What if Stalin dies on June 21, 1941?

I could see that the government would come under the control of the army, with General Georgy Zhukov, taking the position of Leader of the USSR.
 
I could see that the government would come under the control of the army, with General Georgy Zhukov, taking the position of Leader of the USSR.

Maybe for a short time until things are straightened out than you would have a new General Secretary of the USSR, probably Molotov. Russia actually has a long history of the military being subordinate to the civilian government both under the tsars and the Communists.
 
Molotov and Zukov can be considered as co-leaders. Until the end of Battle of Moscow, at least (early 1942).

After this, the leaders of Soviet Union would hold a meeting and choose the new leader. It is quite likely that Zukov and Molotov still hold the same positions (but with more privileges). As Stalin's iron fist is no more (though its memories were still fresh), Order #247 may not be released (though it can be "phrased" as if you can fight back, hide and run, then wait to strike back, disarm and surrender is a big "no"). Order #248 would still be released (scorched earth - and even more effective as Red Army may even mined the yet-destroyed buildings)

Stalingrad may not be as brutal as it should be - The center of mass on the Southern Front would move to the oil fields
 
The Soviet Army should be able to commit their forces more properly in a tactical manner to avoid German envelopments and encirclements after late July and Aug but will still suffer the same OTL fate of their front line units facing AGN and AGC cutting their Armies there into tattered bits in late June and early July...
 
Wouldn't the initial phase of Barbarossa be even more confused and disastrous for the USSR? For example, if Beria finds out that Stalin is dead first, it would be in his interest to keep everyone else from finding out until he could consolidate authority. That could mean a protracted leadership crisis during which the military has few coherent orders from the top, and organized evacuations of industry cannot take place.

The army was so neutered at this point that I doubt it would have the initiative to launch a coup on its own.
 

Deleted member 1487

Why wouldn't Beria make a play for power? He would be terrified he'd be purged (as he was IOTL later), but had less institutional impediments to taking power, because Stalin didn't really give his team room to breath and form power bases outside of him; the military was way too cowed by 1941 due to the ongoing purge (by Beria).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purge_of_the_Red_Army_in_1941
The Red Army was the LEAST likely to take power at this point. Zhukov was influential, but had Beria right there watching him, so he might get arrested straight away by Beria to make a point to the army.

Wouldn't the initial phase of Barbarossa be even more confused and disastrous for the USSR? For example, if Beria finds out that Stalin is dead first, it would be in his interest to keep everyone else from finding out until he could consolidate authority. That could mean a protracted leadership crisis during which the military has few coherent orders from the top, and organized evacuations of industry cannot take place.

The army was so neutered at this point that I doubt it would have the initiative to launch a coup on its own.
Yes, but they also wouldn't have Stalin/Zhukov ordering insane offensives either.
 
Why wouldn't Beria make a play for power? He would be terrified he'd be purged (as he was IOTL later), but had less institutional impediments to taking power, because Stalin didn't really give his team room to breath and form power bases outside of him; the military was way too cowed by 1941 due to the ongoing purge (by Beria).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purge_of_the_Red_Army_in_1941
The Red Army was the LEAST likely to take power at this point. Zhukov was influential, but had Beria right there watching him, so he might get arrested straight away by Beria to make a point to the army.


Yes, but they also wouldn't have Stalin/Zhukov ordering insane offensives either.

The problem for Beria is that no one liked him. I think he would go up against the wall just like when Khrushchev took over.
 

Deleted member 1487

Which lasted about 3 months.
Right, but the people that couped him wouldn't really be as powerful as they were later and Zhukov is more likely to end up getting arrested as part of the 1941 coup, potentially blamed for Stalin's death, to solidify Beria's power and remove a critical rival; who steps up against Beria after Stalin dies and Beria takes out Zhukov in the midst of an ongoing purge of the military?
 
The problem for Beria is that no one liked him. I think he would go up against the wall just like when Khrushchev took over.

No one likes him, but they don't need to like him if enough people don't think his opponents can protect them in any leadership contest. With Stalin dead, Beria has very little to check his authority, and abundant opportunity to take advantage of the leadership vacuum first.

Stalin's OTL death was more expected, and was not accompanied by a sudden massive crisis on the scale of Barbarossa, plus Zhukov has had more of an opportunity to build ties and capitalize on his wartime leadership.

ITTL; Zhukov, and other potential military leaders of any stature, might be killed or purged by Beria after the first couple weeks of Barbarossa as scapegoats for the utter surprise of the invasion and disastrous performance of the military in general.
 
No one likes him, but they don't need to like him if enough people don't think his opponents can protect them in any leadership contest. With Stalin dead, Beria has very little to check his authority, and abundant opportunity to take advantage of the leadership vacuum first.

Stalin's OTL death was more expected, and was not accompanied by a sudden massive crisis on the scale of Barbarossa, plus Zhukov has had more of an opportunity to build ties and capitalize on his wartime leadership.

ITTL; Zhukov, and other potential military leaders of any stature, might be killed or purged by Beria after the first couple weeks of Barbarossa as scapegoats for the utter surprise of the invasion and disastrous performance of the military in general.

Maybe, but I am doubtful. I would put my money on Molotov who was Stalin's heir apparent.
 
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