Hitler decides to remove the Pope

[SolomonW]

Say the Hitler decided that the Pope has to go, what would he do?

1) 1940
2) 1942
3) 1944

[Geoffrey Sinclair]

Post by SolomonW
Say the Hitler decided that the Pope has to go, what would he do?
1) 1940
2) 1942
3) 1944

Hopefully this helps prove the moderation system is working again.

A major obstacle to any overt action against the Pope is
the Italian government of Mussolini, until it falls removing
the Pope has to be in a way approved by Italy. Remember
to an extent the Italian government is the protector of the
Pope and Vatican.

Add Catholic France and parts of Germany as groups
that need to be persuaded.

And given the tradition of staying in office until death there
is the problem of what removal means, then comes how
cardinals can meet to select a new Pope.

So until September 1943 any removal would need to be
covert or have some remarkably convincing evidence,
that would work well across axis controlled Europe. After
then the options widen, Hitler had fewer constraints. So
an overt act like marching into the Vatican and arresting
the Pope become much more possible.

Given the backlash any move against the Pope should
generate you would expect Hitler would need a good reason
to do it, hence some sort of evidence against the Pope himself.

Geoffrey Sinclair
Remove the nb for email.

[Les]

Post by SolomonW
Say the Hitler decided that the Pope has to go, what would he do?

Why remove the Pope at all? This would alienate the Catholics
worldwide, to say the least, including significant portions of
France, the US, Germany, and Italy.

Post by SolomonW
1) 1940

He doesn't have the time or resources to keep tabs on the Catholic
populations. Early 1940, he is spent on taking out France, late
1940, he is just "two weeks away" from conquering the UK.

Post by SolomonW
2) 1942

He has even less time to deal with the Catholics. His armies are
advancing at a superb rate, and are about to take yet another city
renamed after Stalin.

Post by SolomonW
3) 1944

Why not? It is not as though it can make things all that worse
for him.

[Don Phillipson]

Post by SolomonW
Say the Hitler decided that the Pope has to go, what would he do?

We first need a reason for Hitler (1) to alter the modus vivendi so
carefully negotiated between the Nazi state and the RC church,
(2) to tinker with the beliefs of millions of non-German subject
peoples (French, Italian, etc.) What would be the advantage of
usurping the Pope over bypassing him whenever convenient?