The Russian Orthodox Church without WW2.

[Creekmench]

Hello all. I have a question. Let's assume there isn't a Second World War for whatever reason ranging from the Weimar Republic surviving to the Nazis stopping after Munich. Without the Eastern Front forcing the Soviet government to reconcile with the Moscow Patriarchate. This led to the reopening various seminaries, monasteries, and churches for a short time. However, without the rampaging Nazi hordes does Stalin reconcile with them? Do the Soviets continue with their "Living Church" policies? If so, I could see a form of de-Stalinization trying to co-opt the Patriarchate if the post-Stalin leadership was so inclined.

 

[Alex Richards]

I suspect that the Church would still be heavily sidelined. It may well be that it takes a later generation of reformers- the Gorbachev's of this world for example, to allow religion back into the nation.

 

[Creekmench]

I could see an Soviet reformer reconciling with the church like the current Chinese government does with Confucianism, I know a Soviet reform program would need to be radically different from the Chinese one. I can't see a reformer backing a revival of Russian nationalism or Pan-Slavism even without the losses of Barbarossa, maybe they would adapt a form of Eurasianism as their ideology?

 

[Alex Richards]

I've suddenly realised that in this situation the Soviet Union probably doesn't have the Baltic States, Eastern Poland or Bessarabia, and may not even have Karelia depending on if they've gone to war with Finland or not. That's going to have some interesting effects on ideological leanings.

 

[Creekmench]

I've suddenly realised that in this situation the Soviet Union probably doesn't have the Baltic States, Eastern Poland or Bessarabia, and may not even have Karelia depending on if they've gone to war with Finland or not. That's going to have some interesting effects on ideological leanings.

I mean if the eastern front never happened perhaps Soviet policies would be more flexible or maybe it will turn into a military state sooner because of the lack of a European buffer? Perhaps without the Kresy they would use more pan-Slavism or something like that?

 

[Alex Richards]

I mean if the eastern front never happened perhaps Soviet policies would be more flexible or maybe it will turn into a military state sooner because of the lack of a European buffer? Perhaps without the Kresy they would use more pan-Slavism or something like that?

Chances of a military takeover will be muted by Stalin probably purging the leadership again if there's even a hint of it.

 

[Creekmench]

Chances of a military takeover will be muted by Stalin probably purging the leadership again if there's even a hint of it.

True, I was thinking without the ravages of Operation Barbarossa the Soviets would spend a bit less on their military, but without the pact and the gaining of those lands would it really change?