World in 1940
History is not always determined by the choices of the most powerful nations on earth, rather most times; the most significant changes in history are the result of the will of just a single man. This is how Russia looked in 1917. Sure the Bolsheviks were more than one person, but without Lenin would they have really gotten off the ground? This is what happens when all the famous Reds can't lead a revolution in Russia, because they're not in Russia; This is what happens when the West sees uprisings demanding change lead by the three most well known figures in the formation of Soviet Russia - Lenin, Stalin, and Trotsky. Here, instead of the Germans trying to destabilize Russia, they try to seize the opportunity to end the war in the west. In the OTL the leaders of the October Revolution make it back to one place, but now they are scattered, turning the West into the communist faction, and Russia into the defender of the "free world".
Timeline (Gregorian Calendar)______________________________________________[]
- August 1917: Germany sees Russia as an enemy that can be held back and defeated, however with the United States entering the war, Germany is desperate to get the more predominant threat out of the way. To Destabilize the US they send Vladimir Illych Ulyanov "Vladimir Lenin" in a sealed railway car to the port of Brake and send him off to America. At the same time Lev Davidovich Bronshtein "Leon Trotsky" is in London unsuccessfully trying to reach Russia and the other Bolsheviks. Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin "Joesph Stalin" is in Russia, but without much organization of the Bolsheviks, he tries to take command unsuccessfully and returns home to Georgia (still part of the Russian Empire).
- Stalin returns home to Georgia: There an Ottoman army takes him prisoner and suspects him of being Pro-Russian. He is deported to eastern Anatolia where he becomes a prisoner, later to be released at the end of the war.
- 7 November 1917: Uprisings in the streets of Petrograd become a full-scale revolt of the workers and peasants, with two main factions the loosely organized "Red Army" and the loose-but-not-as-loosely organized White Movement. The Red movement is crushed within two years without reliable structure and the opposition coming from white forces and foreign intervention.
- 1918-1920: Allied intervention (beginning in 1918) has stayed in Russia, and is trying to keep Russia still in the fight with Germany. The White forces grow tired of the intervention and occupation and begin pushing for democracy in Russia. (to be cont.)
- 1919: Germany decides to end the war in the west and join the allies trying to gobble up chunks of Russian territory. Treaty of Versailles is signed. Germany regains its lost territory and takes the Polish corridor, Lithuania, and Galacia.
- 1918-1920 (cont.): Russia's White forces gain the advantage of fighting in the Russian winter, and after two long and unsuccessful campaigns by the Germans to advance any further than Kaluga they sign the treaty of Minsk, putting Germany no further than Minsk, Byelorussia. Russia undergoes a democratic reform with Czar Nicholas II alive, but lacking power, he abdicates.
- December 1920: After US intervention withdraws, Japan takes over the Port of Vladivostok, Primorsky Krai, southern Khabarovsk Krai (*Which includes modern-day Jewish Autonomous Oblast*), all of Sakhalin island, and the Kuril islands. White Russian forces negotiate with Japan and agree that Japan will advance no further. Russia now also undergoes a formal democratic reform, calling itself the Russian Soviet Federative Democratic Republic, and is recognized by the empire of Japan in exchange for land. The US, Germany, France, and the UK all realize the RSFDR soon after as well. Ukraine, East Byelorussia (Later known as just Byelorussia, seeing as West has been incorporated into the Polish corridor, and by continuation, Germany), Trans-Caucasia, Kirgizstan, Turkistan, Bukharan, and Khorezm. All recognize the RSFDR and choose to form a weak alliance called the Commonwealth of Soviet Democratic Republics.
- 20 October 1929: "Black Tuesday" Stock market crash on Wall Street. America undergoes the worst economic crash in its history. With the situation so dire, the exiled Vladimir Lenin gains popularity in Communist party alongside Alfred Wagenknecht, and the US to eventually become premier of the United Socialist States of America (USSA). As the world goes into economic collapse Lenin seems to be copping with the crisis best in the new socialist America, making the world more eager to convert to socialism.
- 11 November 1929: Leon Trotsky attempts to rally the English workers for socialism. He is successful, and the king abdicates peacefully, with Trotsky and Churchill discussing the formation of the new Socialist Union of the British Commonwealth (SUBC).
- 19 December 1929: Benito Mussolini gains power in Italy and declares Italy a socialist state.
- 24 December 1929: Joseph Stalin, recently released from Ottoman captivity, has gained power in the Empire. Britain does not step in to colonize the Middle East so the Ottomans still retain the most power in the region. Stalin's supporters siege Mehmed IV at the House of Osman. He surrenders without a fight. Stalin then launches a campaign to bring the areas formerly under control of the Ottomans (in 1922) back under direct authority, claiming the territories republics of the Turkish Union of Socialist Republics (TUSR). The new state is formally recognized by Greece in exchange for a non-aggression pact with Stalin.
