WI Stalin died pre-Potsdam?

I was watching a documentary about the relationship between the USA and USSR in the final days of World War 2, and it mentioned that Stalin arrived a day late to the Potsdam Conference, possibly because of a mild heart attack.

So what would have happened if that had been a major heart attack, and Stalin had been killed (or, if you want to use something other than a fatal heart attack, slipped into a coma)? Would the Cold War have started, and if so, would the Eastern Bloc be as large, or indeed as tied to the Russian seat of power?
 
Personally, I think Molotov or Beria or somebody would have taken charge, or more likely a junta of such men (they certainly wouldn't want a weakening bloodbath when the Nazi's still existed) and things would have progressed fairly similar. There's a possibility that Eastern Europe would have looked somewhat different, it all depends on who takes power.
 
I'd agree FS, I'd think whoever got put in charge would still play things out for the most part as they did OTL. The Russians still would want a buffer zone and control of Eastern Europe. If Khurschev comes to power eariler probably get earlier de-Stalinistation. A question that comes to mind is how would Truman react to the new Soviet leader?

He came to hate Stalin and this mistrust did help fuel the first steps of the Cold War. Might a different person warm up better to Harry?
 
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they certainly wouldn't want a weakening bloodbath when the Nazi's still existed
Nazis had been dealt with by the time of Postdam although Japan was still warring. I think that some form of the "collective leadership" (call it "junta", if you want, although most popular meaning of this term assumes military leadership and most of Commie leaders were not army men) will be set with very uneasy alliance of Beria and Zhdanov (due to die in 1948) at the helm. Other members will be Molotov, Malenkov, Kaganovitch, Khruschev, Voznesensky (very likely), Kuznetsov (possibly). Old and harmless Kalinin (due to die in 1946) will be probably kept as figurehead.

At the very beginning international consequences will be very minimal, as Soviets will want their spoils of victory. But with Zhdanov dying in 1948 and both main fractions in Soviet leadership (Zhdanovites and Malenkov-Beria) being well aware of serious weaknesses in the Soviet economy, stuff can happen. Today I'm in the mood to explore "positive" alternatives, i.e. post-Stalin leadership becoming less rigid ideologically.

Speaking about international affairs, Sovetization of Czechoslovakia is not predefined conclusion. With non-communist Czech leadership seeing USSR as next best thing which could happen to their country after pilsener beer, less rigid Soviet leadership might prefer to "Finlandize" it, with tons of love from ordinary Czechs and Slovaks instead of traditional Finnish Russophobia being extra bonus. Germany will be most likely united as neutral state, with non-alignment and neutrality being protected by Constitution (much like Austria OTL) and both Allied and Soviet forces will leave it's territory. Hungary and Poland will still be sovetized, although possibly in more mild form, closer to Yugoslavian "people's socialism". Sovetization of Romania and Bulgaria is bound to happen, as local Communists were hugely inflyuential OTL. Fate of China remains great big unknown. Massive Soviet support, necessary for Mao's victory over Kuomintang, may not materialize in this mellower world, although Communists in China are more than able to hold their own without foreign meddling. And Americans would not be able to support Kuomintang, as it would mean Soviet support for Mao. Break-up of China (much like Vietnam OTL) could follow. Marshall plan will be much less favourable for Western Europe than it was OTL, as there would be less need for USA to re-build Western Europe as bullwark against Red Scare.

Internally USSR could move in the same direction as China under Deng Xiaoping OTL. Parallel market economy for consumer goods and government ownership and regulation of the heavy and defence industry, utilities, transportation etc.
 
Nazis had been dealt with by the time of Postdam although Japan was still warring. I think that some form of the "collective leadership" (call it "junta", if you want, although most popular meaning of this term assumes military leadership and most of Commie leaders were not army men)

Is it your goal in life to make it look like I don't know what I'm talking about?:p

Was getting Potsdam and Yalta confused for some reason....dammit. And I guess the idea I was thinking of was a very small oligarchy, and "junta" was the word that came to mind as I was typing. :eek:
 
Is it your goal in life to make it look like I don't know what I'm talking about?:p
Sorry :) I kinda assume that one should possess knowledge of a country's history being more or less at par with this country's high school history course in order to discuss AH. So yes, I can sometimes sound like a curmudgeon :)

I guess the idea I was thinking of was a very small oligarchy, and "junta" was the word that came to mind as I was typing. :eek:
I understand where this idea is coming from and don't fault you, I just wanted to establish very early in the discussion that this post-Stalin leadership would not be a military one.
 
Sorry :) I kinda assume that one should possess knowledge of a country's history being more or less at par with this country's high school history course in order to discuss AH. So yes, I can sometimes sound like a curmudgeon :)

Well, I consider myself to have a very good base of historical knowledge...but everybody makes mistakes about details sometimes. :)

I understand where this idea is coming from and don't fault you, I just wanted to establish very early in the discussion that this post-Stalin leadership would not be a military one.

Point well taken. The Soviet power base didn't get flooed with military leaders until after WWII.
 
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