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Having studied World War II for nearly a quarter of a century now, I find questions like this always interesting to answer and people are often surprised to learn that the world where Nazi Germany won the Second World War wouldn’t be too far off from the one we know today, at least in theory.
To better understand, take a large rock and row to the middle of a lake, then drop the rock over the side. Where the rock hits the water is a very noticeable splash and a crest, however as the wave moves farther out, it gets smaller and by the time it reaches shore it is almost non-existent. Such is the same with Nazi Germany winning World War II in 1945…by 2016, the effects of this would not be as great, compared to the world we know today.
The alternate world of 2016
In reference to the above map, take each continent.
EUROPE
The aim of Nazi Germany’s territorial expansion was the concept of Lebensraum (“Living Space”) with Hitler’s stated goal being for Nazi Europe to extend to the Ural mountains. In a world where Nazi Germany wins, Hitler’s armies have achieved this aim. The territories of the east are now “Reich Commissions” under the direct control of the Nazi government in Europe. Life in the east would be harsh for the locals who would exist under ruthless Nazi rule, racial policies, and extermination directives. Comparing this to Soviet Russia it would have been worse, but not by that much.
Great Britain of course has fallen, but Hitler had no desire to annex this country since he felt the British people were equal to the Germans in terms of superiority. A Fascist England, led by an extremely subservient pro-Nazi government would most likely have come to power to enforce Nazi rule.
British Fascist storm trooper uniforms
Poland as a state ceases to exist, as do the smaller countries of Liechtenstein and Luxembourg. Germany’s allies Finland, Romania, and Bulgaria would survive and be rewarded with territory and “protection” as long as they remained client states to Nazi Germany. Hungary would most likely have been occupied and annexed, given that country’s lukewarm reception to the Nazis to begin with. Norway would also have remained under direct Nazi control given that country’s desirable natural resources and access to the North Sea.
Yugoslavia would be annexed by both Germany and Italy and it is likely that Greece would have been taken over by Italy as well as part of a new Italian Empire. Thus by 2016 the Balkans crisis and genocides of the modern age might not have occurred, but Nazi racial policy would have killed just as many victims.
Slobodan Milosevic, Nazi governor of the Reich Commission of Yugoslavia
Vichy France controls West Africa and has been allowed to continue to exist as a vassal state under Nazi control in Europe. The fate of the Low Countries and Denmark is hard to determine. Many in the Nazi government saw occupation of these countries as temporary, but Hitler wanted full annexation. The more likely outcome by 2016 is a type of confederation, possible called “Burgundia” (a name Heinrich Himmler suggested) which exists as a Nazi protectorate.
Spain, Portugal, and Switzerland as neutral countries would have remained untouched; however, the Nazi government controls the Straits of Gibraltar and strict access to the Mediterranean Sea.
THE MIDDLE EAST
At Europe’s frontiers lies Turkey untouched, having been neutral during the war. Saudi Arabia, receptive towards Nazi Germany’s anti-Jewish policies and her authoritarian ways, dominates the Middle East and controls all oil in an Israeli-free world. There is no Islamic radicalism as we see today, the Iranian revolution never took place in Persia (Iran), while Iraq and Syria are controlled by the Saudis in a fundamentalist Caliphate-type government confederation with little freedom.
Saudi King and his Princes - firm supporters of Nazi Germany
AFRICA
North and Central Africa have become colonies of Nazi Germany, Italy, and Vichy France. The decolonization movements of the 1960s were stamped out and local natives live under oppression. It has been speculated that the Nazis would have attempted to exterminate blacks in Africa, but racial policy classified these persons as animals rather than sub-human. Thus, more likely, would have been an apartheid-type system, in which South Africa would have been a strong ally of Nazi Germany.
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
A weak Russia exists but the Soviet Union collapsed when they surrendered to Nazi Germany. Stalin and his henchmen were arrested as traitors and a second Russian Revolution took place to purge the hard-line communists who had lost the war. What exists today is a pseudo-democratic nation with questionable politics much like we see in the real world. The communist Chinese also took over just as we know today, however there was no Korean or Vietnam War as Russia never moved in to the region to establish communism.
Vladimir Putin still is President of Russia in the alternate reality of 2016.
Japan has still lost the war and exists as we know today. Atomic bombs were still dropped, the Philippines liberated, Indonesia and Malaysia restored, and American forces have a strong Pacific presence. The British empire survives in Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, while some Vichy France colonies continue to exist in the South Pacific.
NORTH AMERICA
Nazi Germany in fact never intended to invade America and would have had a very hard time doing so in any event. Thus, America survives and is locked into a Cold War except with Nazi Germany instead of the Soviet Union. Canada, where the United Kingdom government relocated after the fall of Britain, is the new heart of the British Commonwealth.
Winston Churchill who died in Canada in 1959
Of interest is that it is highly likely that during the 1970s and 80s, after the death of Hitler and the top World War II Nazis, something very similar to de-Stalinization would have took place in Nazi Germany and perhaps brought about better relations with the US. The Nazi leaders of the 1990s may perhaps have admitted to the Holocaust as well as offered reparations for the victims. Going into the 2000s would have perhaps seen a Gorbachev-like Nazi leader, seeking better relations with the United States, and a Nazi version of perestroika.
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA
Very little change here from what we know, except that Nazi Germany has occupied Cuba to have a western hemisphere base of operations. South American governments, with perhaps the exception of Brazil, are receptive to the Nazis having similar authoritarian-type governments.
South American dictators, in both the normal world and alternate reality of 2016 Nazi Germany, tend to dress and act the same
ANTARCTICA AND THE MOON
Unlike the world of today, where Antarctica is off-limits to military activities, both Nazi Germany and America would most likely have established military bases there. Other Antarctica territorial claims, as we see today from Chile and New Zealand, would probably also exist.
Nazi Germany and America would both have reached the moon, but the establishment of permanent bases there would still be several decades away, even with the enhanced technology of Nazi Germany’s weapons program.
The Nazi flag is planted on the Moon
A world where a Nazi Germany exists in 2016 would certainly be different to what we know today and there would definitely have been high death tolls in the 1950s and 60s as the Nazis finished their racial programs and extermination of populations. But we also have no Korean or Vietnam war and little strife in the Middle East with Al Qaeda and ISIS non-existent. Time perhaps has a way of leveling itself out as the ripples in the pond are barely noticeable the more time passes. But, I still prefer the world we live in today. |
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