The Union Forever: A TL

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nikkythegreat

How I wish France would win this ^_^.
But when I doubt it would happend if Britain and/or the USA gets involved
Which would be very likely.
 
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The Great War: German Front October, 1907
  • Index

    • Mac Gregor

    The Opening Moves​

    Part 2: The German Front​


    30027586_Deutsche%20Infanteristen.jpg

    Defending Prussian troops at the Battle of Saarbrucken
    October 20, 1907    ​

    At the outbreak of hostilities, Entente and Alliance forces immediately began jockeying for position along Prussia’s southern border in what would become one of the most intense fronts in the Great War. This however, was not what Prussian strategist had predicted. Prussia’s prewar battle plan had called for a holding action against France in the west and a decisive thrust through Bavaria and into Austria to capture Vienna. This offensive was to be supported by Russian armies in the east who would divert Austro-Hungarian troops by driving towards Budapest. The Prussians believed that once Vienna and Budapest had fallen the Austro-Hungarian empire would collapse. Afterwards the Russo-Prussian armies could turn west and finish off France. Unfortunately for the Prussians and Russians, real world conditions made the implementation of this strategy impossible. Russia was bogged down fighting the Japanese in the Far East, and at the moment could not muster sufficient forces to invade Austria-Hungry. Although there were some in the Prussia General Staff who wished to launch the invasion of Austria anyways, King Fredrick III overruled them stating that it “would leave our beloved Kingdom dangerously exposed.”

    With the Prussians unsure on how to proceed it would be the Entente who would make the first moves in central Europe. The first order of business was to “secure” the south German states of Bavaria, Württemberg, and Baden. Although technically members of the Entente, the French and Austro-Hungarians took no chances with their allies’ loyalties. In a matter of days these small German states were occupied by advanced elements of the French and Austro-Hungarian Armies. The Prussians too tried to seize as much south German territory as possible but in most cases French armored car units supported by mounted infantry beat them to the best defensive positions. In later years it would be revealed that the French had begun partially mobilizing their forces two weeks before the start of the war, which might account for their early rapid movements along the German front. Furthermore, Entente forces in south Germany used heavy handed methods in procuring supplies from the local population and forced tens of thousands of south German subjects into the military to fight against the Prussians. Needless to say these abrasive tactics caused serious resentment amongst many in the south German states.

    The first major battle of war occurred on October 20-21, 1907 when the Imperial French First, Second, and Third Armies launched the Saar Offensive. Aimed at depriving Prussia of an important industrial region, this massive offensive of over 650,000 troops would illustrate to the world the true horrors of war in the twentieth century. At the two day long Battle of Saarbrucken, French and Prussian armies squared off for the first time. Prussian machine guns mowed down lines of advancing French infantry, until either being outflanked by armored cars or obliterated by French artillery. This battle is also noteworthy for the first recorded use of aircraft for combat when a French reconnaissance plane dropped grenades on a unit of defending Prussian infantry. The costly battle ended when the Prussians decided to fall back north of the Mosel River to avoid being caught between the three way pincers of the attacking French armies.

    By the end of October the German front had largely stabilized. Bavaria was occupied mostly by Austrian and Bavarian Royalist troops. The French 4th and 5th Armies took up strong defensive positions north of Darmstadt and Nuremburg respectively. And in the west at the densest part of the front along the Mosel River, French and Prussian troops dug in for what would both sides had begun to realize would be a long and grueling campaign.
     
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  • Index

    • Alternatehistoryguy47

    i'll be honest... i'm predicting a Prussian, Russian, and Italian victory in this war. I don't know how it would happen, but that's what i'm feeling. I'm also already pondering what WW2 would be like in this TL. The cliche of a French Hitler perhaps? or maybe something analogous to that. Or who knows... we could have the entente win and see the rise of Hitler and Stalin as allies. or something completely different. It'll be interesting to see how WW2 goes.
     
    SavoyTruffle

    SavoyTruffle

    kevvy2010 said:
    i'll be honest... i'm predicting a Prussian, Russian, and Italian victory in this war. I don't know how it would happen, but that's what i'm feeling. I'm also already pondering what WW2 would be like in this TL. The cliche of a French Hitler perhaps? or maybe something analogous to that. Or who knows... we could have the entente win and see the rise of Hitler and Stalin as allies. or something completely different. It'll be interesting to see how WW2 goes.
    Click to expand...

    Erm, the POD means that Hitler nor Stalin won't exist TTL.
     

    Mac Gregor

    kevvy2010 said:
    i'll be honest... i'm predicting a Prussian, Russian, and Italian victory in this war. I don't know how it would happen, but that's what i'm feeling. I'm also already pondering what WW2 would be like in this TL. The cliche of a French Hitler perhaps? or maybe something analogous to that. Or who knows... we could have the entente win and see the rise of Hitler and Stalin as allies. or something completely different. It'll be interesting to see how WW2 goes.
    Click to expand...

