The plan was to install Edward as a puppet king after Nazi Germany took over England. Would he have succeeded? How would this affect the war as a whole?
What if Hitler's plan to kidnap Edward VI and Wallis Simpson worked?
- Thread starter LadyTargaryen12
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Edward would probably be used to attempt to recruit more POW's for the British Free Corps with him being presented as the true King/Emperor illegally deposed by a palace coup and setting up some sort of Government in Exile. Nothing much would change during the war but he'd probably be hung/accidentally killed soon after recapture by the Allies.
(He had deserted his post in Paris, ignored orders to return to the UK and was sitting in Portugal almost begging to be picked up by the Germans. He'd be a willing collaborator)
(He had deserted his post in Paris, ignored orders to return to the UK and was sitting in Portugal almost begging to be picked up by the Germans. He'd be a willing collaborator)
It’s a wild side story for the history of the war, but Hitler’s chances of installing King Nazi Boy as a puppet in the UK are about the same as my chances of teaching Klingon to my cat.
Edward would be treated as a honorable guest under house arrest and moved from town to town when the allies breach the German border. Unlike everyone else his best bet is captured by the Red Army. They have no quarrel with him and will set him up in a nice apartment in Moscow. If captured by the Wallies he will have a much harder fate. And he will not be able to return to his brother or mothers furneral.
And if you think the hatred by the queen mother was bad in the Crown, imagine him collaborating with the Germans
I think I posted this before, but if I didn’t.
The meeting with The King and PM after the rescue attempt will go something like this:
“We are sorry your Magesty, but as you know the SS had orders to kill them if we were in a position to rescue them. The Duchess was killed at the place of confinement, and the Duke was killed while we exited the site. We are most sorry for this”.
Seems like both the SAS and paras sent in used 9mm just like the SS did on their weapons. Drat.
The meeting with The King and PM after the rescue attempt will go something like this:
“We are sorry your Magesty, but as you know the SS had orders to kill them if we were in a position to rescue them. The Duchess was killed at the place of confinement, and the Duke was killed while we exited the site. We are most sorry for this”.
Seems like both the SAS and paras sent in used 9mm just like the SS did on their weapons. Drat.
Garrison
Donor
Thing is the British were well aware of the plan and took countermeasures, Churchill may have supported Edward over the abdication crisis but there is no way he will tolerate Edward in German hands.
Coulsdon Eagle
Monthly Donor
OTOH if the Duke of Windsor stands up to Hitler and refuses to take part in any pro-German movement or propaganda, he could retrieve his reputation, with a chance of not being a martyr. We don't always assume a victim will cooperate with the kidnappers.
Edward Windsor's actions during and after the Battle of France don't inspire confidence in his willingness to defy the Germans. If anything his actions mark him out as a potential defector waiting for pickup.
Coulsdon Eagle
Monthly Donor
I agree that would be the most likely course, but as this is AH forum, consider Edward (David) actually having some self-respect.
Or given how under the thumb he was, have Wallace be against the idea. At which point Edward will just follow along
I'm not sure an almost four century old corpse would help the German war effort...
(Yeah, I know ya mean Edward VIII...)
As you say it is very unlikely he would manage to earn a death sentence. If he was 'just' a puppet leader then it is not going to go well for him, but we are talking exile/house arrest somewhere obscure maybe being released around the time most of the surviving Nazis start getting early release from Spandau. But certainly tiles lost, never forgiven and certainly never getting any official positions or invites.
But, if he actually starts making broadcasts that changes things dramatically. For instance the Germans could play on his ego and encourage him to be a peacemaker, so around the time of Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain he makes a broadcast that encourages people to petition the British government and demand they make an 'honourable peace' with Germany. It wouldn't even need to be with an aim of getting his throne back and being a puppet leader in exile, he might be convinced that 'saving' Britain from being invaded is actually the best course of action and that in hindsight he will be thanked. Anyone else doing that would earn themselves a Treason trial and execution (see Amery and Joyce) so I can absolutely see people thinking it would be a lot more convenient if he would just suffer an 'accident' instead of an embarrassing trial or a naked double standard.
It is still a big step from there to arranging said accident though, I think in reality it would be a military trial (he had many military ranks and not all of them were honorary) as that could be kept quiet and controlled. If he can avoid the noose depends on what he did, but to an extent it might be easier to apply the death penalty at that point. It would be the specified punishment for the crime, consistent with others who did the same and removes the problem/risk/cost of where to imprison him.
An interesting article in the Daily Mail last Saturday about Edward and his relationship to Hitler. Seems Hitler entertained the pair at his retreat, - berated the translator for his interpretations of his and Hitler's words! Encouraged Hitler have the Jews emigrate from Germany - he didn't say where to, and to deal with Russia to smash communism. Before he was too involved with Wallace there were German plans to marry him off with a young German princess, but it didn't work out. While Wallace was wooed by Ribbentrop while he was in Britain. The jury is out on whether his treachery was willful,, or out of naivety - leaking Allied plans to known German sympathisers..
Even when he got to Bermuda he made no secret of his sympathies.
Could well imagine him being cosseted in some country retreat, being brought out for propaganda purposes - though he may not realise that was the case.
Even when he got to Bermuda he made no secret of his sympathies.
Could well imagine him being cosseted in some country retreat, being brought out for propaganda purposes - though he may not realise that was the case.