WI: The Soviets invade Poland in 1980-81

WI: The Soviets Invade Poland in 1980-1981

  • Solidarity crushed, Poland remains Communist today/longer

    Votes: 18 23.1%
  • Solidarity ultimately prevails (OTL's result)

    Votes: 23 29.5%
  • Afghanistan style revolt occurs

    Votes: 28 35.9%
  • Other (explain below)

    Votes: 9 11.5%

  • Total voters
    78
Maybe a more interesting question is, does a Soviet invasion of Poland strengthen the reformists or the hardliners in Moscow? Because that's what will determine when communism falls.

In anything but the shortest run, it will weaken the hardliners, because even under the most optimistic scenario, it just adds to the economic strain the USSR is going through, makes the international environment even more hostile, etc. By the mid-1980s the feeling that "we can't go on like this" will if anything be stronger than in OTL.
 
Last edited:

Asami

Banned
If Poland's army entered into revolt and refused to put down the revolutionaries; and the Soviets were forced to enter a long-term occupational force, it would significantly damage the Soviet Union's already poor reputation at the time; and would likely cause serious repercussions with regards to a quicker collapse.
 
Solidarity goes underground like it did OTL during martial law. Soviet troops are met with violent resistance. There is a guerrilla war. It is a serious drain on Soviet resources,
 
A few years ago on the forum this question was asked here and we had the benefit of having a person who served in the Polish Army circa 1980-1981 as a paratrooper ....

Do you happen to have a link to that thread. I'd like to read that. It sounds very interesting
 
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