Spector and Spirit - A TL on if Alexander II was never assassinated

[Imperial Advocate]

Near the end of 1916, the Entente were caught in a precarious position. One of the linchpins of their alliance, France, had capitulated and had fallen into revolutionary turmoil, which left the Eastern Front as the other major obstacle the Germans had to handle. Emboldened by their victory against France, the Germans planned for a major offensive to be launched in the East alongside their Austrian allies. Troops were transferred from France and Belgium and redeployed into East Prussia.

In Russia, the military command was deathly scared of the prospect of millions of battle-hardened German soldiers being sent to the East against the overstretched Russians troops occupying East Prussia. Russian soldiers begin to build up defensive measures in the face of a German advance throughout the Fall of 1916. Despite the Russians best attempts to hold their ground, the Germans took the initiative and launched one of the largest military operations in the war, Operation Schlagen.

Operation Schlagen commenced in September 1916, with the Germans launching offensives into East Prussia and Russian Poland. The unprepared Russians were no match for the Germans, with the Russians being defeated in nearly every battle in the frontlines. A general retreat was ordered by Nikolai Yanushkevich with the support of Grand Duke Nicholas. October 1916, with the Russians pulling out of all of East Prussia and the majority of Congress Poland. By this time, the Russians had lost East Prussia and nearly half of Russian Poland to the German advance. In Galicia however, the Russians kept firm control over Galicia despite Austro-Hungarian attempts to re-take control of it.

Germans escort captured Russian POWs after Operation Schlagen, October 1916

By the time Operation Schlagen ended, it resulted in a serious bloody nose for the Russian army and a victory for the Germans. Leading generals who had partaken in the offensive, such as Ludendorff and Hindenburg, would be hailed as heroes back home in Germany. Russian morale would also suffer a serious blow after news of the successful German offensive would spread. As a result of the offensive, Grand Duke Nicholas was removed from his commander position of the Russian Imperial Army in the Eastern Front and sent to command the Caucasus Front.

The British Empire also committed themselves to fighting the Turks. The front in the Balkans remained stagnant but the British planned for the next major offensive to take place in the ‘weak underbelly’ of the German alliance, being the Ottoman Empire. With the British dominant in the Aegean Sea and having a base in Greece, the British planned for a general offensive aimed at the capture of Constantinople. By capturing their capital, the Turks would have no choice but to surrender, with most of the Armenian highlands also captured by the Russians near the end of 1916.

The Gallipoli operation was to be launched in April of 1917 with the help of regiments from the dominions of Australia and New Zealand, referred to as the ‘ANZACS’. The British launched an amphibious assault against the beaches of Gallipoli just to be faced against strongly-fortified Ottoman positions on the peninsula. The combined navies of both Russia and the British would also assist in the invasion, conducting bombardments and destroying shipping.

ANZACS on the beaches of Gallipoli, April 1917

The Battle of Gallipoli would be one of the most hard-fought battles the Turks would ever fight. Despite the vigor of their troops, they could not dislodge the British from the Gallipoli peninsula thanks to a constant stream of resources being sent from their base in Greece and the Royal Navy. After nearly five months of battle, the Turks would be forced to retreat from Gallipoli and leave it to the British, resulting in a victory for the British Empire.

The government in Constantinople would be caught in a frenzy after their loss at Gallipoli. Not only were the British at the gate of Constantinople but issues were arising that were against the Turks. The Russians were deep inside Turkish territory in the Armenian highlands with the assistance of Armenian partisans rebelling against persecution. The British were knocking at the door of Jerusalem and Baghdad. The Arabs rose in rebellions in Hejaz under the leadership of the Hashemites with British aid. It looked like the ‘sick man of Europe’ was finally at their deathbed.

