Inspired by this thread. Any help, idea etc. is welcome. It'll be a slow work, if continued.
POD: in October, 1918
Adolf Hitler gets killed in battle on the Western Front by an English sniper while stumbling around, blinded by a gas attack.
December 1918
Josef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, better known as comrade Stalin, is murdered in Tsarytsin (*OTL Stalingrad/Volgograd) by an enraged mother whose son he had shot as saboteur.
1919-1921
France and Britain default or repay only lately the huge US loans received in wartime. In time America gets not only isolationist, but outright hostile towards the two European Powers, adopting an uncompromising anticolonial stance and a strict interpetation of the Monroe doctrine.
In Russia Soviet forces win the civil war at a high price for the country. Trotskij emerges as Lenin's natural right hand and “heir apparent”, alongsode several other figures of importance.
1924
Trotskij succeeds Lenin. Despite his will to diffuse the revolution westwards, he later understands the moment is not mature and manages to extract a status quo with the European powers. The Twenties see Soviet meddling who detaches Sinkiang from China and prove s abortive communist revolutions in Iran and, of all places, Afghanistan.Eventually, however, Afghanistan turn pro-Soviet because of a border war with the Indo-British.
In Germany the occupation of the Rhineland cements parts of the lelft and right; the social-democrats will later split, with a nationalist wing under a former veteran of the trenches, Rudolf Diercks, founder of the Sozialfront.
1925
First unsuccessful communist revolution in China, in Shanghai and Canton, crushed by the Nationalists of Chang-Kai Shek. Mao's followers turn to long-lasting guerrilla.
1929
The Great Depression has devastating effect on the global economy, paralleled in Russia by Trotskij's total failure with his program of collectivizations (luckily brought on with a bit less savagery than OTL Stalin's). The Soviet leader steps out from the economics and most governmental activities, retaining only his high role in the Party and a personal ascendant on the Red Army, his favored creature.
1930-1931
Germany descends in a brief civil war: in the end a weird alliance of the Sozialfront (nationalist social democrats), catholics and Junker-conservatives wins the day, liquidating the divided Social-Communist forces. No Nazism, no Dachaus, but a nasty civil war. France and Britain look with bitter satifaction the old enemies battling themselves. In Russia Bukharin takes the lead in economics and begins a sane reconstruction based on the NEP principles, while a careful politics in matter of nationalities quells local rebellions (Basmachi, Ukraine, Caucasus banditry, etc). Infighting prevents the political police from becoming too powerful, and the gulag system remains marginal. In Japan, the military begins to flex its muscles and to heavily influence politics; Japan occupies Manchuria to the protests of China (and on a more soft tone, Russia).
1931-1935
The new German government, led by Diercks, recalls from exile not the Kaiser, but his son and heir, provided he accpts a constituional monarchy, which he does to the chagrin of most Junkers. The regims proves however discreetly efficient in rebuilding the country, restoring social peace and beginning a military buildup after denouncing the Versailles Treaty.
1932
In the US crippled by the Depression a populist leader and discussed entrepreneur, William Nathan Compton, is elected president on the Democratic ticket. He'll be reelected, and in a few years' space the vestiges of democracy will be severely trampled: a racist, bigot, business-oriented regime will take shape in the States, without even bothering to persecute its few opponents.
1932-1933
Japan fights a limited war with China, wresting some provinces on the Manchurian border.
1934
Germany, in a cunning diplomatic move, renounces claims over much of the disputed Polish territory (Warthegau, upper Silesia) in exchange of recognition of language for the Germans living there, and , most of all, the reincroporation of Danzig to Germany (which brings the Franco-Bristish dominated Society of Nations to expel both countries) and free rights of passage over the Corridor for the Germans.
1935
Germany, Poland, Hungary and the two Baltic countries of Latvia and Estonia sign a military pact of defense, the Treaty of Danzig, with great scadal of France, who screams at the Polish backstabbing. Foreign minister Maksim Litvinov, the “bolshevik lord”, greatly enhances relationships between Trotskij's Soviet Union and the Franco-British.The Chinese Communists, discreetly supported by the Soviets, end their Long March consolidating control over NW China
October 1935-April 1936
The Italians invade and subjugate Ethiopia, whose emperor Hailé Selassié finds refuge in Britain.Germany and the United States ignore the sanctions put on by the Society of Nations, despite bland US protest over Italian aggression to a sovereign country.
