Churchill’s War: A decisive Entente victory

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This ATL is an indirect answer to the old threads “Decisive Entente victory, a better World?” and “CP victory, a better World?”. In this TL I’ll try to imagine a “decisive” Entente victory which can generate a “better” post-war World. For “decisive” I mean: quicker, less bloodletting and politically more stable. For “better” post-war World, I mean: without totalitarian regimes, a WW2, a Cold War and modern international terrorism.
This is not a Utopia: it’s alternative history, but it could appear, sometimes, just a bit ASBish. It’s just the realization of all dreams, hopes and projects of one of the leading figures of WW1: Winston Churchill. I think this is the war (and the post-war World) he wanted.
This is not a detailed TL, but, after it I would post some “focus” on some decisive battles and events.


POD: February 1915
After many days of harsh debate, the Minister of War, Lord Kitchener and First Lord of Admiralty Winston Churchill, agree on an amphibious operation against Gallipoli peninsula, in order to force Dardanelles and reach Constantinople. Churchill admits that the Navy, alone, cannot force the straits. Kitchener was persuaded that only one division of the Army (the 29th Infantry Division) could not make the difference in the Western Front, but it could determine a decisive victory in the Mediterranean.

March 1915

Turkish Front: on the eve of March 18th the 29th Infantry Division, the Royal Naval Division and a French Foreign Legion division, land in Gallipoli and in the Asiatic coast, near Kum Kale. They met few or no resistance by the Turkish garrison and in the afternoon they can easily reach the coastal forts; in the afternoon, the Anglo-French combined Mediterranean Fleet forces the narrows, supported by land troops; the Ottoman government and the Sultan move to Angora; on March 19th the combined fleet shells Constantinople for the first day; on March 20th Bulgaria declares war to Ottoman Empire; on March 21st, Greece declare war to Ottoman empire. On March 25th , while the shelling of Constantinople continues, the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force and a Greek division land in Gallipoli. That same day, the Bulgarian First Army reaches the defences of Constantinople, and a Russian army corps, protected by the Black Sea Fleet, seizes the control of Bosphorus strait with few losses.

Balkan Front: given the menace from South, field marshal Conrad, commander in chief of Austro-Hungarian forces, concentrate part of its reserves on the Serbian front and he asks for immediate German help

Caucasus Front: after the shelling of Constantinople, Russian general Judenic launch a major offensive, reaching Erzerum in the end of the month.

Eastern Front: the Russians seize the Przemisl fortress and push to Carpatian mountains; on March 21st, Rumania declares war to Austro-Hungarian empire and to Ottoman Empire; with the Rumania’s intervention, the Entente unified the Eastern Front, which is an enormous arch stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Baltic; given the menaces coming from South and Eastern Front, Falkenhayn’s OHL transfers to OberOst (Hindemburg) more divisions and the full authorization to develop a decisive offensive against Russia

Western Front: British Expeditionary Force launches an offensive in Neuve Chapelle, but it’s repulsed and counterattacked by Germans.

North Sea/Atlantic: Germans conduct an indiscriminate submarine campaign, sinking 89500 tons


April 1915

Turkish Front: Russian, Bulgarian, British and Greek forces, despite poor coordination, supported by the Anglo-French combined fleet, take the control of Constantinople on April 25th. On April 26th, exploiting the fall of Turkish morale, Greek forces seize Smirna and begin to advance in Western Anatolia. On April 30th, a little French expeditionary corps seizes Beirut, Lebanon.

Eastern Front (Balkans included): Rumanian army advances in Transylvania and seizes Hermannstadt; Russian advance is stopped along the Carpatian Mountain’s defences; OHL, OberOst and Austro-Hungarian command, plan for a combined all-out offensive against Serbia, Rumania and Russia, aiming to seize the control of all the Balkan Pensinsula and bring Russia to heels

Italian Front: Italy declares war to Austro-Hungarian Empire on April 25th, exploiting the victory of Entente’s forces on all fronts and the distraction of many A-H forces deployed to Eastern Front; general Cadorna order an all-out offensive to both the Eastern forces in the Isonzo (2nd and 3rd Army) and the 1st Army in the Northern sector (Trentino); the advance of Eastern forces is slow IOTL and it’s stopped on the Isonzo river; but the 5th Army meet only little resistance and it can reach Trento on April 30th

Caucasus Front: Russian seize Erzurum and advance in Eastern Anatolia; in the end of the month, they reach Trabzond’s defences on April 30th

Western Front: Germans try to breakthrough British lines at Ypres, using gas for the first time; British losses are high, but the defensive line holds on