In August 1917, the Ottoman Empire sought an armistice with the British Empire, with the Armistice of Kalekoy being signed on August 15, 1917. The Turks would later sign the Armistice of Trabzon with the Russian Empire on August 17, 1917. Both the armistices included clauses that involved occupation and demilitarization of the Ottoman Empire. The British would occupy the Gallipoli Peninsula along with the province of Canakkale while Constantinople would be free to both Russian and British troops and naval ships. The Russians would be freed to occupy the six Armenian vilayets of the Turkish Empire. The Arab portions of the Ottoman Empire would be later determined by a peace treaty.

The British in Constantinople, November 1917

The Ottoman Empire would not live to see the end of the war though, a coup was launched in Constantinople by nationalist regiments of the Ottoman army but the British came in to support the pro-peace regime. The nationalists would retreat to Ankara and proclaim a republic on September 2, 1917. The Anglo-Arab armies would march into Jordan and Syria with British support. The collapse of the Ottoman Empire had now begun.

The fall of the Ottoman Empire would deal a major blow to the German alliance. The straits were now open so that the British could now funnel all sorts of supplies to the Russians. The British victory would also cause once neutral states to lean towards the Entente as it looked like the tide was turning. The Italians, once neutral in the war, would enter a secret treaty with the British Empire on the prospects of gaining Italian majority land in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and would have already participated in the war by February 1917. The Romanians would also join the war against the Austro-Hungarian empire, eyeing Romanian-majority lands in Bukovina and Transylvania.

The Russians would approve of the British victory against their Turkish enemies, with the straits now open to trade. The Russians would also recover from their humiliating defeat from Operation Schlagen and would learn from their mistakes. Plans were also being drafted among the Russian military command of a general offensive being launched against the weak Austro-Hungarian army with the participation of Romania sometime in late 1917 under General Brusilov. Where the Germans liked it or not, the tides of war were slowly turning against them.

Frontlines of Europe by September 1917 (Blue=Entente, Red=Central Powers, Light Red=Surrendered CP)

 

[TimTurner]

Better for the Ottomans than OTL, that's for sure.

 

[Lalli]

Better for the Ottomans than OTL, that's for sure.

And perhaps for Arabs too when Brits are not alone so strong that they could betray them.

 

[moopli]

Nice TL!

The war starts in 1915 instead of 1913 over Russo-Serbian support to a Slavic uprising in Austro-Hungarian Bosnia.

With this retcon, I'm not sure how France could have been ground down hard enough, in only one year of trench warfare, that the soldiers would mutiny like in late spring 1917 OTL, when OTL they withstood almost 3 years of trench warfare, and were ordered to make several bloody, wasteful offensives, before they finally had enough. It's a cool idea for the spark that starts the war, but I think if you want France out, they need to have some even more overwhelming military disasters, either by losing even more land, or even more men for little gain. Of course, once trench warfare sets in, Germany would pay for every meter in blood, so I'd imagine that a lightning victory would need even more German luck, and a successful alt first battle of the Marne, letting the Germans entrench in positions where they can interdict all railways into Paris. If that convinces the British to evacuate to the coast, even better. I suppose there's a way it could lead to a red France, with a repeat of the Paris commune, since the current government would be seen to be losing the war so obviously - but I don't see how there would be enough revolutionary sentiment across a wide swathe of France after only one year of wartime deprivation, when you consider how many years of instability Russia suffered OTL before it fell to revolution. I suspect if France was knocked out early by losing Paris and then suffering some catastrophic retreats along strategically indefensible sections of the front, it wouldn't go socialist, but instead be full of a sentiment of nationalist anger and disappointment at their leaders, leading to stronger nationalist and revanchist movements.

 

[Imperial Advocate]

Nice TL!

