During the late spring it 1945, Western Allies and Soviets raced to capture Nazi targets in Northern Germany, especially the Baltic Pirts of Rostock and Wismar Because WALLIED commanders feared that soviets would continuously advancing into Denmark. Control of the Danish Straits would give Soviets control of the Baltic and easier access for Soviet ships entering the North Atlantic,
WI soviet troops reached Wismar and Rostock first?
- Thread starter riggerrob
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Marc
Donor
That is an interesting supposing. If you contemplate it, a Soviet occupation of Denmark would have major consequences for the upcoming Cold War.
Its also a dead give-away that you are planing/want round three with GB/USA.....I think they withdraw after a week or two or the cold war heats up much faster than OTL?
Was not everything already agreed beforehand at Yalta etc
The Allies stopped advancing once they reached the demarcation lines and where that was not the case one side or the other retreated accordingly
For example Bornholm held out hoping for a Western allied force to which it could surrender too - it actually asked for a single British soldier at one point
It was eventually invaded by the Soviets and surrendered on the 9th of May
The Soviets withdrew in April 1946.
I do not see this POD resulting in a different outcome?
So they reach Wismar, they still have Lübeck in the way. Also, if the German high command see that the Red army is storming towards Denmark i guess they defend Bremen and Hamburg a bit less and move troops from fighting the western allies to the Red army
OTL According to the Yalta Agreements, Rostock and Wismar were east of the demarcation line, so Canadian paratroopers and British Churchill tanks over-stepped the demarcation line. They held Wismar until the rest of the British Army caught up to them. Once British troops secured Hamburg and Denmark, Brits retreated west to the demarcation line.
I believe the British didn't evacuate Wismar until July 1, when US troops also evacuated their Thuringian and Saxon occupied areas (as far east as Leipzig).
How would the Soviets justify imposing a communist government in Denmark? Argue the democratic government were a bunch of "crypto-fascists", using their actions during the initial phase of the German occupation?
Branding Danes as “Porto-fascists” would require some hard work by the Soviet propaganda ministry.
OTL Consider that the DNSAP (fascist) best showing was 2.1 percent in a national election.
The Danish, King, parliament and industry grudgingly cooperated with Germany while under German “protection.”
The majority of the 6,000 Danes who volunteered for the SS were from the German-speaking minority living in Denmark. The Danish Legion only fought on the Eastern Front, but was soon disbanded. Most Danish citizens were openly hostile towards SS Legion volunteers when they came home on leave.
Marc
Donor
Off the top of my head this evening: They don't have to impose a communist government, just get Denmark into the Finland/Austria class of neutrals - that essentially cedes them control of the Baltic, and more influence over the Swedes, etc. And given Denmark's prior decades of strict neutrality, actually plausible.