The Yosemite Supervolcano erupts on September 6, 1914, on the opening of the First Battle of the Marne on the Western Front.
What happens next?
What happens next?
Yellowstone Supervolcano Erupts in September 1914
- Thread starter Dean_the_Young
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Thande
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This seems a bit ASB in origin, but I understand you posting it here if you want a serious consideration.
The question is whether the Yellowstone eruption = "Bad harvests for a few years" or = "AAARGH! THE WORLD IS ENDING!" In particular, would North America be completely devastated, or just a local area? Does anyone know?
This gives me an idea...
The question is whether the Yellowstone eruption = "Bad harvests for a few years" or = "AAARGH! THE WORLD IS ENDING!" In particular, would North America be completely devastated, or just a local area? Does anyone know?
This gives me an idea...
That's correct.
A volcano suddenly erupting amidst the forests of California would be quite firmly in ASB territory.
The lack of US munitions should hinder the Allies (detonator crisis, Russian rifles etc.) in the long run.
Bad weather should hurt the agrarian sector of Germany.
Humanitarian relief efforts might be undertaken by the Europeans; possibly leading to a cease fire to care for the surviving Americans. But this needs a charismatic leader uniting both sides of the Great War in such a noble operation - and I fail to see such a person in Europe.
Bad weather should hurt the agrarian sector of Germany.
Humanitarian relief efforts might be undertaken by the Europeans; possibly leading to a cease fire to care for the surviving Americans. But this needs a charismatic leader uniting both sides of the Great War in such a noble operation - and I fail to see such a person in Europe.
Feck! Meant to be Yellowstone, but was thinking Yosemite. Could a mod fix that, now that the edit limit's passed?
It's a valid POD, as far as I can see - we're about due for an eruption OTL.
With eruptions at roughly 2.1 Mya, 1.3 Mya and .6 Mya, a Yellowstone eruption fits the rough cycle of eruptions.
As for size, to use the outdated VEI scale, the phrase 'supervolcano' implies a VEI of 8, which will do a lot more than knock one country around. Tambora. Krakatoa. Martinique. The eruption that occurred at the beginning of the Dark Ages (AD 535 event). The historical record is full of examples of even relatively small eruptions having a chaotic effect on the world's climate.
However, for a supervolcano's effects on human life, we have to go back to Toba, about 75,000 years ago, for the only known instance. The eruption and ensuing volcanic winter producted a genetic bottleneck, with the human species reduced to perhaps 1,000-5,000 breeding pairs.
A supervolcanic event at the start of WWI would have ended WWI within a year or so, as the sulfur gases might lower the temperature enough to start a new ice age (I've heard an average drop of anywhere between 3-10 Centigrade for this). The population would probably be reduced extremely, on the order of maybe a few hundred thousand surviving after say, 50 years. It would take many generations for the world to recover from such an event.
Sorry if the science is shoddy, I haven't played with this subject and basic scenario for a couple of years.
With eruptions at roughly 2.1 Mya, 1.3 Mya and .6 Mya, a Yellowstone eruption fits the rough cycle of eruptions.
As for size, to use the outdated VEI scale, the phrase 'supervolcano' implies a VEI of 8, which will do a lot more than knock one country around. Tambora. Krakatoa. Martinique. The eruption that occurred at the beginning of the Dark Ages (AD 535 event). The historical record is full of examples of even relatively small eruptions having a chaotic effect on the world's climate.
However, for a supervolcano's effects on human life, we have to go back to Toba, about 75,000 years ago, for the only known instance. The eruption and ensuing volcanic winter producted a genetic bottleneck, with the human species reduced to perhaps 1,000-5,000 breeding pairs.
A supervolcanic event at the start of WWI would have ended WWI within a year or so, as the sulfur gases might lower the temperature enough to start a new ice age (I've heard an average drop of anywhere between 3-10 Centigrade for this). The population would probably be reduced extremely, on the order of maybe a few hundred thousand surviving after say, 50 years. It would take many generations for the world to recover from such an event.
Sorry if the science is shoddy, I haven't played with this subject and basic scenario for a couple of years.
If this happened today. It would be the worst natural disaster in human history, but we have a better understanding of how volcanoes work, than people did in 1914. We also have better technology that would allow us to rescue people trapped in the ash fall zone. In 1914, none of that existed and people couldn't have comprehended even the IDEA of a supervolcano. In 1914 this would be a disaster mythical proportions, an event that would be viewed in the same light as God flooding the world and the Ten Plagues of Egypt.
World War 1 would probally come to a screeching halt as ash and snow pour onto Europe. USA would be devestated and see a depression that would make the Great Depression look wimpy. World economy would be nasty and colonies of Britain, France, and others could look for Indpendence. not sure the effect on Japan but it could take advantage of the situation and expand unless the weather there is affected
Actually, the History Channel has done a special on how every one of the Ten Plagues could have been caused by a volcanic eruption (interestingly enough, I think it's the same volcano that supposedly gave rise to the story of Atlantis.)
But yes, worst natural disaster in history. Forgive me if I'm wrong about the figures, but the death toll would be close to the combined tolls of the World Wars (Anyone know how much that'd be?).
Read the links
there is a BBC Doku Drama called SUPERVULCANO
were a Yellowstone eruption happens and today Mankind scarcely survives.
and 1914 ?
is major extinction event !!!
Pust by wind all was west of Yellowstone DIES in USA
ash, sulfur, Rocks rains from a dark sky
the Ash & water form a concret
also in lungs of Animals and humans who suffocate
to WW1 for the soldier hear rumor wat happen in USA
then week later the Sky Darks Ash and Sulfur
"God is in Rage because of Great War"
then come massiv desertion, people run to churches pray "God to stop it"
but there is no Stop to Rain of Ash and Sulfur
A Vulcanic Winter beginn follow by Acid Rain beginn of new Little Ice Age.
Pic: North America years after the Yellowstone eruption.
alot of Animal and Plant spiecies are extinct
and Mandkind survived ?
yes but fallen on the Middle Ages
with legend of "Mankind hit by rage of GOD"
there is a BBC Doku Drama called SUPERVULCANO
were a Yellowstone eruption happens and today Mankind scarcely survives.
and 1914 ?
is major extinction event !!!
Pust by wind all was west of Yellowstone DIES in USA
ash, sulfur, Rocks rains from a dark sky
the Ash & water form a concret
also in lungs of Animals and humans who suffocate
to WW1 for the soldier hear rumor wat happen in USA
then week later the Sky Darks Ash and Sulfur
"God is in Rage because of Great War"
then come massiv desertion, people run to churches pray "God to stop it"
but there is no Stop to Rain of Ash and Sulfur
A Vulcanic Winter beginn follow by Acid Rain beginn of new Little Ice Age.
Pic: North America years after the Yellowstone eruption.
alot of Animal and Plant spiecies are extinct
and Mandkind survived ?
yes but fallen on the Middle Ages
with legend of "Mankind hit by rage of GOD"
nick012000
Banned
The trenches are filled with bloodstained snow instead of bloodstained mud. The war continues, but ends a bit earlier as economies collapse.
Hendryk
Banned
The unusually harsh winters and crop failures in northern China severely weaken the emerging warlords and comparatively strengthen the hand of the Nationalists, who control the southern provinces of the country. The Warlord Era ends earlier as the Nationalists reunify China on their own terms ahead of schedule, so that Sun Zhongshan gets to actually rule for a few years before dying in 1925. Huang Xing, Sun's former comrade-in-arms, succeeds him as President of the Republic of China. Jiang Jieshi's rise is butterflied away, though he does become a prominent military figure.