With this retcon, I'm not sure how France could have been ground down hard enough, in only one year of trench warfare, that the soldiers would mutiny like in late spring 1917 OTL, when OTL they withstood almost 3 years of trench warfare, and were ordered to make several bloody, wasteful offensives, before they finally had enough. It's a cool idea for the spark that starts the war, but I think if you want France out, they need to have some even more overwhelming military disasters, either by losing even more land, or even more men for little gain. Of course, once trench warfare sets in, Germany would pay for every meter in blood, so I'd imagine that a lightning victory would need even more German luck, and a successful alt first battle of the Marne, letting the Germans entrench in positions where they can interdict all railways into Paris. If that convinces the British to evacuate to the coast, even better. I suppose there's a way it could lead to a red France, with a repeat of the Paris commune, since the current government would be seen to be losing the war so obviously - but I don't see how there would be enough revolutionary sentiment across a wide swathe of France after only one year of wartime deprivation, when you consider how many years of instability Russia suffered OTL before it fell to revolution. I suspect if France was knocked out early by losing Paris and then suffering some catastrophic retreats along strategically indefensible sections of the front, it wouldn't go socialist, but instead be full of a sentiment of nationalist anger and disappointment at their leaders, leading to stronger nationalist and revanchist movements.

Yeah I’m planning on fixing up some parts of the French lore in a future recton, also probably gonna scrap the French Civil War. You’re on track though with the French suffering catastrophic humiliations in an alt Battle of the Marne but to have a red France I had the popular socialist Jean Juarez head a new French government to end war with the Germans as it seemed the war is nothing but lost. You are right, although France is socialist, nationalist and revanchist sentiment would still be strong. To give a hint of this, red France would not stand by peacefully while the CP are losing their ground, they will avenge Alsace-Lorraine.

 

[Lalli]

And one issue with WW1 beginning in 1915 instead 1914 is that Germany probably not launch Schlieffen Plan. Due better preparations of Russia would make whole thing pointless. With original WW1 it would had worked better.

 

[TimTurner]

Yeah I’m planning on fixing up some parts of the French lore in a future recton, also probably gonna scrap the French Civil War. You’re on track though with the French suffering catastrophic humiliations in an alt Battle of the Marne but to have a red France I had the popular socialist Jean Juarez head a new French government to end war with the Germans as it seemed the war is nothing but lost. You are right, although France is socialist, nationalist and revanchist sentiment would still be strong. To give a hint of this, red France would not stand by peacefully while the CP are losing their ground, they will avenge Alsace-Lorraine.

Any non-puppet French government, regardless of its political stripe, would probably try to gain back A-L.

 

[ahmedali]

Your schedule is so cool



What would Russia gain from territory in this scenario? Will they only acquire Ottoman Armenia, East Prussia, and Prussian Poland?





The Ottomans surrendered here. In this scenario, does this mean that there is no Treaty of Sevres and the Turkish National War?





Do the British and Russians support the Sultan in the face of the nationalists who proclaimed the Republic





If this is true, will we see a constitutional monarchy in Turkey in which the Sultan is just a symbol with a constitution like the British one?





How is Bulgaria and Greece with the surrender of the Ottomans? Will Greece seize the territory of Bulgaria instead of the Ottomans?





Will we see an alternative to the royal dynasty that rules Greece?





Is it possible to see an Austrian capitulation in which Austria loses territory but retains the rest of its empire and preserves the Habsburgs?



(Austria loses Galicia, Bosnia, Trento, and Trieste, but keeps the rest of the empire)?





What is the situation of the Arabs? Will we see the Hashemites allied with Britain and Ibn Saud supported by Russia?





Will the United States intervene in this war?

 

[pls don't ban me]

@Imperial Advocate i just caught up with the TL and you seem to have a mistake or rather forgot a thing.

Bulgaria has kept Battenberg on the Throne.

In OTL he was removed and then reinstated by Stambolov after the serbo-bulgarian war of 1885, but since Alexander III hated him he relinquished the throne and later Ferdinand was elected as kniaz.

In this TL Battenberg keeps the throne and most likely is even still alive and kicking( born in 1857).
What mostly changes is: Stambolov survives and stays as PM of Bulgaria until death mostlikely. Stambolov, ofter reffered as "the bulgarian Bismarck" aimed to make Bulgaria independent form foreign influence, while grateful to the russian for the help in 1878 he didn't want to make bulgaria a russian puppet. Considering his skill Bulgaria will be even stronger both economically and military.
I agree with the territories gained in the Balkans wars, but Bulgaria at that point won't join WW1. despite the resentment toward the serbians, both battenberg and Stambolov( or his successor) would recognize the popular backslash from declaring war on Russia, other slav brothers and most importantly being allied with the turks). without a second balkans war bulgaria won't join the CP.

