On this day in 1944 Ernst Thälmann was executed by the Nazis after over a decade in solitary confinement. The Nazis blamed Allied bombing due to his popularity and it is unclear whether they were motivated by score settling or fears of him taking power post-war. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfO6...

Closing Scene of "Ernst Thälmann – Führer Seiner Klasse" + "Thälmannlied"

YouTube video by Cortex Radio

youtube.com

09/08/45 The world changes forever with the Soviet invasion of Manchuria (North East China). This operation simultaneously ended the reign of the last Emperor of China, Puyi, ended #ww2 by leading to Japanese surrender and established a base for the #CCP to win the reignited Chinese Civil War.

#OtD 6 Aug 1945 the US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, slaughtering tens of thousands of civilians, despite believing that Japan was about to surrender, which was noted by multiple US officials stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/1059...

#booksky #ww2 What if the Second World War never ended? www.sealionpress.co.uk/product-page...

"Sea Soul" A Northern Fleet sailor feeds a seagull. 1944. Photo by Robert Diament

Turning points of #WW2 should always be taken with a pinch of salt but one which has emerged in historiography over recent years is the Battle of #Smolensk which by some accounts ended 85 years ago today on the 31st of July, 1941

Today marks the 83rd anniversary of his own #Fascist Grand Council voting to strip powers from Benito Mussolini. This signalled the collapse of Fascism in #Italy. The following day Mussolini would be arrested. 1/19

#OtD 19 Jul 1936 after a right-wing coup by General Franco, workers across Spain took up arms and launched a social revolution. The ensuing civil war pitted the working class against Spanish capitalists, German Nazis and Italian fascists. More in our pod: workingclasshistory.com/2020/06/17/e...

Today marks the 102nd anniversary of the Roter Frontkämpferbund in #Germany which would defend the working class from SA and other reactionary paramilitaries. It had 130,000 members when banned following the Bloody May massacre by #Berlin police. Many continued resisting Nazism #Communism #Antifa

@hynesbooks.bsky.social is eight #alternatehistory articles in to a series on the Fall of France in #WW2 and the many #whatif that could have happened - get caught up from the start of Dreams Of The Dark Years here! www.sealionpress.co.uk/post/dreams-...

Dreams from the Dark Years: Aperitif

By Paul Hynes.Here’s a question for you, did France win or lose the Second World War?If you are from an American or British background you would probably say they lost it. They surrendered, after all....

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Today marks the 90th anniversary of the Spanish Civil War. A total of 549 Scots volunteered to fight in Spain. Proportionally more Scots volunteered than from any other country. We still have a lot of work to do in Scotland to tackle fascism, racism, and all forms of discrimination.

The flag of #France following a successful reactionary coup in 1934. As a state it shares some similarities with #Vichy however it has a strong anti-German identity and closer ties to #Italy. Flag has the old monarchist colours with the Cross of Lorraine. www.sealionpress.co.uk/product-page...

Present day #Japan from Decisive Darkness #alternatehistory www.deviantart.com/bolshiekiwi/...

Koenigsberg Castle by Artur Dobrovolskii

The flag of the Deutsche Arbeiter Republik (German Workers' Republic) in the Red Fuhrer #alternatehistory #socialism #communism #germany

Currently working on the third installment of the Red Fuhrer series where East Prussia has become the last redoubt of the Weimar Republic. A sort of Baltic Taiwan. Was interested to find what is now Kaliningrad South station was rebuilt in 1929 in Modernist style. A relic of an old world.

New: Paul Hynes' series on the #WhatIf moments before and during #WW2 continues with the controversial #British attack on the #French fleet at #MersElKebir after #France 's armistice with #NaziGermany. #VichyFrance #BattleOfBritain #History #Navy #Algeria www.sealionpress.co.uk/post/dream-f...

Dream From The Dark Years: Mers-el-Kébir

By Paul Hynes.The 3rd of July 1940 had been intended to be a pleasant day for the sailors of Force de Raid (Raiding Force). Based at Mers-el-Kébir harbour beside Oran on the coast of Algeria, the squa...

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