Say.... In early 1942 the War in USSR is raging on as it was but then all of a Sudden Stalin has a horrible heart attack an dies. I was wondering what would the changes be for the Eastern Front? At Stalingrad would Russian Morale Collapse or would it leap as if they were to "Revenge the Death of The Dear Leader" if the Soviet union was in Disarray would it yield many benifits for the Germans?

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Ok, in late Jauary 1942 Stalin dies from a abrupt cerebral hemorrage. How would the remaining senior Soviet leaders react? Was there any single indivdual who could quickly take control, or would that be unecessary as the top leaders would sort things out, or would the leadership fall into disarray?

I suspect something between the first and second with a lot of concealed political manuvering, deals struck, double crosses, and eventually everyone settling into a place with another 'dear leader' who face is on all the posters. These were pragamatic men and for the most part they underrstood that if they all did not hang together to defeat the Germans they would all be hanged seperately. So I'd judge it less likely that the Soviet command structure would fall apart in a intercine squabble.

Having said that I suspect Beria would have a half life of about six hours.

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I agree with Carl's statements.

As a footnote, historically after Stalin's death was confirmed Beria took 3 months to be arrested, by Georgy Zhukov himself. 6 months later he was tried, Ivan Koniev presiding Power politics is never simple, but yes, there were more than enough great Party men able to step in Stalin's shoes. I'd vote for Molotov, for one.

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Beria surviving three months with his liberty and six with his life probablly reflected the lesser urgency in 1954. His enemys had less pressure for speed and more leasiure for 'getting it right'. But, I'm not the expert here, so it is possible Beria would last as long in 1942. Or, even come out on top.

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Thread Closed. Refer to What If... rules (link in my sig).

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