In OTL before the gallipoli failure, there was an offer from russia to make bulgaria join the entente by mediating with serbia a giveaway of macedonia to make bulgaria enter. the serbians refused, but maybe in this scenario the greater russian influence might force them accept.

 

[Lalli]

@Imperial Advocate i just caught up with the TL and you seem to have a mistake or rather forgot a thing.

Bulgaria has kept Battenberg on the Throne.

In OTL he was removed and then reinstated by Stambolov after the serbo-bulgarian war of 1885, but since Alexander III hated him he relinquished the throne and later Ferdinand was elected as kniaz.

In this TL Battenberg keeps the throne and most likely is even still alive and kicking( born in 1857).
What mostly changes is: Stambolov survives and stays as PM of Bulgaria until death mostlikely. Stambolov, ofter reffered as "the bulgarian Bismarck" aimed to make Bulgaria independent form foreign influence, while grateful to the russian for the help in 1878 he didn't want to make bulgaria a russian puppet. Considering his skill Bulgaria will be even stronger both economically and military.
I agree with the territories gained in the Balkans wars, but Bulgaria at that point won't join WW1. despite the resentment toward the serbians, both battenberg and Stambolov( or his successor) would recognize the popular backslash from declaring war on Russia, other slav brothers and most importantly being allied with the turks). without a second balkans war bulgaria won't join the CP.

In OTL before the gallipoli failure, there was an offer from russia to make bulgaria join the entente by mediating with serbia a giveaway of macedonia to make bulgaria enter. the serbians refused, but maybe in this scenario the greater russian influence might force them accept.

Wouldn't Alexander III still oust Battenberg during his very short reign in 1890's? Altough this would still change much on Bulgarian history.

 

[Imperial Advocate]

@Imperial Advocate i just caught up with the TL and you seem to have a mistake or rather forgot a thing.

Bulgaria has kept Battenberg on the Throne.

In OTL he was removed and then reinstated by Stambolov after the serbo-bulgarian war of 1885, but since Alexander III hated him he relinquished the throne and later Ferdinand was elected as kniaz.

In this TL Battenberg keeps the throne and most likely is even still alive and kicking( born in 1857).
What mostly changes is: Stambolov survives and stays as PM of Bulgaria until death mostlikely. Stambolov, ofter reffered as "the bulgarian Bismarck" aimed to make Bulgaria independent form foreign influence, while grateful to the russian for the help in 1878 he didn't want to make bulgaria a russian puppet. Considering his skill Bulgaria will be even stronger both economically and military.
I agree with the territories gained in the Balkans wars, but Bulgaria at that point won't join WW1. despite the resentment toward the serbians, both battenberg and Stambolov( or his successor) would recognize the popular backslash from declaring war on Russia, other slav brothers and most importantly being allied with the turks). without a second balkans war bulgaria won't join the CP.

In OTL before the gallipoli failure, there was an offer from russia to make bulgaria join the entente by mediating with serbia a giveaway of macedonia to make bulgaria enter. the serbians refused, but maybe in this scenario the greater russian influence might force them accept.

Thanks for the info on Bulgarian history, to be honest, I don't know a whole bunch of it so thanks for this. I'm also planning on doing a rework on some event in TTL's WW1 which includes France and probably some stuff in Bulgaria.

 

[Imperial Advocate]

Made a few changes to the First World War, which will be listed.

-There is no French Civil War, only with a failed putsch by Georges Clemenceau and pals following Jean Jaures signing the Versailles Armistice. The French nation from 1916 to 1918 goes trough what is similar to OTL Weimar Germany, enduring trough economic troubles and political turmoil and all that fun. I will post in another chapter but let's just say that France isn't join to sit idly while the Germans are getting battered.

