El_Fodedor
Banned
Maybe they could accuse someone of cooperation with the Germans, a scapegoat, like Beria.
WI: Joseph Stalin commits suicide in 1941
- Thread starter Tresckow
- Start date
Given the suspicious circumstances, I bet there would be some debate on this subject, with suicide being a leading theory but not the only one. Not at the time, certainly, but starting decades later.
So what would a Stalin less USSR look like post war? What policies would be different during and after the war?
Whoever rules, most likely a committee doesn’t have a cemented grasp on power. They’d be more abiding to will of the people compared to Stalin which may result in peacing out or a revolution breaking out after a dozen million dead.
That's what whill probably be widely assumed everywhere (both in the Axis and among the Allies, and probably a lot of Soviet people as well). Whatever the official story, everybody will assume that Stalin was couped.
Would they be able to pull a Weekend at Bernie's? TV wasn't a thing back then and public rallies were obviously too dangerous.
When the possible committee includes Beria, than it is possible a longer living but more softer "Stalin".
Because Stalin had some NKVD or KGB schooled doubles for public duties etc. One of the doubles died in early 1980s, one post war double died 1991.
en.wikipedia.org
Because Stalin had some NKVD or KGB schooled doubles for public duties etc. One of the doubles died in early 1980s, one post war double died 1991.
Political decoy - Wikipedia
Could this sponser an increase in Bonapartism? The miltary will need to be in the pocket of whatever group of commisars takes over.
FDR died when the war was all but won, after a long string of dazzling victories.
Stalin dies when the war is just starting, before a long string of major defeats.
FDR had widespread, overt political opposition (46% voted for Dewey in 1944) , and even his allies criticized him at times.
Stalin had imposed universal, unconditional approval of himself.
Nah he was either killed by a cowardly German sniper while inspecting the troops or killed in an artillery barrage
Died heroically at the front line leading the counterattack to the fascist assault. Assuming they admit it and don’t just use a puppet body double through the war.
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Of cumulative wounds after kicking their asses, after all no single german fascist would get the credit of killing the glorious leader
Molotov would be the formal GKO Chairman, given his symbolic relationship with Stalin and 10 years of experience running Sovnarkom. Voznesenky thought he’d be the best choice if Stalin wouldn’t step up, and he was the Deputy Chairman IOTL.
Malenkov and Beria would have the most substantial role in running the war effort, as they did IOTL. Beria, evilness aside, was widely known to be a competent administrator. His “scariness factor” also helped him get stuff done - IV Kovalev mentioned an incident of Beria scaring the shit out of Kaganovich and the NKPS Collegium while discussing the fuckup that was the railways in July 1941.
The “dead weight” of the Politburo - Kaganovich, Voroshilov, etc - probably gets cut of decision making much earlier than OTL. You’ve got a quasi-duumvirate of Malenkov and Beria running most of the GKO’s daily admin, with Voznesensky, Zhdanov, Mikoyan, Malyshev, etc. all running different branches of the war effort (Comparable to OTL).
Stalin grafted himself onto the Soviet bureaucracy, often to its detriment, in order to ensure he had a central role running the show. Removing him IMO makes decisionmaking flow much smoother.
Malenkov and Beria would have the most substantial role in running the war effort, as they did IOTL. Beria, evilness aside, was widely known to be a competent administrator. His “scariness factor” also helped him get stuff done - IV Kovalev mentioned an incident of Beria scaring the shit out of Kaganovich and the NKPS Collegium while discussing the fuckup that was the railways in July 1941.
The “dead weight” of the Politburo - Kaganovich, Voroshilov, etc - probably gets cut of decision making much earlier than OTL. You’ve got a quasi-duumvirate of Malenkov and Beria running most of the GKO’s daily admin, with Voznesensky, Zhdanov, Mikoyan, Malyshev, etc. all running different branches of the war effort (Comparable to OTL).
Stalin grafted himself onto the Soviet bureaucracy, often to its detriment, in order to ensure he had a central role running the show. Removing him IMO makes decisionmaking flow much smoother.