WI: Hitler dies on April 10th, 1940

On April 10th of the year 1940, one month before the German's launch Fall Gelb, German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler dies of natural causes in his sleep.

What effect does Hitler's death at this stage cause? Does Herman Goering assume power at this point, or is there a brief power struggle? How will it affect German strategy in fighting the Western Allies? Does this theoretically mean that Germany could end up doing worse, or better, than it did historically? What other changes may occur within Nazi Germany with Hitler's death?
 
I assume that if Hitler died early there would be a power struggle.
The offensive in the Wedt might breed unity. The big questions are the timing and the effect of the power struggle. a Also does the new leadership declare
war on the US and of course what happens to Barbarossa? I have to say that I thought Hess would have been the heir in April of 1940.
 
One things for certain, Fall gelb is liable to become a major fuck up for the Germans, to say nothing of Unternehmen Weserübung's outcome.
 
I assume that if Hitler died early there would be a power struggle.
The offensive in the Wedt might breed unity. The big questions are the timing and the effect of the power struggle. a Also does the new leadership declare
war on the US and of course what happens to Barbarossa? I have to say that I thought Hess would have been the heir in April of 1940.

I thought it was Herman Goering that Adolf Hitler had named his successor, or was that after Hess went to Britain to try and get a peace deal?
 
I assume that if Hitler died early there would be a power struggle.
The offensive in the Wedt might breed unity. The big questions are the timing and the effect of the power struggle. a Also does the new leadership declare
war on the US and of course what happens to Barbarossa? I have to say that I thought Hess would have been the heir in April of 1940.

There might not be as much of one as you'd think. Himmler hold relatively little power at this point, as the SS amounts to very little in comparison to the Wehrmacht at this time. While Hess is deputy führer right now, Göring holds more power I would think, being in control of the Luftwaffe.
 
Top