In June 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the USSR and effectively doomed themselves. What would have happened to the war if the Nazis decided "This ain't worth it", and left the Soviet Union alone, focusing instead on Southern Europe and North Africa?
I'm not so sure that the Soviets would start a war. I think Stalin anticipated a Nazi invasion at some point, but wasn't planning on invading himself, especially when the trade deals were helping develop the Soviet economy. He probably would if he figured he could do it cheaply as Nazi Germany was collapsing from a long drawn out war, but he was not the guy to try and pay 'full price' for conquest.Stalin says здравствуйте with a large number of T34s a year or two later.
There was serious efforts to make a longer term alliance work, but Hitler was not willing to tolerate hard ball negotiations, which led to the effort falling apart. It is possible to imagine a situation where Stalin is a bit less aggressive during the negotiations and getting a deal, which would prevent Barbarossa, but it would be tough to pull off. The only way though Hitler wasn't going to invade was if the Soviet Axis entry negotiations actually played out and the USSR entered and joined the war against the UK.Then its not the Nazi's.
There's the whole lebensraum and all the jazz in Mein Kampf that wasn't just idle banter and the 'hey what if?' musings over a pint or two. It was a crystal clear manifesto. And if the Germans delay, then the Soviets are only going to get stronger.
I'm not so sure that the Soviets would start a war. I think Stalin anticipated a Nazi invasion at some point, but wasn't planning on invading himself, especially when the trade deals were helping develop the Soviet economy. He probably would if he figured he could do it cheaply as Nazi Germany was collapsing from a long drawn out war, but he was not the guy to try and pay 'full price' for conquest.
If. Stalin was quite paranoid about engaging in a war with a nation he thought was too powerful. That and running the risk of uniting Europe against him.Um... Stalin was more than happy to break however many eggs it took to make the omlet he desired, and as long as Germany exists they are a large existential threat that is very, very expensive to check as well as being allied with the Japanese. Meanwhile, if you take them down you dominate the entire Eurasian continent.
Stalin was quite paranoid about engaging in a war with a nation he thought was too powerful. That and running the risk of uniting Europe against him
I'd read about OTL if I were you.See the second half of your statement. The best way to insure Europe is going to be united against you is to sit back and twidle your thumbs while a man who's built up his career condemning your ideology and everything it stands for and actively declaring it the goal of Germany to claim your lands methodically takes out every other independent force on the continent and subjecting it to his will. Stalin wasen't stupid.
I'd read about OTL if I were you.
I'd read about OTL if I were you.
See the second half of your statement. The best way to insure Europe is going to be united against you is to sit back and twidle your thumbs while a man who's built up his career condemning your ideology and everything it stands for and actively declaring it the goal of Germany to claim your lands methodically takes out every other independent force on the continent and subjecting it to his will. Stalin wasen't stupid.
In June 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the USSR and effectively doomed themselves. What would have happened to the war if the Nazis decided "This ain't worth it", and left the Soviet Union alone, focusing instead on Southern Europe and North Africa?
Rather ignores that Britain is still at war with Germany (and later Japan) and America is bound to get sucked in. A Germany already committed against those two powers isn't in any position to threaten Stalin. I don't entirely rule out the possibility of Stalin jumping Germany in 1943 or so, but it's more his style to let the Americans and British do the bloody work of beating Germany to a pulp and then reaping the rewards at minimal cost.
The USSR is the only place that Germany can find the raw materials and food supplies it needs to escape the trap its created for itself. Nazi Germany could barely sustain Rommel's forces IOTL, the shipping doesn't exist to supply a massive drive in the Middle East. This doesn't even factor in the ideological imperatives that reinforce the strategic reasons for attacking the USSR. That Barbarossa failed doesn't mean there was a better option available.
Hitler and Stalin trusted one another about as far as either could sling a tank. And neither would even bother. They both knew that their little friendship with the Molotov pact was only a timer extension.
Yes the Nazi's could have won and someone could write the wank of a TL that would follow. IF you ignore Mein Kampf and the Nazi's insane racial ideology. Everything about it was 'Kill the Jews, kill the communists, get Lebensraum in the East.' And Hitler, as may have been noted was a bit of a true beliver in this book one should note. As was many of his most devoted followers and they'd been priming the Germans for years with the propaganda and education about the subhumans and untermensch. And where were these subhumans and Untermensch....dingdingding! Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrussia! As was written in Mein Kamfp.
So yes, we can have our nazi-wank dejour (it must be that time of the week again) only if you ignore and remove a huge chunk of what made the Nazi's, the fucking Nazi's.