1936
Belgium and Czechoslovakia, worried by German rearmament, signs a treaty of defense with France and Britain: the Bruxelles Pact, origin of the Alliance. A military coup in Austria brings in power a German-friendly government. Italy at first reacts harshly, then, its forces hands full in Ethiopia, backs down.
The Spanish Civil war at its beginnings sees the Nationalist side supported covertly by the US and Germany and openly by Italy. France, weakly supporting the Republicans, risks crumbling into civil war over the issue, while Britain stays neutral. The Soviet Union, now run by a Bukharin-Kirov-Trotskij trojka, tries to help the Republicans, staving off a quick defeat. When the Soviets annex Sinkiang as the federal socialist republic of Uighuristan, Nationalist China breaks diplomatic relationships with them, while instead heavily relying on the US.
March, 21st 1937
In Washington President Compton recevies Reichschancellor Diercks: the two sign the Freedom Entente, a non-binding political accord on a “rights of nationalities” base.
July, 7th 1937
Marco Polo Bridge incident: the Japanese start their blitzkrieg offensive against Nationalist China
August, 8th 1937
Nippo-Soviet non-aggression pact and territory swap, on Russian initiative. Soviet Russia also cedes some disputed territory along the Amur in exchange for the two northernmost Kurile islands. Accordingly, the Japanese and the Chinese Communists won't fight each other, save local bloody “incidents”.
August-September 1937
The first battle for Saragossa, where the Spanish Nationalists get a morale-boosting defensive victory.
The US concede formal independence to the Philippines, while building up there to confront the aggressive expansionism of Japan.
December, 12th 1937
The Panay incident irrevocably wounds Japanese-American relationships. Japan apologizes, but refuses to pay a high indemnity and punish those involved as requested by the US government. Diplomatic relationships are broken a few months later as America escalates military help to China. President Compton has by now characterized his foreign politics as aimed to stem the “yellow peril” (Japan), the “red menace” (the Soviets and Republican Spain) and the “colonialists” (Britain, France).
December 1937-January 1938
The fierce Battle of Teruel ends in another Nationalist success.
March-April 1938
The Spanish Nationalist army sweeps Aragon in a successful offensive, helped by American and German war materials and Italian troops. Worried, the French reopen the borders to the infux of weapons for the Republican side and dispatch their navy to protect the Republican ports from Italian aggression. The thousands of American volunteers who fought for the Republicans are deprived of US citizenshipby president Compton – and for the fist time someone begins noticing how much the political climate has degraded, but it's way too late to counteract. In China the Japanese, after taking and raping Nanking, are stopped cold in their advance: the Chinese receive help from a number of American volunteer pilots and are now relatively well equipped.
May, 3rd 1938
Lithuania, under strong pressure from Germany to cede back Memel, and always willing to recover Vilnius from Poland, proclaims its allegiance to the Bruxelles Pact. A secret treaty of military assistance is later signed with Soviet Russia.
May 14th, 1938
Italian aircraft from Maiorca hit a French cruiser protecting shipping to the Republicans. The ship burns fiercely, then explodes and sinks with the loss of more than 200 men.
May-June 1938
France asks for immediate withdrawal of all Italian forces from Spain. Mussolini won't back down. Both countries gradually mobilize their armed forces.
June 7th, 1938
Without consulting the British, French forces cross into Catalonia and the Basque Country in help of the Republican side and to fight the Italians. It's the beginning of the Second World War.
June-July, 1938
About 100,000 men are dispatched to Spain by France; the erst of the French Amry vigilates on the Maginot, as the Germans mobilize a screening force along the Karl der Grosse Stellung (*OTL Siegfrid Line) and mass their limited tank forces around Czechoslovakia. Actually the Germans calculate that the Western Allies won't attack before spring 1939, with Britain still largely at peacetime level – a correct assumption. The Soviets begin a withdrawal of all “military counsellors” in Spain, leaving in place only the war materials; they also get part of the Spanish gold reserves and take with them thousands of war orphans. Their ships now avoid the Med for the safer Atlantic route.
June, 25th 1938
The US break diplomatic relationships with France after loudly denouncing French “meddling” in Spain. (Italian meddling had been conveniently forgotten/forgiven).
June, 27th 1938
A US destroyer is gravely hit by Japanese dive bombers from a carrier as it took part in the chase to Jap submarines. Once again the Japs refuse to compensate, and this time also refuse to apologize.