-Bulgaria remained a neutral power ITTL. Having better gains in the Balkan War and better relations with Russia discouraged the Bulgarians from joining the German alliance with the Habsburgs and Turks in it. The Bulgarians would remain neutral though, resentful towards the Serbs for their control over Macedonia but would join the Entente in Early 1917 on promising of regaining Macedonia and the Christian bits of Turkish Thrace. We'll have to find out if the Bulgarians realize their aims when the war ends...

 

[Imperial Advocate]

By the end of 1917, the entente were gaining the high ground against the Central Powers. With the Turkish straits under Entente control, it gave a lot of relief to the burgeoning Russian war effort by the stream of supplies arriving in Russian Black Sea ports. The entry of Italy on the side of the Entente also added more pressure on the Central Powers, especially on the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Throughout 1917, the Russian High Command was planning for a renewed counteroffensive to be launched against the Central Powers. It was either against German occupied Poland and East Prussia or the Austro-Hungarians in the South. Under General Brusilov, the choice was made for a general offensive coordinated against the Austro-Hungarians under the approval of Tsar Nicholas II. The planned offensive was to be launched against the Austrians in accordance with the entry of Romania, who had been negotiating with the Russians. The ‘Brusilov Offensive’ as it would be deemed, planned for the Imperial Russian Army in Galicia to break through Carpathian lines along helping Romania to invade Transylvania.

In mid-June 1917, the Brusilov Offensive was launched with the usual artillery barrage and a charge of Russian soldiers. The offensive was a sounding success, with the already weak Austro-Hungarian lines shattered within months. To make things worse for Austria, the Romanians entered the war in early July of 1917, opening up a new front in Transylvania. Thanks to the recently carried out reforms in the Russian Imperial Army and new battle strategies, the Brusilov Offensive was a major victory for Russia since the victory at Tannenberg in 1915. By the conclusion of the offensive, the Russians were in control of all of Galicia and were ready to invade the Hungary itself.

In Vienna, the news of the resounding Russian offensive further deprived the public and military of morale. The endemic failures of the Austro-Hungarian army to fight the Serbs and Russians made the war deeply unpopular but the straw that broke the camel’s back was the Brusilov Offensive. After the offensive was carried out, many soldiers of nationalities deserted whilst nationalist groups further became a problem. Under Emperor Franz Fernidad, who was crowned after the death of Franz Joseph in 1916, saw the writing on the wall and knew that peace was needed as soon as possible to save the Habsburg Empire.

In October 1917, Franz Fernidad used Sixtus, Prince of Parma Bourbon, to establish contact with the Russian government. In secrecy, the Russians and Austrians exchanged telegrams, with the Russians demanding Austrian vacancy from Galicia, territorial concessions to Romania, and an immediate withdrawal from occupied Serbia and Montenegro. With this information, Sixtus arrived back in Vienna and explained the Russian terms to Franz Ferdinand, with the emperor open to the demands, knowing that the Russians were willing to keep the Habsburgs on the throne. Eventually, the Russians told the British about the peace offer, with the British also approving.

Emperor Ferdinand II of Austria-Hungary

Prince Sixtus of Bourbon-Parma

When the Germans heard about the ‘Sixtus Affair’, the Kaiser and the German government were enraged. The Germans told the Austro-Hungarians to immediately cease communications between the entente and Vienna but Franz Ferdinand remarked that the war was ‘unwinnable’ and that the Germans should follow suit. The Germans had plans to invade Austria-Hungary but their loss of Bialystok a few months prior and their control over Poland in jeopardy forced the Germans to focus elsewhere. In November of 1917, the Austrians signed the Armistice of Lemburg and a few weeks later, severed ties to the German Empire and left the Central Powers.

