WI: Georg Elser succeeds

[lerk]

Suppose Elser succeeded, and in doing so, kills Hitler, Goebbles, and Goering. What would happen next? My belief is that Himmler would take control as he was one of the most powerful people in Nazi Germany and could outmaneuver any potential opponents, though I'd like to hear of other, more creative successors. I don't know if it'll impact the war too much as most of the German war leadership remains alive, but they'll be a definite change nevertheless, though I'm not well tuned on Nazi military history to really say how. What do you think?

 

[Creekmench]

Well, one issue is that Himmler was at the bombing site according to Wikipedia while Goering wasn't, and in 1939 the SS did not have the numbers to take direct power unless Himmler could neutralize Goering and bring the wehrmacht onside. Given his competence as head of the Army Group Vistula, and ideologically fanaticism, I'd think he'd strike east without looking west, and given no loot from france plus soviet inexpence and the fact that he'd sucked at commanding troops in OTL. I'd estimate it would look like iran-iraq on northern european plain.

 

[History Learner]

The Anglo-French viewed Goering as a moderate and his efforts in August of 1939 to avoid war were known; I wonder if they could cut a deal with him in terms of restoring the corridor along with Danzig to Germany in exchange for the rest of Poland being evacuated. From there, you could see an Anglo-French-German entente against the Soviets, pressuring them to also withdraw from the Kresy.

Failing all of that, assuming 1940 goes the same I think it is very likely the Fall of France could trigger a peace deal between the UK and Germany.