July 7th, 1938
After a full month of frantic negotiations and ultimatum, Italy and Germany declare war on France. This implies war with all of France's allies in the Bruxelles Pact: Britain, Belgium, Czechoslovakia and Lithuania. The Czechs will be the first on the to-do list. For the moment, Germany's allies won't enter the fray, at least formally. The Spanish government (the legitimate Republican one, that is), also declares war on Germany and Italy... automatically involving Germany's allies (Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia) as per the Danzig Treaty (defensive in nature).
By now in Spain the French have steamrolled the Basque Country, and after crossing Catalonia and having to sometimes to fight with anarchist militias not too happy with their presence, have pressed on to Aragon fighting in some places against the Italians.
July, 8th, 1938
The US mobilize their fleets and parts of the National Guard.
July-August 1938
Poor tiny Lithuania finds herself in a terrible quagmire, surrounded by formal (Germany) or theoretical (Poland, Latvia) enemies and carefully avoiding any provocation. Neither Germany, with hands full in Czechoslovakia and shpulders dangerously exposed in the West, nor her allies bother to attack Lithuania, hoping instead to undermine her government and replace it with a pro-German one.
In Spain the second battle of Saragossa prove a carnage, razing the city: the French give artillery, air and tank support, the Republicans cannon fodder. Exactly the same with Italians and Nationalists on the other side. In the end the ruins of the city fall to the Franco-Republican assailants. In China, Japan and the US fight now an undeclared war, with a “no prisoners” policy on both parts.
In the Med Mussolini's admirals do not dare to confront the French, let alone the British. Italy attacks instead the French fleet by air with two fierce, spectacular raids on Toulon, whcih sink two cruisers and three destroyers in port. The French occupy Spanish possessions in Africa (Spanish Morocco iincluded) and repeatedly bombard Maiorca, while the British use their Gibraltar force to repulse half-hearted Francoist attempts to take out the base. US Marines occupy the international city of Tangiers ebfore the French can assure its protection, and a tense standoff ensues. For all purposes the Italian forces in Spain, numbering some 50,000 men, are isolated, but American convoys now regularly ship fuel, food and a discreet amount of weapons to the Nationalist side.
POD: in October, 1918
Adolf Hitler gets killed in battle on the Western Front by an English sniper while stumbling around, blinded by a gas attack.
December 1918
Josef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili, better known as comrade Stalin, is murdered in Tsarytsin (*OTL Stalingrad/Volgograd) by an enraged mother whose son he had shot as saboteur.
1919-1921
France and Britain default or repay only lately the huge US loans received in wartime. In time America gets not only isolationist, but outright hostile towards the two European Powers, adopting an uncompromising anticolonial stance and a strict interpetation of the Monroe doctrine.
In Russia Soviet forces win the civil war at a high price for the country. Trotskij emerges as Lenin's natural right hand and “heir apparent”, alongsode several other figures of importance.
1924
Trotskij succeeds Lenin. Despite his will to diffuse the revolution westwards, he later understands the moment is not mature and manages to extract a status quo with the European powers. The Twenties see Soviet meddling who detaches Sinkiang from China and prove s abortive communist revolutions in Iran and, of all places, Afghanistan.Eventually, however, Afghanistan turn pro-Soviet because of a border war with the Indo-British.
In Germany the occupation of the Rhineland cements parts of the lelft and right; the social-democrats will later split, with a nationalist wing under a former veteran of the trenches, Rudolf Diercks, founder of the Sozialfront.
1925
First unsuccessful communist revolution in China, in Shanghai and Canton, crushed by the Nationalists of Chang-Kai Shek. Mao's followers turn to long-lasting guerrilla.
1929
The Great Depression has devastating effect on the global economy, paralleled in Russia by Trotskij's total failure with his program of collectivizations (luckily brought on with a bit less savagery than OTL Stalin's). The Soviet leader steps out from the economics and most governmental activities, retaining only his high role in the Party and a personal ascendant on the Red Army, his favored creature.
