Maybe? I don't know how to look at this...Were this ASB and not Alternate History Discussion: After 1900 a convenient Iceberg may have shown up for the U-Boat to strike.
Maybe next time.
Maybe? I don't know how to look at this...Were this ASB and not Alternate History Discussion: After 1900 a convenient Iceberg may have shown up for the U-Boat to strike.
Maybe next time.
It would be a long shot, I admit that. I didn't wish to focus too heavily on the wider world, and only on the RMS Titanic. Plus, I thought it would be possible, given a combination of Austria and the Ottomans being surrounded and forced out of the war early, coupled with Germany being desperate and on the ropes.Hmm, ending the Great War 2 years early. Interesting.
I'll try to look into this timeline, and not repeat OTL path. I must say now though, thank you for commenting. It does help inspire me but also gives ideas on how the potential timeline will go forward.With a War ending in 1916 I can see several effects:
1. A very different peace - a different US President, less war weariness, less massive economic disruption, less bombing, etc will see Peace Conferences that do not go down the Versailles route- sure, it is likely Germany still takes the 'blame' for the war, but the costs will be nothing like OTL. Some colonies, a limited military, some small reparations towards rebuilding, but not the wholesale idiocy of OTL.
2. No Russian Revolution - yet. Unless Nicholas II is prepared to make wholesale reforms then tensions in Russia will continue to boil, esp with the Veterans coming home. Best thing for Russia would be for Nicholas II to be replaced with a reformer. Cannot see Germany letting Lenin go home here, they won't want the trouble on their doorstep.
3. Poland - sure, the Russians where on the winning side, but they might set up a buffer country anyway, partly to free them from the cost, or before the region explodes into civil war.
4. Middle East - different peace deals will see the Ottomans not carved up as much I feel. Certainly Britain and France will want something, but the Syria, Lebanon etc we know are not likely with this early finish to the war. The Ottomans are likely to hold on.
5. Austria-Hungary - oddly here I can see a difference wherein the Empire loses some of its outer edges to Italy, Czechoslovakia, etc, but the whole state *might* be allowed to continue as a federal state rather than be broken up into a patchwork.
6. I don't see Yugoslavia here.
7. League of Nations, or something similar might happen, but I doubt it will any more teeth than OTL, though it will have the US.
8. Japan - the racism will still be a factor, but an early end to the war and lack of war wariness, could see their war aims and contribution taken more seriously.
9. I don't think the USA goes into isolationism after a quick, decisive war like this; they wont bee seen as Europe's 'saviours' since the war was not as stalemated as OTL. It is also possible they do not 'shut the door' to immigration post war leading to the berths in 3rd class still being very full.
10. If Italy makes territorial gains from the Great War and are not brushed aside, then the facisits are unlikely to gain power from the resentment feeling post-war.
11. No Spanish Flu - does this impact the Civil War?
In regard to shipping:
1. With the Trio intact White Star likely only get 1 of the German superliners to replace Oceanic, not sure which.
2. Since Lusitania, Mauritania, and Aquitania are all intact Cunard likely does not get one of the German superliners, but might get smaller ships to replace losses like Carpathia. The companies Transatlantic service might suffer in the 20's from having such old ships. Maybe we get Queen Mary eariler?
3. The remaining German liners could end up with an Italian line, P&O, or even an American line perhaps.
4. White Star are in a strong position coming out of the war, with their liners labled as 'lucky' or 'old reliable' - it could be what the line needs to shake up the management and stop the BS that happend OTL, and thus prevent the bankrupcy.
5. The War should lead to a change in shipbuilding with things like oil power, stabilisers, double hulls, air con(?), private bathrooms for all etc.
Speculation:
An early end to the Great War could see the 'roaring 20's' not happen as we know it - the post war economic boom the US had from selling arms won't happen with 2 year less war. The lack of a USSR (yet) won't have the red scare effect regarding socialism. Does a different string of US leaders see Prohibition pass? With more common sense the knock on effects of stopping booze sales on barrel makers, transport hubs, bottlers, gang activity, etc all could be predicted and the amendment killed. This had knock on effects on the US economiy, that without the roaring going on see the Crash/Depression not happen, or be much weaker, which then impacts immigration, Normandie, Queen Mary, Oceanic III, and of course if facism takes root in Germany.
Please go well off the OTL course regarding world history, timelines are often more fun if they avoid the OTL path.
Well the manifesto of August 1914 did promise a united Poland ( ie pre war Russian , Austrian and German parts ) that was self governing. Now what Poles thought that meant is probably different to what the Russians actually meant but a buffer state is very possible ( probably would still be a monarchy under a Romanov branch )3. Poland - sure, the Russians where on the winning side, but they might set up a buffer country anyway, partly to free them from the cost, or before the region explodes into civil war.
Lenin is likely still in exile in Switzerland, Stalin was in jail at the start of the war and with the war ending early he should still be there as he wasn't due for release until 1917. With Lenin exiled and the war over things probably won't be as bad as OTL so Stalin probably stays a robber and newspaper editor until he's finally shot in the course of the former or the authorities wise up and put him away for good.In Russia, what happened to the Bolshevik/Red leaders (Lenin, Trotsky, Stalin)?
Yeah, I somehow got a spark of desire to continue the timeline and did just that.Lot to break down there- I’ll go into depth in my am!
It's a sad thing to happen, but even if Titanic didn't go down, at some point in time the Olympic would most certainly be scrapped. It just was a matter of time, as she along with her sister grew older and newer liners arrived on the scene. Though as of right now, her future is more "up in the air" than anything else.So i guess the Olympic is going to be scrapped like in OTL?
That's a pity, but i understand the decision.
Also very hard to preserve. Its the same reason so few aircraft carriers or Battleships have survived. The Olympic's were 270m's long, where on earth do you park them? You'd need either a full size drydock (unlike say Victory or the M33 which can sit in an obsolete old dock nobody needs anymore) or a substantial space in a harbour somewhere that takes up alot room and since the ship would be "dead" can easily become a hazard to navigation.It's a sad thing to happen, but even if Titanic didn't go down, at some point in time the Olympic would most certainly be scrapped. It just was a matter of time, as she along with her sister grew older and newer liners arrived on the scene. Though as of right now, her future is more "up in the air" than anything else.