Quote:
Originally Posted by lwd
Although if you go by the definition of a "war avoided is a war won" they do win this way.
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I agree with you, lwd, and if I could give you a ding on your scales I would. But I have go smooching on others first before I can come back to you.
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I doubt the likelihood this happening, but had Hitler had been able to maneuvere the Soviet Union into invading Poland first, what would have been the reaction of France and the UK?
Would they have taken action against Stalin while Hitler waits a few weeks and then swallows up western Poland, getting what he wants without inciting a war with the West in as happened in 1939? I'm thinking that Chamberlain and Daladier had made no direct proclamation to this regard, so would they have guaranteed Polish integrity against attacks from the east?
This reversed situation by no means assures German victory over the Soviet Union, if they were to come into the now existing war between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union that started over the Eastern Poland invasion by the SU. It would, however, relieve Gemany from fighting a two front war.
Even though the Soviet Union was carrying the bulk of the ground fighting in the real history, the war in the West and and South still was major drains on German resources. If Germany were to find itself fighing a common enemy (Soviet Union) with French and British forces, they would not have faced the serious raw material and oil shortage they endured.
The thought opens another can of worms as French and British armed forced would not be operating in a vacuum, they would learn from German operations, making a war to the West have a lesser chance of success as happened in 1940.
And then, what about the US, without a declaration of war on 11 Dec 1941 and possibly providing Lend Lease to the Third Reich?
Just a thought. Wars are won by coalitions and Hitler failed miserably in this regard.