1930-1931
Germany descends in a brief civil war: in the end a weird alliance of the Sozialfront (nationalist social democrats), catholics and Junker-conservatives wins the day, liquidating the divided Social-Communist forces. No Nazism, no Dachaus, but a nasty civil war. France and Britain look with bitter satifaction the old enemies battling themselves. In Russia Bukharin takes the lead in economics and begins a sane reconstruction based on the NEP principles, while a careful politics in matter of nationalities quells local rebellions (Basmachi, Ukraine, Caucasus banditry, etc). Infighting prevents the political police from becoming too powerful, and the gulag system remains marginal. In Japan, the military begins to flex its muscles and to heavily influence politics; Japan occupies Manchuria to the protests of China (and on a more soft tone, Russia).
1931-1935
The new German government, led by Diercks, recalls from exile not the Kaiser, but his son and heir, provided he accpts a constituional monarchy, which he does to the chagrin of most Junkers. The regims proves however discreetly efficient in rebuilding the country, restoring social peace and beginning a military buildup after denouncing the Versailles Treaty.
1932
In the US crippled by the Depression a populist leader and discussed entrepreneur, William Nathan Compton, is elected president on the Democratic ticket. He'll be reelected, and in a few years' space the vestiges of democracy will be severely trampled: a racist, bigot, business-oriented regime will take shape in the States, without even bothering to persecute its few opponents.
1932-1933
Japan fights a limited war with China, wresting some provinces on the Manchurian border.
1934
Germany, in a cunning diplomatic move, renounces claims over much of the disputed Polish territory (Warthegau, upper Silesia) in exchange of recognition of language for the Germans living there, and , most of all, the reincroporation of Danzig to Germany (which brings the Franco-Bristish dominated Society of Nations to expel both countries) and free rights of passage over the Corridor for the Germans.
1935
Germany, Poland, Hungary and the two Baltic countries of Latvia and Estonia sign a military pact of defense, the Treaty of Danzig, with great scadal of France, who screams at the Polish backstabbing. Foreign minister Maksim Litvinov, the “bolshevik lord”, greatly enhances relationships between Trotskij's Soviet Union and the Franco-British.The Chinese Communists, discreetly supported by the Soviets, end their Long March consolidating control over NW China
October 1935-April 1936
The Italians invade and subjugate Ethiopia, whose emperor Hailé Selassié finds refuge in Britain.Germany and the United States ignore the sanctions put on by the Society of Nations, despite bland US protest over Italian aggression to a sovereign country.
1936
Belgium and Czechoslovakia, worried by German rearmament, signs a treaty of defense with France and Britain: the Bruxelles Pact, origin of the Alliance. A military coup in Austria brings in power a German-friendly government. Italy at first reacts harshly, then, its forces hands full in Ethiopia, backs down.
The Spanish Civil war at its beginnings sees the Nationalist side supported covertly by the US and Germany and openly by Italy. France, weakly supporting the Republicans, risks crumbling into civil war over the issue, while Britain stays neutral. The Soviet Union, now run by a Bukharin-Kirov-Trotskij trojka, tries to help the Republicans, staving off a quick defeat. When the Soviets annex Sinkiang as the federal socialist republic of Uighuristan, Nationalist China breaks diplomatic relationships with them, while instead heavily relying on the US.
March, 21st 1937
In Washington President Compton recevies Reichschancellor Diercks: the two sign the Freedom Entente, a non-binding political accord on a “rights of nationalities” base.
July, 7th 1937
Marco Polo Bridge incident: the Japanese start their blitzkrieg offensive against Nationalist China
August, 8th 1937
Nippo-Soviet non-aggression pact and territory swap, on Russian initiative. Soviet Russia also cedes some disputed territory along the Amur in exchange for the two northernmost Kurile islands. Accordingly, the Japanese and the Chinese Communists won't fight each other, save local bloody “incidents”.
August-September 1937
The first battle for Saragossa, where the Spanish Nationalists get a morale-boosting defensive victory.
The US concede formal independence to the Philippines, while building up there to confront the aggressive expansionism of Japan.
December, 12th 1937
The Panay incident irrevocably wounds Japanese-American relationships. Japan apologizes, but refuses to pay a high indemnity and punish those involved as requested by the US government. Diplomatic relationships are broken a few months later as America escalates military help to China. President Compton has by now characterized his foreign politics as aimed to stem the “yellow peril” (Japan), the “red menace” (the Soviets and Republican Spain) and the “colonialists” (Britain, France).
December 1937-January 1938
The fierce Battle of Teruel ends in another Nationalist success.