    Well this brings up the question of whether a World War always entails a sequel? Anyone have any ideas?
     
    The Great War: Eastern Front 1907
  • Index

    • Mac Gregor

    The Opening Moves​

    Part 3: Russia and the Balkans​


    bulgaria3v.JPG

    Ferdinand
    Tsar of Bulgaria
    November, 1907    ​

    The Bulgarian Civil War

    When war erupted in early October, 1907 the Ottoman vassal state of the Principality of Bulgaria followed its master in declaring war on the Alliance. Many however in orthodox Bulgaria disliked the war from the start as it made them fight with Muslims against fellow Christians. On October 14th, less than a week after the official declaration of war, a group of progressive Bulgarian Army officers attempted a coup against Bulgaria’s leader, Prince Regent Asen. Prince Asen managed to escape from the conspirators but was forced to flee the country. On October 16th the Tsardom of Bulgaria was proclaimed with the pro-Russian Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria as monarch. Tsar Ferdinand declared that Bulgaria was “forever free and independent” from the Ottoman Empire. On October 19th, in a move eerily reminiscent of France’s during the Bavarian Crisis, the Ottoman Empire declared war on Bulgaria in order to return Asen to the thrown and regain control over their former vassal.

    The Balkans enter the War

    The Turks’ declaration of war against Bulgaria sent shock waves through the Balkans. The Ottoman Empire still controlled a significant amount of territory in Europe, territory that the newly created Balkan nations desired. Furthermore, many in these Slavic and Orthodox nations felt a deep since of kinship with the Russian Empire. Now, with Bulgaria in the war, it seemed to many that the time was ripe to settle the score with the Turks. On October 23, 1907 Serbia’s King Alexander I declared war on Turkey. Greece and Montenegro followed suit and declared war on the Ottoman Empire within a week. Although the other Entente powers reactions were slow, a factor which no doubt aided Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro’s decision to enter the war, France and Austria-Hungry eventually did declared war on the Balkan states on November 3rd. The Kingdom of Romania was the last Balkan state to join the Alliance on November 6, 1907 after it became apparent that Romania would have a bleak future in an Austrian/Ottoman dominated Balkans.

    The Russian Front

    With the Entente focusing on Italy, Prussia, and now the Balkans, Russia was largely spared the initial onslaught of the war. Already heavily engaged against Japan in the east, Russia was now forced to fight three major powers in the west. Roughly two weeks after Russia entered the war, the Russian Duma passed a series of laws that would became known as the October Acts. These forward thinking measures not only placed the Russian Empire on a total war footing but, unlike the preparations of most other wartime belligerents, prepared Russia for a long war. These include such things as a massive conscription act, expanding the existing rail network, and a dramatic industrialization plan.

    march1

    Ottoman Soldiers entering Tbilisi
    November 9, 1907    ​

    In an October 7th meeting in St. Petersburg, Czar Nicholas II and the Russian General Staff decided to pursue a generally defensive strategy until they had amassed sufficient forces in European Russia to advance into Entente territory. The Ottomans however struck first by launching a surprise offensive into the Caucuses. The Turks made good progress against the lightly defended region capturing thousands of Russian troops at the Battle of Tbilisi on November 9th.

    As winter approached the Russian and Balkan theaters were in a state of flux with millions of troops being mobilized and shuffled to their respective fronts. Russia was biding its time while it built up its forces. The Ottoman Empire was launching a major offensive through the Caucuses, and the simmering Balkan states had entered the war.
     
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  • Index

    • Mac Gregor

    Map of the Great War Belligerents as of November 1, 1907.

    The Entente Impériale is in blue. Alliance members are in Red.

    Belligerent Map.png
     
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    SavoyTruffle

    SavoyTruffle

    Ah, I see France fulfilling OTL Germany's role here. Thankfully though it doesn't have two distinct fronts, and the KILLER BLOCKADING POWERS of the Royal Navy to face.
     

    Lean II

    Bravo, bravo! I must admit the opening moves of the war have me on the edge of my seat. The turn of events in the Balkans is simply fantastic. Does Greece have a chance to gain more than it did in OTL? Or will it be about the same, or less? However, I do have to agree with The Last Marylander: I think it would be intresting to see how the neutral powers in Europe view this war, and to what sides, if any, they are drifting towards. Keep up the good work!
     

    Mark 4 Morrel Barrel

    Banned
    MacGregor said:
    Well this brings up the question of whether a World War always entails a sequel? Anyone have any ideas?
    Click to expand...


