins planning an invasion into Denmark and Norway, planning to sieze control of the countries, and with them, gain valuable ports on the North Sea.

The invasion of Denmark begins. On the Third of March, at 7:00 AM, German troops enter the country, pushing forward with reckless abandon. The Danish government evacuates to Iceland, to where the British fleet could protect them. German forces occupy much of Denmark, save the Western coast which is recieving British/French military and supply aid.

Asia

Soviet troops make some headway in Manchuria, while the Japanese capture portions of the Eastern coast. While the war is currently in Soviet favour, one cannot predict how it will end until the lines are drawn in Europe.

The Japanese do not advance in China, but the Communist revolutionaries begin moving for the border with the Soviet Union, hoping to recieve supplies.

1940 - March.png
 
The next update.

April-June; 1940

Europe

In early April, German forces rout the remaining French and British troops in Denmark, securing the country. The Kreigsmarine, reinforced by captured Danish and Polish vessels, strings a defensive line between Sweden and Denmark, effectively cutting off British aid to Finland, and prevent raids against German ports.

In late May, from behind their defensive line, German troops cross the sea into Norway, finding fierce Norwegian soldiers - as well as supporting British and French troops - waiting for them. German advance is quite stagnant.

The Soviet advance in Finland begins in earnest as warmth returns to Europe, the Soviets smashing the Finns back with wreckless abandon, the Winter War coming to a swift end with the end of Winter. Soon, Finland is incorporated into the Russian Soviet Republic, and troops returned to the East for the fight against Japan.

Asia

Japanese positions in Manchuria come under heavy assault, the Japanese pushed back towards the coast. In the Eastern USSR, Japanese forces make continued advances, but Soviet troops begin to overwhelm their advance.

In China, Communist troops, with military and man-power aid from the USSR, begin exerting greater control over the populace, expanding their influence. It is only a matter of time until Communist troops can establish their own government.

July-September; 1940


Europe

The German invasion of Belgium and the Netherlands begins in July. German Panzer and Infantry divisions overwhelm the meager countries quite quickly, distracting British and French aid. This allows Germany to take greater strides in Norway, capturing much of the country.

Soviet ships, crewed with "Volunteers', and adorned with German flags, support the German fleet in the North Sea, combatting the British and French fleets. While the naval conflict is clearly in British and French favor, these vessels do help balance the odds, slightly.

Soviet troops are called away from the German-USSR border in former Poland in order to support the front against the Japanese. Historians would later remark upon this blunder the result of most competant Soviet Generals being killed off in the purge.

Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom in late September, marking the beginning of the African campaigns.

In Berlin, near the closing of September, Italy, Nazi Germany, Franco's Spain, and Japan sign the Quadpartie Pact, forming the Axis.

Asia

The Japanese are pushed back on all fronts, by heavily reinforced Soviet troops. The Japanese begin pulling out of Manchuria and the Eastern Russian coast, and beginning a renewed invasion against the Southern Chinese. In support of their allies in Germany, Japan finally declares war on the UK, and France, attacking positions in the area.

1940 - September.png
 
October-December; 1940

Europe

Germany siezes the remaining Netherlands and Belgian holdings on the mainland. The Belgian government in exile is set up in London alongside the Netherlands government in exile.

Norway surrenders to German troops, Germany establishing a friendly puppet-government in the Norwegian parliament. German control of the North Sea is growing and growing.

German troops sieze Luxembourg in a swift invaision, just to secure an extra front to bash the French with.

German troops assail the Maginot Line, and the weaker defenses on the Franco-Belgian border. While no puncture is made in the tight French defense, German forces continue to muster, hunting for a weakness, or so it would seem.

Spanish troops assail British Gibraltar, and begin massing on the French border, although not well equiped, the force is better than nothing.

Africa


Italian troops begin to occupy French and British Somalia. Italian troops also push into British Egypt, French West Africa, and Tunisia.

Asia

Communist Chinese troops make more gains in China, and assume control of the Soviet advance. Chinese nationalist troops make further gains in central China, while the Japanese surround Hong Kong, preparing for the invasion and occupation of the British controlled state.

Soviet troops extricate Japanese troops from Manchuria and the East Russian coast, but have no hope of attacking island Japan or Korea, due to heavy fortifications, and Japanese naval superiority.

1940 - December.png
 

nbcman

Donor
OK so you have a TL with:

1. Spain joining the war while France is undefeated?
2. After Japan gets pounded by the Russians, they choose to declare war on Britain and France?
3. Italy choosing to enter the war without France on its deathbed and still managing to advance?

How are you justifying these decisions (especially #1 and #2 above which would seem to be tantamount to national suicide by Spain and Japan)?
 
