WW2 alternate timelines

Hi,

I am a history student (in Croatia) and I was wondering about some crucial WW2 moments that could have changed the course war, so I was wondering you could help me with your ideas on these questions:
1. What if Soviet Union didn't attack Poland? Would it change the course of Barbarossa and German advances?
2. What if France attacked Germany during the attack on Poland? (The war in the German hills would be in favour of Allied forces)
3. What would be German reasons to attack Spain? If the didn't effect Civil war, and Russians did?
4. What if Turkey was forced to join the Axis? (The question of Russian oil at Baku)
5. In Barbarossa, what if Germany didn't split forces at Stalingrad?
6. What about Norway? What if England attacked first?
7. Axis attack on Switzerland? In which conditions would that happen and what benefits would that bring?
 
I can't answer your other questions but there not be any reason why Germany would attack to Spain. Franco was quiet pro-Hitler so it wouldn't make any sense for Germany invade Spain. Only reason could be that Franco lose civil war and Second Spanish Republic survives.
 
Welcome!
1. What if Soviet Union didn't attack Poland? Would it change the course of Barbarossa and German advances?
Probably not a lot - the Stalin line would probably have done a bit better than OTL, but ultimately the German advance would have stopped roughly where it did due to logistical concerns wherever it started from.

2. What if France attacked Germany during the attack on Poland? (The war in the German hills would be in favour of Allied forces)
They might give the Germans a bad fright, but the French (and British) plan was always to build up their forces and launch a methodical steamroller of an attack in 1941. The major (and very interesting) possible effect might be that the French realise how awful their Command & Control system of the time was. If they somehow fixed that (deeply unlikely) the OTL German attack of 1940 might well have turned into a disaster. It was running on very thin margins as it was, and only really succeeded because the French were taking an average of 3 days to react to what the Germans were doing.

3. What would be German reasons to attack Spain? If the didn't effect Civil war, and Russians did?
You mean a formal declaration of war and invasion? The first and most likely consequence is a very firm "no" from the British and French, without whose acceptance the Germans can't get to Spain. There was enough of a kerfuffle about "volunteers" as it was - an outright declaration of war might be enough to provoke a blockade by the RN which would pretty much finish things for Franco.

4. What if Turkey was forced to join the Axis? (The question of Russian oil at Baku)
First question is how you'd force the Turks to do so - they're very vulnerable to the British and barely at all to the Germans. They're also in a secondary theatre - very hard to justify diverting large forces into. You **might** be able to bribe them enough to join in, but that's a real struggle - İsmet İnönü is very bright and stubborn, as well as a successful general from WW1. Persuading him that Germany is both certain to win and can defend Turkey from any potential reprisal in the meantime will be a tough one.

5. In Barbarossa, what if Germany didn't split forces at Stalingrad?
I think they're rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic at that point - their supply lines are very shaky and the Soviet forces rapidly improving in quantity and quality. At most they tame the disaster a bit.

6. What about Norway? What if England attacked first?
Not a lot - the Narvik ore trade is disrupted for a bit until the British withdraw after the Fall of France.

7. Axis attack on Switzerland? In which conditions would that happen and what benefits would that bring?
That kind of requires Hitler to go even more insane than usual - the Swiss army is built to defend a handful of mountain passes, and built very well for the task. The Germans would win, but their losses would be huge in comparison to the minor benefits they'd get (looting a few banks).
 
Welcome!

That kind ofrequires Hitler to go even more insane than usual - the Swiss army is built to defend a handful of mountain passes, and built very well for the task. The Germans would win, but their losses would be huge in comparison to the minor benefits they'd get (looting a few banks).

How much was that actually? any good guesses?
 
What about Khalkhin Gol (1939.)? If Japanese army won and the continued with the offensive what are your projections about their movement? We are not interested about the Pacific (would they turn to Navy efforts), we want to know (presume) what effect would that have on German advances in the East and Soviet Union?
 
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