- 1930: The three major powers undergo vastly different destinies. The USSA, which is mostly industrialized has rebounded quickly from the financial trouble, with most of its business nationalized to being with and trade with SUBC increasing has kept both of the new countries relatively well sustained. The SUBC has released most of its territories from direct authority to a democratic communist union of local governments. Egypt and Sudan secede but face crippling instability, and look for help from the regional power- the TUSR. Stalin welcomes the new republics and uses their resources in his first five years plan to bring the TUSR up to strength so as to not suffer the humiliating defeat of WWI.
- 1933: Adolf Hitler, an Austrian WWI veteran of the German army, attempts, for the second time, to gain control of Germany, this time he is successful.
- 1934: Trotsky (an anti-fascist), is outraged by Hitler's rise to power and wants to remove him from power as quickly as possible
- December 1934: Hitler contacts Joseph Stalin, and Winston Churchill, and attempts to establish a non-aggression pact with the TUSR and SUBC. Stalin agrees to Hitler's pact, Trotsky does not show (seeing as Trotsky was anti-fascist and Hitler hated Jews), and Churchill reluctantly agrees not wanting to start another world war. Hitler and Stalin take out a secret agreement. Hitler gets the outer republics of the CSDR while Stalin gets the Balkans and the Caucasus, however Stalin is not allowed to or intends to extend past the Caucacus.
- April 1935: Hitler begins the invasion of Eastern Europe as Stalin takes the Caucasus. Trotsky is outraged and decides to aid Russia immediately. Churchill complies with breaking the pact and Europe is in full- scale war. Spain is also in war with Trotsky unable to supply the Republicans adequately, Spain becomes Fascist. Portugal is aided as a stronghold in the Iberian Peninsula. Stalin meets with Trotsky and discusses alignment in the war. Stalin re-aligns himself uneasily with Trotsky. Trotsky works with Mussolini to cut off Germany from the south, Stalin also agrees to comply, without advancing on the Balkans.
- June 1936: Lenin dies and is Succeeded by Alfred Wagenknecht who is a strong supporter of Trotsky and order Hitler's assassination. Russian forces change from defensive to offensive after the battle of Rostov.
- 1 May 1937: Russian Trotsky-trained forces reach Berlin, seeing as the SUBC does not have a significant army and France is occupied.
- 7 May 1937: Hitler is tried for war crimes and is executed with his final words being "Shame, I have to die in the face of inferiors", to Trotsky who replies "On the contrary, they are equals, you are the inferior." Stalin is sentenced to life in prison.
- July 1937: Trotsky aids the newly liberated France and helps establish a new socialist government. Spain receives a coup of General Franco. Leading to Most of western Europe converting to Trotsky's model of socialism. However Russia, feels hostile towards Communism/Socialism, seeing as Stalin invaded the CSDR. The CSDR begins promoting capitalism and democracy in eastern Europe instead of socialism.
- June 1938: Despite Trotsky's tries to convert Russia and eastern Europe, the CSDR and its satellites are still hostile to the Stalinist style. Trotsky dies 21,June.
- June-September 1938: The failure of Trotsky to formally unionize western Europe leads to Russia becoming the new military and industrial powerhouse, the CSDR expels Japanese presence and aids China in expelling the Japanese as well. The Chinese communists are far outmatched by the Russian-backed democrats, and so they flee to Taiwan, their leader: Mao Zedong. Western Europe has gained military power, but has been left in ruins with its economies destroyed. The USSA fiscally aids Western Europe in an alliance known as NASC (North Atlantic Socialist Commonwealth) While leaders of the CSDR meet in Warsaw to form the Warsaw Pact, protecting against aggression from any socialist state.
- 1940: The new standing in the world is uneasy; while not the Cold war we know in the OTL, the relations between the CSDR and the USSA are becoming more strained and hostile. Scientists in the SUBC such as Albert Einstein, Ernest Rutherford, Leo Szilard, and many others have developed the first atomic bomb, which has been tested (with permission) On American soil, in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Russian scientists and spies have also been working together and have developed their own atomic bomb.
- Today: The world is much different. The roles in the OTL for the cold war have been mostly flipped (China, Russia and America), however, the lack of united political strength amongst the west, (Unlike in the Russian dominated east) has led to a breakdown in strength and ideals. Europe has survived very well, with the mix of socialized economies and political democracy, even if leaving the world in ruins behind it. America has lost most of its power. The lack of freedom in America that has plagued it for so long has lead to its break-up. The first to secede is far west California, With Texas following soon afterward. Texas and California have both declared themselves independent republics, but are only recognized by each other; The other south-eastern states have rejected the policies of north-eastern states and have caused violent uprisings in the southern USSA.