What if any point in late 1944 or 1945, Stalin died ?

Would the Soviet union break apart even when they are advancing towards Berlin ?

 

A difficult question but at that time Zhukov seemed to be in top position so the war would have continued until the end with him the front man. After the war who knows?

Don´t know if Stalin had named anyone No 2 man during the WW2?

In real life I was rather amazed that such puppet as Molotov was racing for the top position in the 1950´s in the USSR...

 

The punishment of the Germans was not only a goal of Stalin but a national agenda. There was a lot of payback still due to the Germans. I don't think that the Russian generals would have stopped or even slowed down their pursuit of the Germans. I also don't think that the Russian forces would have seen this as anything demoralizing, rather the opposite.

I think that the power void that was left by Stalin's death would have only been a challenge in Moscow. There certainly would have been a lot of political in-fighting and maneuvering.

There was no clear number 2 Russian, that space was usually discovered posthumosly (Stalin killed those who threatened to gain enough power or prestige to compete with him).

As far as WWII goes I don't see any significant change in outcome. The changes would have been vast afterward though. I cannot even begin to guess the difference it would have made to the world and the Russian and Soviet Block countries. Without the Iron Fist of Stalin the Balkans would have probably degenerated into a bloody cival conflict for decades. Without Stalin to guide the post-war period would the Soviet Union have existed? Would the cold war have progressed in the way that it did with limited warfare in satillite countries? Would the Cuban Missile Crisis have occured? It would have changed our world, but I don't think it would have changed the outcome of the war against Germany.

 

So none of you guys believe that Stalin's generals instead of concentrating on the Germans, will try to seize power first?

I meant since there is no effective number 2 man in moscow and lack of any transition of power, wont the generals (with the vast armies at their disposal) be in a position whereby they can control Moscow. Especially seeing and knowing how ruthless Stalin was, this is probably the one in a lifetime opportunity.

Let's say one general based nearer to Moscow decided to move a few divisions into Moscow to "maintain law & order". What if after controlling the Kremlin, he is named interim premier ? What will the other generals do ?

 

The political infrastructure of Soviet Russia was not like that of the Romans. Don't believe the military generals would have moved to take over. Much like Nazi Germany, Had Hitler died, the fight for power would have been between Goring and Himmler. With Stalin dead, it would be between Berea or some other political cronie, perhaps Molotov.

 

Good question, PzJgr. What if Hitler had died in 1942 or before Operation Barbarossa ? A very interesting "What If" eh ?

 

As a matter of fact when he (I?) died the fight flared up among the Politburo, that is Beria, Bulganin, Kaganovich, Khrushchev, Malenkov, Mikoyan, Molotov, Voroshilov and others, with more or less participation. As we know Mr. K. came on top after getting rid of (or royally shafting) the others more or less cerimoniously. Beria was suspended from a hook and shot in the forehead! The military paid no part in the plot, it was all inside the Party.

Khrushchev was an old fox, with a long political career before, during and after the war. A survivor, a major SOB, but had to be damned good to be able to survive in that environment

 

Wasn´t Mr K´s great deed to raise corn in southern Siberia and he succeeded that year. Next year there weren´t anymore minerals in the ground for corn to grow but by that time Mr K had appointed someone else to take care of it...

Beria definitely was the most dangerous one and probably knew a thing or two about the others and was arrested June 1953 ( Stalin died March 1953 ) and was executed Dec 1953. Surprisingly....

 

The book to read is "Stalin, The Court of the Red Tsar", 700 pages of blood and horror. And JS wasn't the only monster, there was an entire brood eating each other. And yes, Beria was one of the worst although it's difficult to establish a grading.

 

I believe that since there were many officers and officials beneath him, they most likely had the same ideas as far as the war went. I think it would have continued forward as planned.

 

I ?? lol