WI: Millitary coup in UK after Narvik defeat

MTG999 sorry you’re talking out of your rear on this. To think King George would encourage or in fact support a military takeover is madness. I can't see any high-ranking officer. Mount batten was touted for a takeover in the 1970s however I don't think so at 1940.

If you think the Royal Navy is going to mutiny then I suggest read a history book.

Why should the military take over the country and form a "temporary" military government? All they need to do is talk to MPs and get Chamberlain kicked out. Now possibly Edward if he stays on as King and is manipulated however its suicide for the monarchy and the military. I mean lets get this clear what do you expect this military to do? What if the miners stop digging is the British Army prepared to open fire to get them back down? I think not.

Britain is not a country with a history of military invention in domestic politics.

Some times Brooke hated Churchill however he didn't organise a firing squad did he?
 
MTG999 sorry you’re talking out of your rear on this. To think King George would encourage or in fact support a military takeover is madness. I can't see any high-ranking officer. Mount batten was touted for a takeover in the 1970s however I don't think so at 1940.

If you think the Royal Navy is going to mutiny then I suggest read a history book.

Why should the military take over the country and form a "temporary" military government? All they need to do is talk to MPs and get Chamberlain kicked out. Now possibly Edward if he stays on as King and is manipulated however its suicide for the monarchy and the military. I mean lets get this clear what do you expect this military to do? What if the miners stop digging is the British Army prepared to open fire to get them back down? I think not.

Britain is not a country with a history of military invention in domestic politics.

Some times Brooke hated Churchill however he didn't organise a firing squad did he?

While I agree that a lot of what I said on this is ASB I don't think there's any need to use childish insults to make your point, lol.
 
Amiliary coup after Narvik?

It wasn't Narvik alone that lead to the downfall of Chamberlain but Norway in General. Britain won the naval battle of Narvik wiping out most of Germany's destroyers. A military coup seems very unlikely. The elements in the establishment that tended to be contemptous of democracy were mere inclined to a settlement with Germany. I don't know how the high command fel about reaching an accomodation but I suspect any miliary coup would have done. Military dictatorships usually happen in countries where the military are incompetent at fighting wars. Germany would have aided by any coup.

Churchill provided the necessary political leadership to inspire people to fight on
 
It wasn't Narvik alone that lead to the downfall of Chamberlain but Norway in General. Britain won the naval battle of Narvik wiping out most of Germany's destroyers. A military coup seems very unlikely. The elements in the establishment that tended to be contemptous of democracy were mere inclined to a settlement with Germany. I don't know how the high command fel about reaching an accomodation but I suspect any miliary coup would have done. Military dictatorships usually happen in countries where the military are incompetent at fighting wars. Germany would have aided by any coup.

Churchill provided the necessary political leadership to inspire people to fight on


Agreed. I must admit why would they mount a coup when there are many others ways to topple an unpopular leader. As some have mentioned it would only take a bit of talking to a few MPs to unseat Chamberlain.

If somehow (which is unlikely) this didn't work, would it be possible for some elements in the establishment to arrange an assassination of Chamberlain? Yes still unlikely but if he proved difficult to budge it would be far more palatable than a coup.

The public would never have to know that the secret service etc was involved, and it could be passed of as the work of a Nazi sympathiser (I'm sure that there would many people they could have framed). This alone would certainly get unanimous public support behind a more concerted war effort.
 
I know you want this to happen. However unless Michael Caine drops into England with lots of “Polish” Paratroopers and a IRA man who looks very similar to a certain Canadian Actor helps them go after Prime Minister Chamberlain I don't think so.
 

HueyLong

Banned
Perhaps a different handling of the Abdication Crisis (Edwards refuses Parliament's demands, suspends it and calls for a general election and starts forming his own coalition, likely has to use troops under his command to keep order) would establish a precedent of the military involving itself (Albeit, base don earlier actions)
 
Perhaps a different handling of the Abdication Crisis (Edwards refuses Parliament's demands, suspends it and calls for a general election and starts forming his own coalition, likely has to use troops under his command to keep order) would establish a precedent of the military involving itself (Albeit, base don earlier actions)


A tad hard considering the events of 1688 ;)
 
The problem for the thread is that Britain is basically an elective dictatorship - once elected, the party of government can get what it wants through the Commons as it has an overall majority from the first-past-the-post system

Why is this relevant ? Because it means that the party of government can change the make-up of the government, even its leader, without having to go to the country. Legally the monarch still asks so-and-so to form a government, but he is advised by his Private Secretary who is advised by the leading figures in the relevant party

Thus, there is no need to have a military coup. To get rid of incompetents you have a reshuffle. If the leader is a failure the party elders kick him out and get a new one. Wartime brings in coalitions of the national interest, and is again done without recourse either to the ballot or to any vote in the Commons.

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
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