The year is 1938. Europe braces for war. Germany, led by the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, has rearmed and seeks "lebensraum." They have already re-militarized the Rhineland and have annexed Hitler's homeland of Austria. Now they want the Sudetenland, a Germanic region of Czechloslovakia. The leaders of the United Kingdom, France, and the Soviet Union are faced with a difficult choice: stand up to Nazi Germany and begin a second Great War, or seek "peace in our time" and allow Hitler to gain in power and confidence?
In our world we know what happened. Chamberlain and Daladier sought appeasement with Hitler. But, what would have happened if they had instead stood up to him? The point of divergence could be anything really. Maybe, as Harry Turtledove has proposed, the Germans assassinate a Czech leader and show their hand. Maybe the Czechs simply refuse to sign the Munich Agreement and the Germans invade, leading to French and British reprisals. Whatever the case, here are my questions:
-If the Germans invade Czechoslovakia, how long will the conflict last and how effective will the Czech defense be?
-What were the states of the German, French, British, and Soviet militaries at this time?
-What is the most likely British and French line of strategy if a war was to begin a year earlier?
-When the Germans turn their attention to France, will they adopt a similar strategy as they did in 1940? Will the result be any different?
-If the French and British defeat the German advance, how will they proceed? Will they drive on Berlin?
-What do the Soviets do in all of this?
-Finally, what role does the United States play and do they still go to war with Japan at some point?