WI: Hitler visited Washington on pre-war diplomatic mission?
- Thread starter ArKhan
- Start date
Assuming we get "Charming Hitler" rather than "Lunatic Hitler" (and in the late 30's it would probably be Charming Hitler, but you never know) then it probably goes not that differently from any other minor diplomatic visit. FDR certainly would greet Hitler with the pomp and decorum befitting a fellow head of state, there would be some socialization and maybe a nice speech or two, and within a couple weeks of Hitler heading back to Germany everyone would have more-or-less forgotten about his visit.
Results...
I'd expect that there might be a very few more Americans that lean towards Germany early on, but not enough to make a difference. (Although Hitler would most likely meet with Lindberg--great propaganda victory for Germany.)
After the war, there's some problems. The places Hitler visited, and especially spoke from or stayed at, would become shrines to home-grown neo-nazi's. I think that, unless the buildings he stayed at were of great inportance, they might well end up being razed in the 50's 0r 60's.
I'd expect that there might be a very few more Americans that lean towards Germany early on, but not enough to make a difference. (Although Hitler would most likely meet with Lindberg--great propaganda victory for Germany.)
After the war, there's some problems. The places Hitler visited, and especially spoke from or stayed at, would become shrines to home-grown neo-nazi's. I think that, unless the buildings he stayed at were of great inportance, they might well end up being razed in the 50's 0r 60's.
Eurofed
Banned
You folks are ignoring the most obvious butterfly of all. Hitler gets a realistic lasting impression of American power from the visit, so he vows to himself never to get the Third Reich embroiled in a fight with the USA if he can avoid it. As a result, he never declares war to America in 1941, and gives the KM strictest orders to avoid any provocation whatsoever to US Navy. Maybe Hitler even goes all the way to make an opportunist decalration of war against Japan.
As a result, FDR is deprived of any worthwhile casus belli against Nazi Germany and the USA fight a separate war against Japan. There is never any Operation Torch, the Axis remains entrenched in North Africa after El Alamein, there is never any British invasion of Italy or France, British bombing of Germany is much less effective, Germany has rather more troops to fight on the Russian front in the critical months of late 1942-early 1943 (since Hitler never withdraws them to defend Tunisia and Italy). American Land-Lease to Russia remains within rather limited peacetime 1941 levels, as the Congress is loath to raise it for a politically questionable state that is no ally against Japan. As a result, Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia fight to a stalemate in eastern Ukraine during Winter-Summer 1943, and Hitler and Stalin reluctantly sign a Brest-Litovsk peace in Fall 1943.
As a result, FDR is deprived of any worthwhile casus belli against Nazi Germany and the USA fight a separate war against Japan. There is never any Operation Torch, the Axis remains entrenched in North Africa after El Alamein, there is never any British invasion of Italy or France, British bombing of Germany is much less effective, Germany has rather more troops to fight on the Russian front in the critical months of late 1942-early 1943 (since Hitler never withdraws them to defend Tunisia and Italy). American Land-Lease to Russia remains within rather limited peacetime 1941 levels, as the Congress is loath to raise it for a politically questionable state that is no ally against Japan. As a result, Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia fight to a stalemate in eastern Ukraine during Winter-Summer 1943, and Hitler and Stalin reluctantly sign a Brest-Litovsk peace in Fall 1943.
America! What a prize to gain for the Germanic race!
It could also work the other way 'round. Hitler is impressed by the American potential and the wide open spaces, much friendlier than the Eurasian Steppe. He is also intruiged by the legacy of slavery in the South and the high percentage of Americans of German descent.
He revises his Lebensraum-policies and German strategy turns Oceanic. The Hitler-Stalin-Pact gets widened to incorporate Japan.
On June 22nd, 1941, Soviet armies cross the borders into Afghanistan and Persia while German and Italian forces assault Malta. Shortly afterwards, Turkey joins the Axis.
Hitler receives news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor while on the way to Madrid where he is to meet Franco again.
At that time, the Russians have pushed far into British-India already while German and Italian forces safely control the Mediterranean Sea and most of the Middle East, although there is still fighting in Southern Iraq and Saudi-Arabia.
The Luftwaffe enjoys air superiority over the skies over Europe, with the exception of the British Isles. Still it regularly raids Portsmouth and Scapa Flow and the East of London.
British air attacks on Europe are rare and costly. They cannot hinder the massive German naval buildup...
Franklin D. Roosevelt has done what he could to arm the USA despite isolationsim. But now he is faced with a world where war is forced upon the United States and the only major powers which might be allies are on the verge of collapse. The Chinese are fighting on two fronts after the Sovjet Union has started to secure the Western half of China.
And his intelligence reports warn that Operation Sealion is probably slated for May 1942 - Northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands are full of airfields to host thousands of Sovjet and Italian, maybe also Spanish and French planes. They will be there to assist their navies on Tag T.
It could also work the other way 'round. Hitler is impressed by the American potential and the wide open spaces, much friendlier than the Eurasian Steppe. He is also intruiged by the legacy of slavery in the South and the high percentage of Americans of German descent.
He revises his Lebensraum-policies and German strategy turns Oceanic. The Hitler-Stalin-Pact gets widened to incorporate Japan.
On June 22nd, 1941, Soviet armies cross the borders into Afghanistan and Persia while German and Italian forces assault Malta. Shortly afterwards, Turkey joins the Axis.
Hitler receives news of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor while on the way to Madrid where he is to meet Franco again.
At that time, the Russians have pushed far into British-India already while German and Italian forces safely control the Mediterranean Sea and most of the Middle East, although there is still fighting in Southern Iraq and Saudi-Arabia.
The Luftwaffe enjoys air superiority over the skies over Europe, with the exception of the British Isles. Still it regularly raids Portsmouth and Scapa Flow and the East of London.
British air attacks on Europe are rare and costly. They cannot hinder the massive German naval buildup...
Franklin D. Roosevelt has done what he could to arm the USA despite isolationsim. But now he is faced with a world where war is forced upon the United States and the only major powers which might be allies are on the verge of collapse. The Chinese are fighting on two fronts after the Sovjet Union has started to secure the Western half of China.
And his intelligence reports warn that Operation Sealion is probably slated for May 1942 - Northern France, Belgium and the Netherlands are full of airfields to host thousands of Sovjet and Italian, maybe also Spanish and French planes. They will be there to assist their navies on Tag T.
Faeelin
Banned
Hitler was well aware of American power. His second book was basically devoted to "Oh crap, that continent bestriding colossus is going to dominate the world."
Wages of Destruction has an interesting discussion of how the High Command basically crapped its pants at the thought of the US getting involved.
It would be very hard to convince the Soviets to abandon their claims on the West; Karelia, Bessarabia ,the Baltic States ,bases in Bulgaria and the centuries-old ambition towards the Straits , just in favor of a drive towards the indian Ocean . In reality , the Germans tried to shift the focus of Stalin towards Asia prior to operation Barbarossa and failed miserably .
I know I am very far out there.
I didn't dismiss the Secret Protocol. I just added an Asian map to it.