Post by futurist on Sept 24, 2016 21:33:29 GMT
Apologies for the confusing title; however, there is unfortunately a lack of space here. 
Anyway, though, here is my scenario here:
Germany quickly wins World War I in the West in 1914 due to the French unwillingly "playing along to their own demise" 1940-style. Afterwards, Germany goes all out in the East and, after seeing that defeating the Russians is easier than expected, decides to get greedy--thus successfully acquiring Brest-Litovsk-style territorial gains in the East after it defeats Russia.
After its victory in World War I, Germany annexes the Polish Border Strip and expels the 2-3 million ethnic Poles and Jews who live there. Also, Germany creates German puppet states in Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine in this scenario (as well as acquiring both Latvia and Estonia).
However, Germany realizes that, in the long-run, its dominant position in Eastern Europe could be extremely precarious if Poland eventually successfully breaks away from the German orbit (say, due to a Polish nationalist revolution) and allies with a resurgent Russia against Germany (in order to acquire the Polish Border Strip and very likely both Posen Province, the Polish Corridor, and Upper Silesia as well). Thus, to reduce this risk, Germany decides to have Poland (which is currently a German puppet state) annex all of the Polish-majority parts of the Russian Empire (including a Polish-majority strip which stretches all of the way up north to Vilnius and Dynaburg/Daugavpils) as well as to have Poland annex both Latvia and Estonia (which, from a historical perspective, isn't that far-fetched considering that most of these territories were previously a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth).
In this TL, the German mentality is this: If Poland eventually successfully breaks away from the German orbit, Poland is less likely to ally with Russia against Germany. After all, in such a scenario, the Poles might very well be grateful to Germany for previously allowing them to annex both Latvia and Estonia; plus, in such a scenario, the Poles and the Russians might have differing views on the future of both Latvia and Estonia--thus making a Polish-Russian alliance (against Germany, of course) less likely than it would have otherwise been. Plus, in such a scenario, at least some of the ethnic Poles and Jews who were expelled from the Polish Border Strip would be able to settle in Latvia and/or Estonia--thus resulting in less overpopulation problems in other parts of Poland. In addition to this, another plus for Poland in this TL is that Poland would get a corridor to the sea--specifically through Latvia and Estonia and going through Vilnius.
Anyway, how exactly would such a proposal have worked out in this TL? Also, what exactly would have been the consequences of such a proposal actually being implemented in the years and decades afterwards?
Any thoughts on this?
Anyway, though, here is my scenario here:
Germany quickly wins World War I in the West in 1914 due to the French unwillingly "playing along to their own demise" 1940-style. Afterwards, Germany goes all out in the East and, after seeing that defeating the Russians is easier than expected, decides to get greedy--thus successfully acquiring Brest-Litovsk-style territorial gains in the East after it defeats Russia.
After its victory in World War I, Germany annexes the Polish Border Strip and expels the 2-3 million ethnic Poles and Jews who live there. Also, Germany creates German puppet states in Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine in this scenario (as well as acquiring both Latvia and Estonia).
However, Germany realizes that, in the long-run, its dominant position in Eastern Europe could be extremely precarious if Poland eventually successfully breaks away from the German orbit (say, due to a Polish nationalist revolution) and allies with a resurgent Russia against Germany (in order to acquire the Polish Border Strip and very likely both Posen Province, the Polish Corridor, and Upper Silesia as well). Thus, to reduce this risk, Germany decides to have Poland (which is currently a German puppet state) annex all of the Polish-majority parts of the Russian Empire (including a Polish-majority strip which stretches all of the way up north to Vilnius and Dynaburg/Daugavpils) as well as to have Poland annex both Latvia and Estonia (which, from a historical perspective, isn't that far-fetched considering that most of these territories were previously a part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth).
In this TL, the German mentality is this: If Poland eventually successfully breaks away from the German orbit, Poland is less likely to ally with Russia against Germany. After all, in such a scenario, the Poles might very well be grateful to Germany for previously allowing them to annex both Latvia and Estonia; plus, in such a scenario, the Poles and the Russians might have differing views on the future of both Latvia and Estonia--thus making a Polish-Russian alliance (against Germany, of course) less likely than it would have otherwise been. Plus, in such a scenario, at least some of the ethnic Poles and Jews who were expelled from the Polish Border Strip would be able to settle in Latvia and/or Estonia--thus resulting in less overpopulation problems in other parts of Poland. In addition to this, another plus for Poland in this TL is that Poland would get a corridor to the sea--specifically through Latvia and Estonia and going through Vilnius.
Anyway, how exactly would such a proposal have worked out in this TL? Also, what exactly would have been the consequences of such a proposal actually being implemented in the years and decades afterwards?
Any thoughts on this?
