Timeline

[edit] 1941

Field Marshal Erwin von Witzelen planned to use four shooters to assassinate Hitler on May 21st 1941 during a military parade in Paris. Hitler cancels the appointment at the last minute but he then unexpectedly shows up anyway. Because of Hitler's unexpected change in plans, only one shooter is prepared...but it is enough. Hitler is shot at close range in the neck and stomach in front of hundreds of witnesses. Hitler dies. The shooter is quickly killed by the SS.

Comments

- There were something like seventeen assassination attempts or plots against Hitler. Many of the plots failed because Hitler was constantly changing his plans. Field Marshal Witzelen's plot failed OTL because Hitler canceled at the last minute.

The failure of security is a major embarrassment to the SS and Reinhard Heydrich (Himmler's second in command of the SS) is blamed for the security breach and is forced to resign.

- I just tossed this in to help avoid the “Final Solution”.

There is a short power struggle in Berlin but Goering comes out on top as the new Fuhrer. Goering reaffirms his pacts with Italy, Russia, and Japan.

At this time Germany has not yet made the more serious blunders of the OTL but has met with unprecedented success. Germany has taken Austria, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark, and most of France. America is still neutral (although the Lend-Lease with Britain has just begun). And German-Russia relations are still good (Germany is still buying much of its oil from Russia).

The conflict in Greece continues much as in OTL but is delayed slightly due to the change of leadership. Goering decides to put off attacking Russia for now; he does plan on attacking in the summer of 1942.

- If anyone has a good argument for Himmler or some one else to become the Second Fuhrer, let’s here it. Also the “short power struggle” could be long or could be some sort of governmental collapse. Any strong opinions?

The Allies are deeply concerned by what appears to be a solid German-Russian partnership. In July of 1941 Britain starts aerial attacks on Russian oil fields. Russian and Britain do not declare war officially but any possibility of an alliance is eliminated.

“Final Solution” doesn’t not take place as in OTL because Reinhard Heydrich is no longer in power, Goering is otherwise occupied being Fuhrer, and Hitler is dead. Jews are still sent to concentration camps and used as slave labor, but they are not killed wholesale.

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor as in OTL. Goering, however, decides NOT to declare war on the US.

[edit] 1942

- The UK actually planned on doing these sort of air attacks on Russian oil field for these very reason OTL. Reconnaissance flights were flown, but just before the attacks were to take place Germany invaded Russian. The UK called the attacks off,

The US is not at war in Europe so she focuses almost all her efforts on the War of the Pacific. Stalin comes to belive that Japan will quickly fall, so he makes an effort to grab as much land as possible in the East. Stalin moves as many resources as possible and some of his best generals to the Asian front. As the US progresses through the Pacific, Stalin captures parts of Mongolia, Manchuria, China, and several outlying islands.

Ripple: OTL When the US went to war against Germany and Italy, bigotry became unpatriotic. Membership in the Klu Klux Klan dropped. Blacks and Jews started to be treated more fairly than they had been in before the war.

If the US does NOT go to war with Germany or Italy then bigotry remains relatively high and later civil rights movements are delayed and reduced.

The conflict in North Africa begins as in OTL but is better supplied and supported (in part because Barbarossa has been delayed). Rommel is able to take Egypt in July 1942.

- Stalin did make a similar land grab OTL after the war with Germany was done and Japan looked primed to fall. Also Russia had a large number of units in the East at this time. ATL the land grab happens before Russia is at war with Germany.

Goering figures that Russia's forces are balanced toward Asia so the time is ripe for the belated Operation Barbarossa. At first Germany makes stunning progress: Moscow falls in a matter of weeks. But Russia then starts pushing the Nazis back.

[edit] 1943

The Germans lose confidence in the Fuhrer Goering and in February of 1943 there is another coup. Rommel becomes the new Fuhrer. Rommel executes brilliant defensive techniques on the Russian front. Later he begins negotiating separate peace with Russia and Britain.

Peace with Britain is established first, in Treaty of Paris. Churchill is willing to negotiate in part because he believes that the German-Russian war will continue: as he says they are "two dogs, at each other's throats". Also the Terms Rommel offers are surprisingly generous. The terms were so generous that there were riots in Munich and violent protests in many other cities. German hardliners considered removing Rommel and his followers, but these plans never materialized.

Reaching a peace agreement with Russia is more difficult, but is finally also achieved in the Treaty of Posen. Again the terms were very generous.

History remembers Hitler as a military genius and great leader, Goering as depraved criminal and bumbling failure, and Rommel as a great peacemaker and healer.

[edit] 1944

Japan surrenders in the War of the Pacific.

[edit] Post War World

What is the post war world like with a strong Germany, a Russia which is shifted to the East, a very weak France and no US atomic bomb?

[edit] About

Some comments About "See Paris and Die"