The majority of Czechoslovakia will fall within a week. The USSR won't have time to react to something like this, considering they were deep into the Purges and whatnot.
Yes, but they could still invade Poland and/or Romania and thus try to begin the process of liberating Czechoslovakia.
Sitzkrieg will probably play out more or less the same as OTL. If the French wanted to invade Germany, they would have done it in 1936 when Hitler started really breaking Versailles.
The Germans would have to worry about the Russians in the East in this TL; thus, would they have enough troops, equipment, and resources for a successful Western blitzkrieg?
Hungary will probably join the Axis fast if they are promised the easternmost chunk of Czechoslovakia, and Poland has a pretty good chance too if Hitler keeps quiet about the Danzig corridor (either wanting Czech lands or getting invaded by Stalin in the summer).
Joining the Axis means risking a Soviet conquest and occupation, though; indeed, I seriously doubt that either Poland or Hungary wants to risk losing its independence.
After that depends on if (and how) Hitler decides to deal with France. A Schlieffen rerun could be countered, staying out of Belgium means the war just doesn't flare up. An alt-Ardennes plan is also possible.
What type of alt-Ardennes plan are you thinking of here?
Russia won't be a serious factor until 1941 at the earliest, but Germany won't be strong enough to knock them down alone (especially if there's a two front war). By 1941, butterflies are becoming hard to measure.
- BNC
If Germany fails to knock out France, though, isn't Germany pretty much doomed?
It forces the Brits to accept a Soviet/French alliance. This war starts at the same time the two were discussing a alliance & there is little chance of the anti Communists vetoing it as a crisis develops.
Agreed.
The dilemma of Poland is this; Hitler had long ago determined the complete destruction of the Polish state & nation was In Germanies best interest. The Poles understood this & the leaders with any sense were forced to look at the long term implications of whatever they decided.
Agreed that the Hungarians and Poles would be hesitant about joining Hitler. Thus, the Hungarians probably remain neutral. However, what would the Poles do if the Soviets invade them in order to get to Czechoslovakia? Militarily resist? Or do they try making a deal with the Soviets?
Similarly, what do the Romanians do if the Soviets invade them in order to get to Czechoslovakia?
Even if the Soviets didn't fight for Czechoslovakia, the Nazi-Soviet relationship would have remained bad and there would not have been a trade agreement signed in August 1939 which means German imports would be dramatically reduced:
Also, the Germans couldn't pull virtually their entire army to the West as they did IOTL after defeating Poland with the presence of an unfriendly Soviet Union to their East. Probably the Nazi's would attempt an attack in the West but it would be weaker and the WAllies would probably contain the attack. The Germans would either choose to slowly strangle under blockade with the risk of being overrun by the Soviets or to overthrow the Nazis and request an armistice.
Out of curiosity--can Hitler back off and withdraw from Czechia if he sees that he's fighting a two-front war? Basically, this would be the sane thing for Hitler to do if Britain, France, and the Soviet Union will agree to end the war right afterwards.