    Its just so much fun to read about. Well at least if its fictional reading about OTL WWII and knowing it was real people and real suffering is pretty depressing.
    But if your taking votes yes please have a WWII
     

    M. A. Dickens

    Mark 4 Morrel Barrel said:
    Its just so much fun to read about. Well at least if its fictional reading about OTL WWII and knowing it was real people and real suffering is pretty depressing.
    But if your taking votes yes please have a WWII
    Click to expand...

    Agreed. Whoever lost in TTL WWI would want major payback...

    Just caught up with the TL. Good stuff, MacGregor.

    My thoughts on the China situation: as several posters said before, the Han Chinese identity was too strong for China to balkanize. An independent Xinjiang and Tibet is possible, seeing that they're Ugyhur and Tibetian (oh, and Mongolia, too). A puppet Manchukuo-type state in the northeast, controlled by either Russia or Japan, may be possible as well. The rest would be a united country, regardless of what type of government it may have (not constitutional monarchy - the average Chinese hated the Manchus by this point; not republic - since Sun Yat-sen was never born)...

    As for TTL WWI, I would root for a Prussian-Russian-Italy victory, for no other reason than "I don't want the French to win" ;)

    Also, I think if TTL Entente keep on winning, the Brits might pull off some sort of deal with the Boers and then jump on the French, to protect the balance of power?

    Marc A

    P.S. The "post-POD people were never born ITTL" rule really, IMHO, ruined the possibilities of abuse (say, Adolf Hitler escaped the French onslaught and signed-up for the Germany Army, and became a war hero through kicking a lot of French asses :D)
    P.P.S. Will there be an AEF after America got involved in WWI?
    P.P.P.S. I might have missed it, but what happened to Canada? :p
     

    Inquisitor Tolkien

    marcus_aurelius said:
    Agreed. Whoever lost in TTL WWI would want major payback...

    Just caught up with the TL. Good stuff, MacGregor.

    My thoughts on the China situation: as several posters said before, the Han Chinese identity was too strong for China to balkanize. An independent Xinjiang and Tibet is possible, seeing that they're Ugyhur and Tibetian (oh, and Mongolia, too). A puppet Manchukuo-type state in the northeast, controlled by either Russia or Japan, may be possible as well. The rest would be a united country, regardless of what type of government it may have (not constitutional monarchy - the average Chinese hated the Manchus by this point; not republic - since Sun Yat-sen was never born)...
    Click to expand...
    Puppet Manchukuo depends on who wins the war in the East: Russia or Japan. Russia already has their sphere of influence in Manchuria, and Japan is currently attempting to pry their hands off it.

    As for TTL WWI, I would root for a Prussian-Russian-Italy victory, for no other reason than "I don't want the French to win" ;)

    Also, I think if TTL Entente keep on winning, the Brits might pull off some sort of deal with the Boers and then jump on the French, to protect the balance of power?
    Click to expand...
    Just saying, but at this point, it looks rather bleak for the PRI Alliance (we really need a better name for them :p ). Mostly because Italy isn't going to last long, with most of its industry already overrun/about to be turned into a battlefield (the Italians and Prussians seem to be in a similar position as the French were OTL, with most of their industry overrun/battlefields), and neither will Greece or Serbia (both countries are going to be running out of war materiel shortly, Serbia may be able to be replenished if it can open the railroad line through Bulgaria, though its highly doubtful considering how easily it will be for the Entente to cut it off). Russia's still probably in a bad supply situation.


    P.S. The "post-POD people were never born ITTL" rule really, IMHO, ruined the possibilities of abuse (say, Adolf Hitler escaped the French onslaught and signed-up for the Germany Army, and became a war hero through kicking a lot of French asses :D)
    Click to expand...
    Hitler was Austrian. If anything, he'd be fighting for the Entente.:D

    P.P.S. Will there be an AEF after America got involved in WWI?
    Click to expand...
    Depends on which side they're on. If its the PRI alliance, its unlikely they're going to be able to get an AEF onto the shores of the Old World. Perhaps a WWII-Pacific-Theater analogue, with battleships instead of Carriers (given likely French superiority in the Atlantic). Course, if Britain joins the war, its a whole 'nother story.

    The Last Marylander said:
    How are the following nations leaning?

    1) The Netherlands
    2) Belgium
    3) The Iberians
    4) The Scandinavians
    Click to expand...
    1) The Dutch are pro-German, likely, but neutral.
    2) The Belgians are wary of both sides, and neutral.
    3) They're most certainly neutral.
    4) Once again, probably neutral: but, given irredentist claims by both Denmark and Sweden on the PRI Alliance, possibly leaning Entente.

    They're all probably trading with both sides and reaping large profits. :p
     
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