japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 I'm working on a scenario and need to know of the following countries in 1939/1940... Did they lean more towards supporting the Axis or the Allies? Baltic States Bulgaria Denmark Greece Hungary Norway Iraq Portugal Romania Sweden Yugoslavia Thanks for the help! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Originally posted by japinard: I'm working on a scenario and need to know of the following countries in 1939/1940... Did they lean more towards supporting the Axis or the Allies? Baltic States Bulgaria Denmark Greece Hungary Norway Iraq Portugal Romania Sweden Yugoslavia Thanks for the help! That's gonna be one BIG scenario... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 I've already determined the following (non-superpowers): Canada - Allies Finland - Axis Hungary - Axis Ireland - Allies Belgium - Allies Netherlands - Allies Poland - Allies Romania - Axis Spain - Axis Switzerland - Axis Turkey - Axis Note: I Know many of these were neutral, but I'm loking at their helpful tendancies (like Switzerland helping the Germans more than the Allies even though neutral). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Michael Dorosh - that's the plan. Can you give me some historical advice? I realize there's 2 schools of thought on many of these countries. People's support vs. actual government stance, but I think I'm leaning towards the government stance. For instance Switzerland claimed neutrality, but they obviously greatly aided the Axis. Spanish people may have hated the Axis, but still the Spanish government supported Germany. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.E.B Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Hi all Baltic States - annexed by USSR so Axis 39/40 Sweden - Axis Iraq - Axis Regards A.E.B 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.E.B Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Hi all Also Bulgaria - Axis Greece - Allies Yugoslavia - (King - Axis) (Army {Serbs} - Allies) Denmark - Neutral Portugal - Neutral Norway - Allies Regards A.E.B 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Excellent. Thank you AEB! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Romania were pro-Axis but not by choice. There is info on some of these at my website at http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland - go to Eastern Front Info, and then "who's who" EDIT - direct link: http://members.shaw.ca/grossdeutschland/players.htm 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 OK here's a tough question. If Germany had not attacked Russia - do you think Russia would have been an Allied partner? Denmark - I'm going to guess they would have had Allied inclination after seeing their colleages overrun (Netherlands & Belgium)? Sheesh - just read that site. The Netherlands had more SS volunteers than any other non-German country?! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Am I reading that correctly?! [ January 22, 2004, 01:11 AM: Message edited by: japinard ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingfish Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Originally posted by japinard: Denmark - I'm going to guess they would have had Allied inclination after seeing their colleages overrun (Netherlands & Belgium)? I'm going to guess they would have tried their best Switzerland impersonation. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 I know Denmark and Portugal were neutral. But what side do you think they may have leaned towards if FORCED to make a choice? Totally subjective of course - no right or wrong here. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 In 1939/40 most of those countries were neither pro-Axis or pro-Allied to any marked degree. Mostly they just wanted to be left the **** alone. Due to circumstances and the flow of history they were all drawn in on one side or the other (and frequently both), much against their wills. For instance, Hungary and Rumania would have much preferred to fight each other than be allied against the USSR. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Originally posted by japinard: Sheesh - just read that site. The Netherlands had more SS volunteers than any other non-German country?! Am I reading that correctly?! They were reactionary in their politics. Still are. Did you read the discussion of drug laws in the netherlands in the General Forum not too long ago? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Originally posted by japinard: OK here's a tough question. If Germany had not attacked Russia - do you think Russia would have been an Allied partner?At the time Germany attacked the USSR (not just Russia alone), it was doing its best to help Germany beat the Allies, although it was Stalin's fondest hope that they would mutually annihilate. Denmark - I'm going to guess they would have had Allied inclination after seeing their colleages overrun (Netherlands & Belgium)?Uh, Demark was occupied by Germany a month before it attacked the Low Countries. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Dorosh I missed that, but would love to read it. Can you post a link to it for me? Emrys - I totally undertstand they wanted to be left alone and didn't want to take a sides. Heck, much of the U.S. didn't want to take sides until we were forced to by the Japanese. But I'm looking at how the neutral countries prospered by supporting one slightly more than another. Once again, though the Swiss cried neutrality, they profited immenseley by laundering stolen German gold. So once again, it's just "what-if's" and fictional with a historical slant. