WI: Soviet Union declares war on Nazi Germany?

What if the Soviet Union declares war on Germany in early 1942? There is some debate as to whether there truly were plans by the Soviets to attack Germany, but let's assume there were. Let's say that while Hitler is preoccupied in the Balkans, Stalin invades Poland. Now I am not expecting an immediate steam roll due to the Purges, the Soviet officer corps probably hasn't recovered completely yet. However, with the Nazi's best troops rolling over Yugoslavia and Greece the Soviets probably would not have as much trouble breaking the Nazi line.
 
If the USSR hasn't gotten around to declaring war on Germany when the Germans are already besieging Leningrad and on the outskirts of Moscow, they're in pretty big trouble.
 
By 1942, it's a bit of a moot point really- I assume you mean 1941.

It's a while now, but the name to look for is Dmitri Volkogonov, the former head of the Red Army Historical Branch, who had this argument in print with Suvorov/Rezun in the late nineties;


Volkogonov's points were that in the prevailing political climate, to speak truth to power was essentially suicidal. Planning for defence was something that was worth your life to be caught doing.

The only ideologically acceptable defence measure for the vanguard of Communism was immediate, aggressive counterattack, spoiling attacks, break up the enemy offensive. And if anybody in the Red Army remembered the french Plan XVII, they kept very quiet.

These counterattack plans were largely wishful thinking and party line blather, nobody really wanting to stick their head far enough up to have it chopped off- unrealistic but nobody wanting to admit it.


Historically, the best way to fight the Russians, when they are at their weakest, is when they have to fight an away match; when they have to come to you, and all sorts of logistic and political-command things can go wrong.

Think about the Crimea, the Russo-Japanese War, Tannenberg, the early Napoleonic wars up to Eylau; off home ground, without General Winter, not such a good record, is it?

Attacking, with the Red Army in the state it was in, would probably have been even more disastrous than the opening stages of Barbarossa as it played out; less loss of territory, less dislocation of production, but even greater casualties and much less left to reorganise with and hold back the Wehrmacht.

Could be a German victory here. Hm.
 

Deleted member 1487

Assuming you mean in 1941 during the Balkan campaign that would require preparations during the 1940-41 period after the French campaign success by the Germans. It would probably involve a shut down of trade between the Germans and Soviets as the Soviets demand payment that isn't forthcoming at that time.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany–Soviet_Union_relations_before_1941#August_tensions
The August tensions probably cause a breakdown in trade that stays broken down and hurts Germany pretty badly as a result. Come May 1941 then the Soviets prepare for an invasion instead of the mass expansion of OTL and modernization, trying to make due with what they have as best they can. They likely get trounced on the offensive, but the Germans aren't able to then get as deep in the USSR once it is contained and their economy is suffering due to the depletion of resources caused by lack of Soviet trade. The British might well take a far different perspective on the USSR ITTL then if there is a real fear the Soviet might conquer the continent. Likely the Germans maul the Soviet military even worse and without the preparations of OTL the German invasion bites pretty hard, but stops short of OTL gains; it isn't nearly as badly off balance come winter and the Soviets may well not be able to counterattack like IOTL. Certainly German logistics are better, but Soviet industry is more safe from the German invasion.

Its probably the wisest move for the Soviets, even if it means the loss of the pre-war army, especially compared to OTL result. Likely the Germans lose faster due to not acquiring as much important land and inflicting overall the same losses on the Soviet economy, while their economy is worse off due to the lack of critical Soviet trade in 1940-41. OTOH the Germans will have to be FAR more realistic than IOTL because the lack of OTL success and their general worse off strategic situation. They will have suffered a lot less in 1941 compared OTL and not fall into Stalingrad like pockets deep in the USSR, but the USSR is less economically damaged by the German advance. So its somewhat balanced, but overall the German strategic position is worse and with LL and Wallied the Soviets will have the strength to crush Germany in 1944 in combination with the Wallies. The Cold War will be far more interesting ITTL.
 
Top