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In OTL the West and the Soviet Union confronted each other from the 40s until 1989. On more than one occasion there was a real risk of an actual nuclear war. The Western leadership found itself sustaining some rather shameful regimes. For that and other reasons the Cold War felt like 'a bad thing' BUT

Now imagine either Stalin gets a personality transplant or perhaps suffers a bad case of lead poison before 1944.

I can imagine some kind of deal which created a Polish government which would be what we call 'Finlandized'. Communists would have influence in other Eastern European lands without being the total dicatorships they became in OTL.

I tend to regard such developments as being wholly desirable.


However without a Soviet threat would there have been a "Marshal Plan?"- I assume not.

Absent a "Marshal Plan" how long would it take for Western Europe to recover from WWII? I assume much longer.

What would happen to Germany and Austria? I assume that there would be a rather more vigourour denazification. That I would regard as a helpful thing. On the other hand would the absence of a Cold War and a temptation for far right Germans to work with the less make the 'werewolf' resistence more likely?


Any other thoughts?
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