WI Sikorski survived the war

I just finished reading a book about General Wladyslaw Sikorski's death. He was said to be the most influencial Polish commander of the war. what would Poland be like if Sikorski survived. Would it become communist like it did in OTL or would it join NATO.
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
Sikorski's going to have a lot of trouble keeping Poland out of the Soviet sphere of influence when you have Red Army tanks liberating Warsaw. I suppose the best he could hope for is to form some sort of anti-Soviet underground, but I'd put my money on that not lasting very long...or ending well for anybody.
 
Sikorski's going to have a lot of trouble keeping Poland out of the Soviet sphere of influence when you have Red Army tanks liberating Warsaw. I suppose the best he could hope for is to form some sort of anti-Soviet underground, but I'd put my money on that not lasting very long...or ending well for anybody.

When Sikorski died (July 4th) the Germans only launched the offensive at Kursk, he would have plenty of time to come up with something. As for the anti-Soviet underground the Home Army was a strong partisant unit.

Sikorski's going to have a lot of trouble keeping Poland out of the Soviet sphere of influence when you have Red Army tanks liberating Warsaw.
I wouldn't really say that they liberated Warsaw.
 

Cook

Banned

The Polish Government in Exile didn’t stand much chance against Stalin with the Red Army in occupation, I doubt Sikorski could have changed much.

I suspect Sikorski would have ended his days living in England or the United States like many of the Polish Army in Exile did.
 

Old Airman

Banned
Poland in the end of WWII was not the acting subject. It was a passive object, those fate had been decided by Powers. Sikorski can't change the situation one red cent. Poland is still doomed to become communist, everything else being the same.
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
When Sikorski died (July 4th) the Germans only launched the offensive at Kursk, he would have plenty of time to come up with something. As for the anti-Soviet underground the Home Army was a strong partisant unit.
Sorry; I mixed up Sikorski with Tadeusz Bor-Komorowski when I originally posted. I forgot that Sikorski was out of the country. My bad :eek:

Anyways, I still think Poland would have wound up in the Soviet camp. The USSR was just not going to tolerate an independent (much less NATO-aligned) country right on its very doorstep, especially when it's a country as rabidly anti-Soviet as Poland. Finland, of course, is basically the only exception to this rule.

The absolute best scenario I can think of for Sikorski is something akin to the Czech coup, only in Poland. With a strong and central figurehead like Sikorski, maybe the West is able to twist the Soviets' arm enough for them to allow elections in post-War Poland. Once Sikorski (or whoever he supports if he decides to stay apolitical) is in power, I'll give him only a few weeks or months before a Soviet-backed coup ousts him.

Again, at the end of the day the Soviets are not going to allow Poland to be anything other than a satellite.


I wouldn't really say that they liberated Warsaw.
When the choice is between Nazis and Soviets, I'd actually say Warsaw was liberated, but I get what you mean.
 

Cook

Banned
With a strong and central figurehead like Sikorski, maybe the West is able to twist the Soviets' arm enough for them to allow elections in post-War Poland.

I believe they did hold elections Wolf, and Stanislaw Mikolajczyk, head of the Polish Government in Exile in England took part in them.
They were as free and as fair as you would expect an election organised by Stalin to be.
 

Wolfpaw

Banned
I believe they did hold elections Wolf, and Stanislaw Mikolajczyk, head of the Polish Government in Exile in England took part in them.
They were as free and as fair as you would expect an election organised by Stalin to be.
I know, I just meant without this last bit :rolleyes:
 
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