March-April 1938
The Spanish Nationalist army sweeps Aragon in a successful offensive, helped by American and German war materials and Italian troops. Worried, the French reopen the borders to the infux of weapons for the Republican side and dispatch their navy to protect the Republican ports from Italian aggression. The thousands of American volunteers who fought for the Republicans are deprived of US citizenshipby president Compton – and for the fist time someone begins noticing how much the political climate has degraded, but it's way too late to counteract. In China the Japanese, after taking and raping Nanking, are stopped cold in their advance: the Chinese receive help from a number of American volunteer pilots and are now relatively well equipped.
May, 3rd 1938
Lithuania, under strong pressure from Germany to cede back Memel, and always willing to recover Vilnius from Poland, proclaims its allegiance to the Bruxelles Pact. A secret treaty of military assistance is later signed with Soviet Russia.
May 14th, 1938
Italian aircraft from Maiorca hit a French cruiser protecting shipping to the Republicans. The ship burns fiercely, then explodes and sinks with the loss of more than 200 men.
May-June 1938
France asks for immediate withdrawal of all Italian forces from Spain. Mussolini won't back down. Both countries gradually mobilize their armed forces.
June 7th, 1938
Without consulting the British, French forces cross into Catalonia and the Basque Country in help of the Republican side and to fight the Italians. It's the beginning of the Second World War.
June-July, 1938
About 100,000 men are dispatched to Spain by France; the erst of the French Amry vigilates on the Maginot, as the Germans mobilize a screening force along the Karl der Grosse Stellung (*OTL Siegfrid Line) and mass their limited tank forces around Czechoslovakia. Actually the Germans calculate that the Western Allies won't attack before spring 1939, with Britain still largely at peacetime level – a correct assumption. The Soviets begin a withdrawal of all “military counsellors” in Spain, leaving in place only the war materials; they also get part of the Spanish gold reserves and take with them thousands of war orphans. Their ships now avoid the Med for the safer Atlantic route.
June, 25th 1938
The US break diplomatic relationships with France after loudly denouncing French “meddling” in Spain. (Italian meddling had been conveniently forgotten/forgiven).
June, 27th 1938
A US destroyer is gravely hit by Japanese dive bombers from a carrier as it took part in the chase to Jap submarines. Once again the Japs refuse to compensate, and this time also refuse to apologize.
July 7th, 1938
After a full month of frantic negotiations and ultimatum, Italy and Germany declare war on France. This implies war with all of France's allies in the Bruxelles Pact: Britain, Belgium, Czechoslovakia and Lithuania. The Czechs will be the first on the to-do list. For the moment, Germany's allies won't enter the fray, at least formally. The Spanish government (the legitimate Republican one, that is), also declares war on Germany and Italy... automatically involving Germany's allies (Poland, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia) as per the Danzig Treaty (defensive in nature).
By now in Spain the French have steamrolled the Basque Country, and after crossing Catalonia and having to sometimes to fight with anarchist militias not too happy with their presence, have pressed on to Aragon fighting in some places against the Italians.
July, 8th, 1938
The US mobilize their fleets and parts of the National Guard.
July-August 1938
Poor tiny Lithuania finds herself in a terrible quagmire, surrounded by formal (Germany) or theoretical (Poland, Latvia) enemies and carefully avoiding any provocation. Neither Germany, with hands full in Czechoslovakia and shpulders dangerously exposed in the West, nor her allies bother to attack Lithuania, hoping instead to undermine her government and replace it with a pro-German one.
In Spain the second battle of Saragossa prove a carnage, razing the city: the French give artillery, air and tank support, the Republicans cannon fodder. Exactly the same with Italians and Nationalists on the other side. In the end the ruins of the city fall to the Franco-Republican assailants. In China, Japan and the US fight now an undeclared war, with a “no prisoners” policy on both parts.
In the Med Mussolini's admirals do not dare to confront the French, let alone the British. Italy attacks instead the French fleet by air with two fierce, spectacular raids on Toulon, whcih sink two cruisers and three destroyers in port. The French occupy Spanish possessions in Africa (Spanish Morocco iincluded) and repeatedly bombard Maiorca, while the British use their Gibraltar force to repulse half-hearted Francoist attempts to take out the base. US Marines occupy the international city of Tangiers ebfore the French can assure its protection, and a tense standoff ensues. For all purposes the Italian forces in Spain, numbering some 50,000 men, are isolated, but American convoys now regularly ship fuel, food and a discreet amount of weapons to the Nationalist side.