OK so you have a TL with:

1. Spain joining the war while France is undefeated?
2. After Japan gets pounded by the Russians, they choose to declare war on Britain and France?
3. Italy choosing to enter the war without France on its deathbed and still managing to advance?

How are you justifying these decisions (especially #1 and #2 above which would seem to be tantamount to national suicide by Spain and Japan)?

The OP said Japan signed the pact, didn't say they actually declared war.

The Axis is screwed in this scenario unless the Germans and Soviets come to blows, in which case they're REALLY, REALLY screwed. With an active France, and Japan being crushed, I don't see a way out.

I do have an issue with a Soviet offensive into Manchuria. I have no doubt that in 1940 the Red Army could crush the IJA, but I doubt the logistical system to support a mechanized offensive accross hundreds of miles of Manchuria.

Also, the Soviet/captured Polish/captured Danish navies add almost nothing to the Germans. The French and British would sweep them aside almost effortlessly in any surface encounter. Additionally, in OTL in 1940, the Germans had very little aero-naval capability, so even if those big, old lumbering battlewagons of the French and British do come into range of the Luftwaffe, there isn't much the Germans could do.

Mike Turcotte.
 
OK so you have a TL with:

1. Spain joining the war while France is undefeated?
2. After Japan gets pounded by the Russians, they choose to declare war on Britain and France?
3. Italy choosing to enter the war without France on its deathbed and still managing to advance?

How are you justifying these decisions (especially #1 and #2 above which would seem to be tantamount to national suicide by Spain and Japan)?

Agree with #1,2 entirely, and with #3 my beef is not that Italy declares war, but focuses its attention to its colonies and not the defeat of mainland France. In OTL, North Africa was never more than a glorified sideshow to them. With France still kicking the forces you have being sent to Africa are unrealistic. Their success is more so considering Italy's ability to project power vs. Britain
 
humm, very interesting, lets see where this will lead. cant ardly wait for the next update.:)

Thanks. Glad you enjoyed it.

When does Uncle Sam jump into the fray? :D

Roughly about the same time as OTL.

OK so you have a TL with:

1. Spain joining the war while France is undefeated?
2. After Japan gets pounded by the Russians, they choose to declare war on Britain and France?
3. Italy choosing to enter the war without France on its deathbed and still managing to advance?

How are you justifying these decisions (especially #1 and #2 above which would seem to be tantamount to national suicide by Spain and Japan)?

1. Spain is expecting heavy support from Italy and Germany. While Germany hasn't made any formal invasion into France, it is still tying up many troops along the new Franco-German border, just as the Italians are.
2. Same reason that Germany doesn't successfully invade the British isles, Sea Mammal. Japan definitely has naval superiority over the Soviets in the Pacific, and has heavy fortifications in Korea. At this point, the Japanese war with the Soviets has reached a stalemate. The Soviets can't muster enough resources for that final push into Korea, but the Japanese simply can't match the Soviet numbers.

At this point, Japan isn't really thinking with its head straight, and not a lot of the Axis Powers did during WWII. Hitler declared war on the US while being embroiled in war with half of Europe, Japan bombed a power that it was far outclassed by (again the US).

3. The Italian advance is in Africa, for the far majority. The Allied effort in Africa is a lot less, and any Italian push there is mainly for the distraction of French troop, while the assault on British Egypt has more..strategic reasons.

The OP said Japan signed the pact, didn't say they actually declared war.

The Axis is screwed in this scenario unless the Germans and Soviets come to blows, in which case they're REALLY, REALLY screwed. With an active France, and Japan being crushed, I don't see a way out.

I do have an issue with a Soviet offensive into Manchuria. I have no doubt that in 1940 the Red Army could crush the IJA, but I doubt the logistical system to support a mechanized offensive accross hundreds of miles of Manchuria.

Also, the Soviet/captured Polish/captured Danish navies add almost nothing to the Germans. The French and British would sweep them aside almost effortlessly in any surface encounter. Additionally, in OTL in 1940, the Germans had very little aero-naval capability, so even if those big, old lumbering battlewagons of the French and British do come into range of the Luftwaffe, there isn't much the Germans could do.

Mike Turcotte.

Why did Hitler randomly invade Hungary?

Hungarian loyalties aren't as secured as OTL, they hadn't received the second Vienna award.

