In 1944, there were plans for Xianjiang to become a part of the Soviet Union and in 1963 for Bulgaria to become a part. IOTL, this did not occur for several reasons but ITTL it does. How would it change international relations? Would the Red Chinese advance as far in their nuclear programs, how would Turkey respond with the Soviet Union on two borders, would the Soviet Union try to have the Bulgaria SSR regain its pre-World War One borders and have access to the Mediterranean?
What if the proposed peaceful expansions of the Soviet Union did occur?
- Thread starter Musketeer513
- Start date
Xinjiang would have pissed off both the Nationalists and Communists, the Soviets already "stole" Mongolia from China, Jiang just got Xinjiang back after Stalin paid Sheng Shicai back for betraying after Barbarossa by selling him down the river to Jiang. As for the Communists, Stalin's support of Sheng saw one of Mao's brother's Mao Zemin executed by Sheng, as far as Zedong is concerned Zemin did not die so the Soviets could up and take another part of China.
Barry Bull
Donor
While Bulgaria did propose integration with USSR, was there any reason for the Soviets to agree to such proposal?
In the case of Sinkiang, this would really hurt relations with China and the cry "Imperialism! Imperialism!" would echo across the planet.
I wonder if the Soviets did go wild and annex Sinkiang, if they'd also annex Mongolia? The reason Mongolia was allowed the official (but not really de facto) status of an independent country was so that Mongolia didn't absolutely wreck relations with Nationalist China.
And it's true China got a big windfall from the Soviet nuclear facilities in Sinkiang - especially from gaining the Uranium mines there. I don't know enough to say how far China's bomb is delayed though.
fasquardon
I wonder if the Soviets did go wild and annex Sinkiang, if they'd also annex Mongolia? The reason Mongolia was allowed the official (but not really de facto) status of an independent country was so that Mongolia didn't absolutely wreck relations with Nationalist China.
And it's true China got a big windfall from the Soviet nuclear facilities in Sinkiang - especially from gaining the Uranium mines there. I don't know enough to say how far China's bomb is delayed though.
fasquardon
In the book "Mannerheim: President, Soldier, Spy" by Clements, there is a section in there about him being sent into Western China and tag along with a French archeological expedition. It seems quite evident from the writings that the Russians were terribly worried about Chinese expansion even back then (pre-WWI).
It might make sense for the Kazakh majority areas in the north of Sinkiang to be ceded to the Kazakh SSR, but it would make more sense to preserve de jure independence for a Soviet client state there.
A Soviet-backed independent Xinjiang would just become economically integrated with the USSR to the point of becoming a de-facto SSR like Mongolia, without the bad PR of annexing an independent country.
Stalin might've had a much easier time with the Baltic States, for example, if they had been independent (at least on paper) Warsaw Pact allies rather than colonial territories.
Bulgaria has always had a relatively Russophile population, that doesn't mean Bulgarians wanted to become Russians. Sofia never seriously expected Moscow to say yes to the proposal. It was supposed to remain a closed-door, secret offer that would let Sofia kiss up to the CPSU and curry favor with Moscow.
Can you imagine the fury in Bulgaria, let alone the rest of the Warsaw Pact, if they thought they were going to be annexed and Russified. If Poles thought they were the next candidate for newest SSR, the anti-communist opposition would ramp up from protests and strikes of OTL to car-bombs outside the Soviet embassy. Moscow would stumble into a hybrid of the troubles and the Afghan war in the heart of its sphere of influence.
Lusitania
Donor
As indicated before peaceful and voluntary expansion and not what I would of interpret the two scenarios. As shown following the loosening of the Soviet stranglehold on Eastern Europe that all countries threw out the communists ASAP. So while some elite advocated this for their own political gains there was never any real support amongst the population. If they government had allowed people to vote (free) this would not of advanced from the idea stage.
Xinjiang might be imaginable if the Soviet Union thought that it could get away with the annexation.
Bulgaria, though, was much more of a proposal that the Bulgarian leadership tosed out to underline their political Russophilia.
Bulgaria, though, was much more of a proposal that the Bulgarian leadership tosed out to underline their political Russophilia.