The German Empire was now left alone, but despite the detrimental situation the OHL still believed in a possible victory in the form of a proposed stunning offensive in the Baltic region that would have reached Petrograd if successful. The entire German army was organized for one final offensive, codenamed ‘Operation Teuton’ in honor of the Teutonic Knights. In March 1918, the Germans would launch a surprise offensive in Lithuania, catching the Russians off-guard. The Germans would advance onwards, occupying all of Lithuania and Courland, reaching the outskirts of Minsk and Riga by May 1918.

German troops on the move in Lithuania, May 1918

Despite the success of Operation Teuton, it did not succeed in it’s fantastic goal to reach Petrograd and it only left German lines overstretched and loosely-garrisoned against the millions-strong Russian army. The Imperial Russian Army would re-organize their forces North, conducting a proper tactical retreat throughout the offensive. The Russians would prepare their army to finally achieve victory against their German adversaries, drafting a quite daunting offensive plan that would involve the Russian Imperial Army advancing on a frontline spanning from Bialystok to Riga.

The Russian ‘Victory Offensive’, as it would be deemed, would be launched in June 1918. With Russian forces diverted from the Austro-Hungarian front in the South, the Russian Imperial Army would outsize the German army in terms of resources and manpower, plowing into German occupied territory and repuling the Germans out of reach from Minsk and Riga. By the conclusion of the offensive in August 1918, the Germans would only hold onto minor portions of Lithuania and even the OHL knew that now the Germans would be only kept on the defensive.

To make things worse for Berlin, the French Civil War had already come to an end. Jean Jaures's socialist government was crushed by the loyalists in Bordeaux by 1917 thanks in part to British support. With the French communists all but crushed with a creak, the French re-mobilized their battle-hardened army against the Germans occupiers. In July 1917, President Clemenceau refuted the Lyon Armistice of June 1915 and re-delcared war on Germany, siding yet again with the Russians and British once more.

The first offensive the French launched was against the German occupiers in Calais and Longwy-Briey in June 1918. The Germans garrisons in the area found themselves assaulted by not only the French army but by militias raising their forces in the coal and iron mines. The Germans would be forced to conduct a tactical retreat from occupied French land to defend Alsace-Lorraine. The Germans would later find themselves under attack by the Belgians, who declared that German occupiers are no longer welcome in the country.

It was all over, disasters struck the German Empire at every corner, peace was needed as soon as possible or else the country would be torn apart by invaders. Kaiser Wilhelm II tried to contact his cousin Nicholas II in August 1918 and proposed a status-quo peace treaty which would have restored pre-WW1 boundaries. Nicholas II would respond back and would reject his cousin’s proposal, stating that he’ll have to accept territorial losses if he wants to keep his throne. For the OHL, they wanted to keep the war on going and have a protracted defensive war to force the Entente into a negotiated peace. Peace would not come about by the Kaiser and the OHL though but by revolution though.

In Strasbourg, disillusioned German army units mutinied against the commanders, with reasons being food shortages and being inspired by the anti-war socialist uprising in Paris back in 1916. The revolutionaries would quickly seize Strasbourg in September 1918 and revolution would spread across the German Empire. Revolutions would break out in Ruhr, Munich, Hamburg, Kiel, Leipzig, and eventually Berlin itself. Workers in the German capital would rise up in revolution and would mobilize against the now unpopular Kaiser Wilhelm II and the German elite.

Kaiser Wilhelm II was forced to relinquish the authority as Kaiser by the SPD and was placed under house arrest and the same applied to all other Hohenzollern royals. The German SPD, using their position in the government and fears of civil war, would launch themselves to power under Hugo Hasse, proclaiming a German republic in October 1918. President Hasse would ally the SPD with the communist revolutionaries led by Rosa Luxembourg and Karl Liebknecht.

Outside of the deposition of the Hohenzollern monarchy, other German monarchs would follow suit although some would follow their own routes. In Wurttemberg, King William II would hold onto his throne for nearly a month after the revolution in Berlin, until being forced to relinquish the throne and flee into Austria to avoid socialist revolutionaries and a possible French invasion. In Bavaria, King Ludwig III would abdicate but the monarchy would survive under King Rupprecht I of Bavaria. Thanks to the allegiance of the Bavarian Landtag and army, Rupprecht I would keep this throne and after the declaration of the German republic in October 1918 would then formally declare independence from the German Republic some weeks later.

