Alternate History Idea - Hitler dies in early 1936 - then what?

[exalted]

Originally Posted by gruundehn

Bear in mind that the purges were based upon contact with the Germans and might not have happened. Granted that is a low probability given Stalin's paranoia but it is possible. Also remember that the Soviet cavalry arm was hit least hardest in reality so it is possible that if different victims were chosen at the start one or more of the other arms could have deflected the purge from themselves. So the purges could have been less extensive and Stalin might even have been overthrown, which was the real reason behind the purges - Stalin's fear of the military taking power away from him.

As I understand it the purges only used German spying as a reason to kill of people that where inconvineint and by 36' while the military purges wherent really at full speed yet the great purge has already been ongoing for a year or two.

At the same time an overthrowal scenario would be interesting but would likely change history to where it was unrecognizable within a few years.