Ignoring the technical plausibility of the German secret service managing to infiltrate Skorzeny into Iran... what if the alleged Operation Long Jump (Unternehmen Weitsprung) of late 1943 had been successful in murdering at least the Soviet leader, Stalin?
What are the short-term consequences, as in, for the duration of the war? Who would take the reins of the Soviet carriage immediately after? The board's consensus here seems to be that Lavrentiy Beria would be too unpopular within the party elite to rule alone, so could a triumvirate with two other top-ranking Soviet figures (Molotov? Even Zhukov?) be formed? What decisions would the new Soviet leadership take for the rest of the war? Would they accept cooperation with the Wallies in aiding the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, if the theory that Stalin sabotaged it for political ends is to be believed? Any other strategical switcharounds?
What ere the long-term consequences, for after Germany is defeated? Would the Cold War develop similarly as it did IOTL if Stalin isn't there, and would Khrushchev still become Premier? Does the Yugoslav-Soviet Split still happen? What are the effects on China? The decolonization of Africa and Asia?
What are the short-term consequences, as in, for the duration of the war? Who would take the reins of the Soviet carriage immediately after? The board's consensus here seems to be that Lavrentiy Beria would be too unpopular within the party elite to rule alone, so could a triumvirate with two other top-ranking Soviet figures (Molotov? Even Zhukov?) be formed? What decisions would the new Soviet leadership take for the rest of the war? Would they accept cooperation with the Wallies in aiding the Warsaw Uprising of 1944, if the theory that Stalin sabotaged it for political ends is to be believed? Any other strategical switcharounds?
What ere the long-term consequences, for after Germany is defeated? Would the Cold War develop similarly as it did IOTL if Stalin isn't there, and would Khrushchev still become Premier? Does the Yugoslav-Soviet Split still happen? What are the effects on China? The decolonization of Africa and Asia?