WI: Soviet Union withdrew from the Non Intervention Commitee to aid Spanish Republic?

Would A direct Military & Aid intervention succeed in defeating Franco & the German & Italian Forces on loan in Spain? Would the International Volunteer brigade fare better with direct support & better Equipment? Could the Soviet Union utilise direct intervention to gain A Boost in positive PR on the International scene? How much of an effect would being seen as defenders of Freedom & Democracy have on opinions of members of the public in other Countries? What changes could occur in world events vs OTL?
 

Cook

Banned
Would this see the Soviet Union becoming an active belligerent in the Spanish Civil War?
 
IIRC, the Soviets always had logistics troubles in supplying the Republicans, as the British could've blocked any shipments with their navy in the event that the USSR escalated its support to an extreme.
 
Hello Cook. I think that would vary depending on perspective. But yes the Soviet Union would be A direct participant in the conflict, Under the Auspices of Defending A Legitimate Govt & its people from unprovoked aggression by Germany & Italy who are funding & supporting A Mad would be Dictator & his band of Terrorists.
 

Cook

Banned
If the USSR is a belligerent then under the terms of the Montreux Convention governing traffic in the Bosporus, Turkey is likely to block passage of Soviet naval vessels, meaning that any Soviet troop transports and supply ships coming from the Black Sea are going to be unescorted – sitting ducks for the submarines of the Regia Marina and torpedo bombers of the Regia Aeronautica. They may block the transports too if they are considered naval and not civil. Avoiding being unescorted will require going from the Leningrad or more probably Murmansk.
 
If the USSR is a belligerent then under the terms of the Montreux Convention governing traffic in the Bosporus, Turkey is likely to block passage of Soviet naval vessels, meaning that any Soviet troop transports and supply ships coming from the Black Sea are going to be unescorted – sitting ducks for the submarines of the Regia Marina and torpedo bombers of the Regia Aeronautica. They may block the transports too if they are considered naval and not civil. Avoiding being unescorted will require going from the Leningrad or more probably Murmansk.

Another side effect might be the Italians and Germans openly joining the Nationalists and Franco. Then you have the possibility of WWII occuring before Stalin's purges.
 
And before the NAZIs have superior armoured vehicles (Panzer III production began in 1939). Additionally, Germany would still have to invade Poland to get to Russia, which may well bring Britain and France in, as well as Czechoslovakia.
 

Cook

Banned
And before the NAZIs have superior armoured vehicles (Panzer III production began in 1939). Additionally, Germany would still have to invade Poland to get to Russia, which may well bring Britain and France in, as well as Czechoslovakia.
In 1936 Poland was on very close terms with Germany. So much so that Marshal Tukhachevsky planned war games for the Red Army anticipating an invasion of the Soviet Union by a combined German-Polish force of 150 divisions.

Another side effect might be the Italians and Germans openly joining the Nationalists and Franco. Then you have the possibility of WWII occuring before Stalin's purges.
A very curious kind of war; neither side having direct access to the other and neither having much in the way of a navy, except for Italy and since the Soviets have no access to the Mediterranean that’s hardly going to matter. If the Poles choose to remain neutral it’d be a guerrilla war at sea in the Baltic. The likelihood of any future non-aggression pact would be much lower.

Given where the Nationalist first seized power the Republicans are going to have a very hard time getting supplies from the Soviets if the Italians are openly attacking Soviet ships after they enter the Mediterranean through the Straits of Gibraltar.
 
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Couldn't shipping come through Murmansk and then reach northern shores of Spain. Holding Basque country would then become paramount for both sides in the conflict.
 

Cook

Banned
Couldn't shipping come through Murmansk and then reach northern shores of Spain. Holding Basque country would then become paramount for both sides in the conflict.
Yes but that was isolated from the main centres of Republican control wasn’t it?
 
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