If an Anarchist bomber blows up Mussolini at the beginning of July, 1934, what do the ensuing few weeks look like in Italy?
Is the succession smooth or rough? Who is the nominal, or actual, number one in the regime? Balbo? Ciano? Grandi? De Bono? Badoglio? Farinacci?
In the meantime, tension has been brewing between the Austrian Nazis and the "Austro-Fascist" Dolfuss government.
In OTL this broke out into an attempted Austrian Nazi putsch on July 25th that was put down by the 30th. Mussolini's Italy postured forces at the Brenner pass to deter German Nazi intervention.
Will the Italian government, going through it's grieving and succession process, similarly intervene to Germany in the ATL or not?
If it does, will Hitler test their will?
If it does not, does Hitler provide the Austrian Nazis with the aid they need to win?
If the Austrian Nazis take power by August 1934, do the two branches of the party arrange Austro-German Anschluss by December 1934?
If the Italians do nothing and Hitler is emboldened to get involved, would any other countries have the inclination and decisiveness to oppose his move? Here I am thinking of the Austrians themselves, or the Yugoslavs, Hungarians, Czechs or French?
Is the succession smooth or rough? Who is the nominal, or actual, number one in the regime? Balbo? Ciano? Grandi? De Bono? Badoglio? Farinacci?
In the meantime, tension has been brewing between the Austrian Nazis and the "Austro-Fascist" Dolfuss government.
In OTL this broke out into an attempted Austrian Nazi putsch on July 25th that was put down by the 30th. Mussolini's Italy postured forces at the Brenner pass to deter German Nazi intervention.
Will the Italian government, going through it's grieving and succession process, similarly intervene to Germany in the ATL or not?
If it does, will Hitler test their will?
If it does not, does Hitler provide the Austrian Nazis with the aid they need to win?
If the Austrian Nazis take power by August 1934, do the two branches of the party arrange Austro-German Anschluss by December 1934?
If the Italians do nothing and Hitler is emboldened to get involved, would any other countries have the inclination and decisiveness to oppose his move? Here I am thinking of the Austrians themselves, or the Yugoslavs, Hungarians, Czechs or French?