Agree with #1,2 entirely, and with #3 my beef is not that Italy declares war, but focuses its attention to its colonies and not the defeat of mainland France. In OTL, North Africa was never more than a glorified sideshow to them. With France still kicking the forces you have being sent to Africa are unrealistic. Their success is more so considering Italy's ability to project power vs. Britain

Italian domination of the Mediterranean seems closer ITL. With Spain on the side of the Axis, Gibraltar is bound to fall eventually, meaning the British are going to have a hell-of-a-time maintaining forces there, primarily by rerouteing them all around the horn, and through the canal, which the Italians are also looking to secure. This ties into Japan declaring war on England, as with Gibraltar and the Suez Canal captured, which is one of the current goals of the Axis, the Brits are going to have a harder time projecting power into the Pacific (meaning greater reliance on Canadian, Indian, and Australian forces).
 
Agememmnon: Thanks for the 411. :)

Darth Revan: In OTL Mussolini had skewed priorities and pretensions to being a new Caesar; I wouldn't expect him to behave much differently here.
 
Ahem. Please don't take any of the following as a mean-spirited attack on you or your scenario: I think it's very admirable that you've started contributing to this forum so quickly, and you've clear got a lot of ideas and a good-handle on map-making (which is more than I can boast of). But one of the best things about this site is what it teached you about OTL history, so I hope you won't take any offence if I go through quite a few things that seem unlikely to me.

In the short war, the Polish military is crushed between the skilled troops of the Third Reich and the sheer mass of the Soviet army. Poland is partitioned along the river Wisla, with Hitler's Germany gaining a land corridor to the formerly free state of Danzig, and a portion of the border facing the Slovak Republic.

This is basically quibbles, but the Soviets never undertook serious military operations against Poland: they advanced against trivial resistance for a few days, and many important sites were left to them by the Germans who had already captured them. Not only does this mean that the mass of the Red Army had little bearing on the September Campaign; it also makes it hard for me to imagine the USSR grabbing so much more of Poland, when even areas that it got OTL (the vincinities of Lwow and Bialystok) were vacated by the Germans.

The Soviets make little gains against the Finns in the advent of the Winter War, the Finns making absolute destructive use of captured Soviet weapons and vehicles, grinding the Soviet forces to all-but-a-halt, but the sheer mass of Soviet troops continues to push them forward.

Minor point, but your map shows the Soviets getting further than they ever did: sufficiently far, in fact, that the Mannerheim line is passed, leaving Finland's situation rather hopeless. Given the condition of the Red Army at the time, this is certainly not likely.

Japanese-Russian tensions flare up once more after a Soviet Officer (one of the few to escape the purge), is accidentally killed by Japanese Artillery fire. The Soviets begin increasing the troops stationed in Japan, drawing more away from the European front, due to the peace secured with Hitler.

1) The pages hadn't killed off or locked up most Soviet officers, certainly not officers in the ranks likely to be crawling around in their bellies in disputed frontier regions.

2) The Soviets refused to be provoked by outright battles with Japan two occasions. Given their extreme concern about Hitler (articulated by Stalin already in 1940), I really doubt they'd be too keen to entangle themselves in Asia right at this moment.

Fully armed warfare begins between the states of Mongolia and Manchuria, obviously backed by their respective powers. While no truly formal war has been sparked between Japan and the USSR as of yet, the gun is still waiting with its trigger ready to be pulled.

It's an interesting idea, but doesn't really work in practice: Manchuria was a colonial/quisling regime, Mongolia a wholly-owned subsidiary. Manchruria swarmed with Japanese troops, and then there's nothing much in the steppe and desert regions on their common border: for Japan and the USSR, the strategic targets are nearer to hand.

The Soviet advance in Finland is halted by a string of Finnish victories. Stalin orders the halt of the advance until more favorable weather of Spring will allow his forces to continue their advance.

Going back to what I said earlier, if the Finns have been pushed this far back so quickly and without Entente intervention, there's no saving them,

German troops enter Hungary from the Slovak Republic and from the territory of the Third Reich, quickly overwhemling the country. While the country hadn't completely fallen by the closing of January, it soon would.

The German invasion of Hungary is completed, the puppet-country of East Hungary being established, Germany siezing western Hungary as its own territory.

Why do the Germans do this? It distracts them from important business in the west, and they don't have any particular interest in Hungary to justify the major fallout this will have in international relations (likely driving Yugoslavia and Romania into the arms of the Entente). There's also no historical east-west divide in Hungary: Budapest, famously, was once Busa and Pest on opposite banks of the Danube.

The invasion of Denmark begins. On the Third of March, at 7:00 AM, German troops enter the country, pushing forward with reckless abandon. The Danish government evacuates to Iceland, to where the British fleet could protect them. German forces occupy much of Denmark, save the Western coast which is recieving British/French military and supply aid.

Thing is, the Danes barely had an army, and were forced to surrender very quickly. There's not much for the Entente to aid.

Soviet troops make some headway in Manchuria, while the Japanese capture portions of the Eastern coast. While the war is currently in Soviet favour, one cannot predict how it will end until the lines are drawn in Europe.