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abteilung Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Just because the thread is speaking about Axis minors, I had to throw in a plug for Siam / Indochina (sp?) / Vietnam. They were Axis, iirc. On a side note, I didn't actually do the research to find this out until I saw the movie "We Were Soldiers" and noticed an MG.34. This was intentional, apparently and a direct result of being an Axis power. Heh. Kind of went a long way to explaining the events in the years that followed. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Hehe, I think I missed Danish History 101 They were annexed I presume? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Dorosh Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Originally posted by Abteilung: Just because the thread is speaking about Axis minors, I had to throw in a plug for Siam / Indochina (sp?) / Vietnam. They were Axis, iirc. On a side note, I didn't actually do the research to find this out until I saw the movie "We Were Soldiers" and noticed an MG.34. This was intentional, apparently and a direct result of being an Axis power. Heh. Kind of went a long way to explaining the events in the years that followed. China received military aid in the inter-war period; Chinese soldiers in WW II could be seen with coal-scuttle helmets and Mauser small arms. MG34 would not be a stretch for them. I thought Indochina was under French administration (which after 1940 would have been allied with Germany). I recall seeing a 60 Minutes piece in the early 80s about the Chinese Army - they had a huge military and I believe they showed a parade of a reserve unit with PaK 40 75mm anti-tank guns.... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Originally posted by japinard: Hehe, I think I missed Danish History 101 They were annexed I presume? I think a couple of the southern provinces were. I don't recall exactly what Hitler planned for the rest of the country, but I'd guess that betting it too would eventually be annexed would not be too risky. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Dorosh - why would the Chinese have PAK 40's? Captured guns - or was part of the Chinese country Axis affiliated? Seems strange since their arch-nemesis was Japan... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Originally posted by Abteilung: Just because the thread is speaking about Axis minors, I had to throw in a plug for Siam / Indochina (sp?) / Vietnam. They were Axis, iirc.Practically speaking you are right. The French continued to administer the country (which included present-day Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam) as long as Vichy existed. After Vichy was occupied by the Germans, the status of the country became more problematical. The Japanese took over more and more control of the country, but they never imprisoned the French or disarmed them. French soldiers continued to fight the guerillas, which were mostly but not entirely communist. The guerillas fought both the Japanese and the French. They received training and some support from the Communist Chinese, and during the last months of the war a little aid from the Americans. It was a complicated story. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 I'ev got 2 more to decide on: Portugal and Yugoslavia. Right now I'm leaning on Portugal pro-Axis and Yuogslavia pro-Allied. Although I realize Yugoslavia contains 2 opposing and polarized constituents. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A.E.B Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Hi all I think the only way to determine if minor nations were Axis, Allied or Neutral in their leaning is..... 1. Who did they support diplomatically? 2. What were their trade arrangements? 3. Did more members of the population choose to join one side or the other? 4. Did they ally with one side or were they invaded. Most European nations in 1939/40 had both Fascist and Communist movements - Britain had Mosley for example. The difference is how much influence they had. To use Norway as an example, it had Quisling and an active Nazi movement that furnished the SS with many recruits. Yet the government tended towards the allies (though both the Allies and the Axis seem intend on intervention), and many Norwegians either escaped and joined the allies or fought as a resistance movement. Difficult to decide who were the friends of whom: aka Free French (Allies) and Vichy (Axis). Regards A.E.B 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abteilung Posted January 22, 2004 Share Posted January 22, 2004 Originally posted by japinard: Dorosh - why would the Chinese have PAK 40's? Captured guns - or was part of the Chinese country Axis affiliated? Seems strange since their arch-nemesis was Japan... Any weapon can be useful even today, if employed properly. Even a Marmon-Harrington *chuckle*...armored car can be a deadly force. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
japinard Posted January 22, 2004 Author Share Posted January 22, 2004 Hehe "Marmon-Harrington" The interesting thing I'm coming to realize here(beyond my previous understanding of WWII history) is many countries would not have supported Germany as actively (or at all) if they hadn't hated/feared the USSR communist effort so much. If the USSR had remained an Axis "neutral" maybe British and American soldiers would have been fighting alongside Romanians, Hungarians, and Finns... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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