What it says on the tin. When (Between January 28th, 1871 and June 28th, 1914) could the European Great Powers have gone to war with each other? What would cause the war and who would win?
Do it! Then make it a big coalition mess somehow, instead of just a replay of the Franco-Prussian steamroll! You know we want it. [Well, I want it. and that's enough ]It could've started as far back as 1875 with the War-In-Sight Crisis
Not without some powerful ally, geographically/strategically the Austrians held the high ground.Italy attacks austria?
I think an interesting question would also be if there wouldn't have been the crisis of the summer of 1914 - I guess there must be several timelines about such a situation. My guess is that there would have been a some kind of of general conflict but maybe not at all like what we had iotl. But yeah, there were several crisis before 1914 that could have spiralled out of control - Fashoda would have been a fascinating starting point. Or would the other great powers just have stayed out?
The Dogger Bank incident where a ship from the Russian Navy thought that British fishing boats were Japanese torpedo boats.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agadir_Crisis would be a different spin on things, I've always felt.
more probably the contrary, maybe after the Messina Earthquake in 1908 as Conrad proposedItaly attacks austria?
more probably the contrary, maybe after the Messina Earthquake in 1908 as Conrad proposed
How would that expand beyond Britain, Japan, and Russia?The Dogger Bank incident where a ship from the Russian Navy thought that British fishing boats were Japanese torpedo boats.
How did what should have been a border dispute between Austria-Hungary and Serbia turn into an all out global conflict? Interlocking alliances, everyone declaring war on everyone else, opportunism because someone decided that it was a great excuse to do what they wanted to do anyway. A dispute between two of the largest land empires in world history could have spiraled just as easily.How would that expand beyond Britain, Japan, and Russia?
It's always easier to attribute something to sheer stupidity, than to explain away actual maliceDogger Bank Incident might escalate as Anglo-Russian War but it hardly can become the Great War since France is not going to fight for Russia against Brits. Their deals were targetted against Germany and France wanted closer realtions with Britain.
And I am not sure if Dogger Bank Incident can even easily escalate as Anglo-Russian War either. Russians probablyw oudl do everything to keep Brits out.
How did what should have been a border dispute between Austria-Hungary and Serbia turn into an all out global conflict? Interlocking alliances, everyone declaring war on everyone else, opportunism because someone decided that it was a great excuse to do what they wanted to do anyway. A dispute between two of the largest land empires in world history could have spiraled just as easily.
What's the endgame of such a dastardly Austro-Hungarian attack? How long will Austria-Hungary go on attacking Italy despite German pleas for peace? Will A-H be beating the Italian fleet and sinking much of it, or will the odds be even? I can't imagine A-H wants to absorb too much Italian territory, maybe just more strategic high ground and passes along the border? Do they compel the Italians to cede Somalia and Eritrea, worthless as they may be, as a mark of defeat, that doesn't add to A-H's Italian population? Or might Abyssinia opportunistically declare itself an Austro-Hungarian ally and try to take Eritrea or part of it for itself?This way this seems more likely. But I can't see this beginning the Great War. Hard to imaginate that anyone would run to help Italy. And Germany hardly is willingful turn against A-H. And Italy too was ally. So Germany probably try get peace between them.
But likely not WW1 as we know it - the time and context might have been slightly or even much different, the personalities involved would not be identical, the various domestic situations would have been different etc. There would have been a score of potential butterflies. I don't think that history is that predetermined - was it Tolstoy who said that Napoleon was totally irrelevant to the era of Napoleonic wars? I do disagree quite strongly.Some another crisis probably would had started WW1 if Franz Ferdinand wouldn't had been assassinated/crisis resolved with some way. Chekc for example MaskedPickle's For Want of a Sandwich.
But likely not WW1 as we know it - the time and context might have been slightly or even much different, the personalities involved would not be identical, the various domestic situations would have been different etc. There would have been a score of potential butterflies. I don't think that history is that predetermined - was it Tolstoy who said that Napoleon was totally irrelevant to the era of Napoleonic wars? I do disagree quite strongly.