The German would seek peace, signing an armistice with the Russians at Riga on October 27, 1918 and following suit with France and Britain soon after. The guns of the Great War would finally fall silent, with millions dead on both sides. The Russians would lose nearly one million soldiers in the fighting with the Central Alliance and with the British losing around 500,000. The Germans would number up to nearly one million lost. All the other participating powers on both the Entente and Central alliances would lose up to a combined one million men. Cities and towns lay in ruins and a generation's mindset forever changed from the optimism of the pre-war days. It was now up to the victorious powers to redraw the world in their vision and what it would give birth too…

Frontlines of Europe before the German Revolution, September 1918

 

[TimTurner]

Russia is the big winner.

 

[Imperial Advocate]

Russia is the big winner.

Russia is the big winner indeed but will she take herself as a victor? It all depends on the peace treaty.

 

[ahmedali]

Your schedule is great

How will the peace treaty look?

It seems that Russia will take all the Polish lands in Prussia and East Prussia, including Koenigsburg

Can they take the lands of the ancient kingdom of Armenia

 

[Lalli]

View attachment 675198
Your schedule is great

How will the peace treaty look?

It seems that Russia will take all the Polish lands in Prussia and East Prussia, including Koenigsburg

Can they take the lands of the ancient kingdom of Armenia

Agree but does Russia want East Prussia? Definitely all Polish lands from Germany and A-H and Armenian regions from OE anyway.

 

[pls don't ban me]

View attachment 675198
Your schedule is great

How will the peace treaty look?

It seems that Russia will take all the Polish lands in Prussia and East Prussia, including Koenigsburg

Can they take the lands of the ancient kingdom of Armenia

i think that is too much territory, considering Britain will still oppose to see a Russian puppet or Russian territory on the Mediterranean, the only possible exception is Constantinople. The Berlin conference of 1878 was made because Bulgaria at that time was de facto a Russian puppet.
From what i 've understood so far, TTL Bulgaria is far more stable, stronger( both military and economically) because it kept the first dynasty( battenberg) and i assume Stambolov didn't got assasinated, thus Bulgaria is an ally of Russia but not a Puppet( Stambolov main objective was to make Bulgaria free from any external influence).

 

[ahmedali]

Agree but does Russia want East Prussia? Definitely all Polish lands from Germany and A-H and Armenian regions from OE anyway.

i think that is too much territory, considering Britain will still oppose to see a Russian puppet or Russian territory on the Mediterranean, the only possible exception is Constantinople. The Berlin conference of 1878 was made because Bulgaria at that time was de facto a Russian puppet.
From what i 've understood so far, TTL Bulgaria is far more stable, stronger( both military and economically) because it kept the first dynasty( battenberg) and i assume Stambolov didn't got assasinated, thus Bulgaria is an ally of Russia but not a Puppet( Stambolov main objective was to make Bulgaria free from any external influence).

Russia could have obtained this area of land if they had been quicker in defeating the Ottoman Empire before Britain reached Ottoman Iraq (given their large number and industrial development, it should be possible


East Prussia is taken by Germany in order to have a warm port in the Baltic and also to make the map look better and they can establish the Kingdom of Prussia (something similar to the Polish Congress)

 

[Imperial Advocate]

View attachment 675198
Your schedule is great

How will the peace treaty look?

It seems that Russia will take all the Polish lands in Prussia and East Prussia, including Koenigsburg

Can they take the lands of the ancient kingdom of Armenia

Coming in the next chapter...

Most definatly the Polish majority lands of Eastern Germany. Konigsberg would remain in German hands.

Regarding annexing Armenian lands, the Russians would sought the most annexation here. Will be covered in another chapter with the outbreak of the Turkish War of Independence (aka. the Russian-Turkish War again).