This outcome is certainly likely, but another little nitpick about the map: Vladivostok was rated a stronger fort than Sevastopol' by the Red Army, and Sevastopol' gave the Germans a bad case of indigestion even amist the chaos of autumn '41. If the Japanese take it, the Russians are losing their war; but I don't think the Japanese will, or can.
 
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In early April, German forces rout the remaining French and British troops in Denmark, securing the country. The Kreigsmarine, reinforced by captured Danish and Polish vessels, strings a defensive line between Sweden and Denmark, effectively cutting off British aid to Finland, and prevent raids against German ports.

The Danish and Polish navies were practically non-existant, and the RN could certainly have brushed them aside. Interesting, though, some Polish vessels slipped clear and had remarkable careers, with one Polish sub playing a role in the annexation of Estonia by the USSR!

In late May, from behind their defensive line, German troops cross the sea into Norway, finding fierce Norwegian soldiers - as well as supporting British and French troops - waiting for them. German advance is quite stagnant.

If the Germans didn't have the advantage of surprise, they wouldn't be able to get to Norway (not by sea, at least); and if they did, and found prepared defences and Entente forces along the southern coasts, they'd gut themselves. The idea of amphibious operations barely existed yet, and the Germans courted disaster in Norway as it was.

Soon, Finland is incorporated into the Russian Soviet Republic,

This is unlikely: the Soviets made a show of setting up a communist finnish government on Finnish territory, and of raising tiny Karelia to SSR status.

In China, Communist troops, with military and man-power aid from the USSR, begin exerting greater control over the populace, expanding their influence. It is only a matter of time until Communist troops can establish their own government.

It should be clarified that the GMD (Nationalists) got the main slice of Soviet aid pretty much up to 1945.

Soviet ships, crewed with "Volunteers', and adorned with German flags, support the German fleet in the North Sea, combatting the British and French fleets. While the naval conflict is clearly in British and French favor, these vessels do help balance the odds, slightly.

A fleet battle in the North Sea is anachronistic, and would be a massacre with Entente in total command. More significantly, however, this is something the Soviets wouldn't do. They knew that their alliance was temporary (Stalin just never realised how temporary until June 22) and were furiously expanding their armed forces, counting on Germany's supposed fear of a "two-front war". It'c directly contrary to their interests to use some of their valuable military resources against Britain, the unwilling guarantor of their security (so they thought).

Historians would later remark upon this blunder the result of most competant Soviet Generals being killed off in the purge.

A lot of officers went to GULAG and would later emerge again; others survived and were merely reshuffled. (there certainly were large and damaging purges, but one has to remember that the Red Army of 1941 was also recovering from a massive expnasion drive and had major teething problems). One shouldn't overestimate the effect of the purges.

Italy declares war on France and the United Kingdom in late September, marking the beginning of the African campaigns.

Mussolini admitted in briefings to Italians commanders on the French border that there mission was purely to sustain casualties and hence win Italy a place at the negotiating table. There was next to no fighting, and the French broadly got the better of it. Italy would not declare war on an undefeated France.

In Berlin, near the closing of September, Italy, Nazi Germany, Franco's Spain, and Japan sign the Quadpartie Pact, forming the Axis.

Franco finished defeating the other half of Spain just last year: some Republicans are still at large, and others will take heart. Spain and the Spanish armed forces are a mess, and I don't see them taking Gib any time soon. The place is basically us (perched on a ginormous rock for good measure, with lots of fire-angles, caves, and other bonuses) - a tiny sandbar that we can cover all of with gunfire - them.

In the American Revolutionary War - when combined Franco-Spanish naval power was a credible match for Britain and when engineers of the excellent French army were trying every trick in the book - Gib held.

Given that German and Italian aid can't really get to Spain, I don't think the canny Franco will put his head in the noose.

In support of their allies in Germany, Japan finally declares war on the UK, and France, attacking positions in the area.

The Japanese didn't feel obligated OTL, and they don't yet face critical resources shortages. The Japanese military leadership being stupid is of course not impossible, but I do need to stress that Japan is doomed in this scenario.

German troops assail the Maginot Line, and the weaker defenses on the Franco-Belgian border. While no puncture is made in the tight French defense, German forces continue to muster, hunting for a weakness, or so it would seem.

They won't find one, I'm afraid: the Maginot line did its job. It was effectively impenetrable to the German mobile forces.
Italian troops begin to occupy French and British Somalia. Italian troops also push into British Egypt, French West Africa, and Tunisia.

To be blunt, the Italians ran from General Wavell and his Amazing Wooden Tank Corps. With French troops coming up behind and the Germans in no position to bale them out, they're done for in North Africa.
 
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