North Sea/Atlantic: German submarine campaign continues, U-boots sink 38.600 tons


to be continued...
 

giobastia

Turning points

May 1915

Turkish front: the Entente Constantinople occupation force (including Greek, Bulgarian and Russian divisions) sends an Anglo-French amphibious corps to the Black Sea; supported by the Anglo-French combined Fleet and by the Russian Black Sea Fleet, it occupies all the strategic sea-harbour of the Anatolian coast; Russian forces occupy Trabzond; during this operation, the entire Turkish Fleet (including German squadron: Goeben and Breslau) is annihilated in a sea battle near Trabzond. On May the 15th an Italian expeditionary force occupies Adana; Russian’s Judenic forces, after the occupation of Trabzond, manages to advance into Anatolia, aiming to Angora. The Young Turks government accepts unconditional surrender to Entente on May 30th . The war for the Ottoman Empire is over. All over the month, Russian, British and French diplomats flood Us president Woodrow Wilson with detailed reports, photographs and analysis of Turkish atrocities committed against Armenian minority. Wilson, in his religious mind, is persuaded that the Entente cause is a just war.

Eastern Front: on May 2nd Austro-German forces launch their large scale offensive against all Entente’s forces in the East. The main force breaks Russian lines at Gorlice; other Austrian forces, supported by the German 9th Army counter-attacks Rumanian army in Transylvania; the main Austrian reserve force (supported by German 11th Army) attacks Belgrade. The results were mixed: while the battle of Gorlice is a stunning success and pushes Russian forces out of occupied Galicia, the secondary advance in Transylvania is slower then expected; Belgrade is seized by Austro-German forces, but it falls only after one month of resistance and Austro-German losses are higher then expected. The morale of Russians and Balkan’s Nations is very high and they are sure about a final victory. Germans and A-H forces are demoralized and their reserves are overstretched. Despite the danger of an eventual German’s breakthrough of the Western Front, British and French commands accept Chucrchill’s idea to send expeditionary colonial forces in the Balkans to support Eastern allies war effort. An allied Greece can provide all necessary logistical bases to Entente. And the water way of Danube is open to British light ships.

Italian Front: the occupation of Trento (one of the Italian main targets) and Adana (Italian main colonial target against Ottoman Empire) galvanizes Italian morale; the Italian 1st Army seizes Bozen and occupies the Brennero Pass; in the Isonzo front, the resistance of A-H 5th Army is too strong and the Isonzo line holds on; A-H command has to drain reserve’s divisions from the Eastern Front in order to fill the gaps in Italy; German OHL has to send 8 divisions to support A-H resistance in Tyrol; on May 24th Italy declares war to Germany.

Western Front: French 10th Army launches an offensive in the Artois region, achieving few progress at the cost of huge human losses; British army definitely stops the German advance at Ypres and counterattacks.

North Sea/Atlantic: during the indiscriminate submarine campaign, German submarines sink 126.900 tons, including the liner Lusitania, provoking huge protests in United States and boosting the determination of Entente’s public opinion against the “Huns”. After those events, Wilson is much more persuaded that Us can’t stay neutral in this European’s struggle


June 1915

Eastern Front: Austro-German forces continues their advance in Galicia, where they liberate Przemisl; Germans attack in Eastern Prussia and occupy all Lithuania and the Southern regions of Curlandia; Russian forces begin a full retreat in front of the enemy’s advance. In Rumania, Austro-German forces attacks all key-passes in Transylvania, but they are stopped by a harsh resistance. Rumanian army is supported by the first divisions of a new French expeditionary force, deployed in the Danube by the British Navy. In Serbia, once Belgrade is evacuated, Serbian army retreat in strong defensive positions in the hills and forests of the central part of their country; Austro-German advance begins to slow down; a secondary A-H offensive against Montenegro is repulsed.

Italian Front: an Austro-German little offensive push Italian forces out of Brennero Pass and of Bozen in the end of the month; a new Italian offensive on the Isonzo front is stopped by A-H 5th Army; Cadorna has to stop all the offensive operations on the Isonzo, in order to send divisions to the menaced Trentino’s sector.

Western Front: German’s offensive against Ypres calms down; the French offensive in Artois is stopped with heavy losses.

North Sea/Atlantic: the unrestricted submarine campaign continues as strong as ever, German submarines sink 115.291 tons. On June 4th Woodrow Wilson asks to the Congress a declaration of war to Germany. On June 6th, the Us Congress declares war to Germany
 

Lord Brisbane

Nothing like a good ol' Winnie-wank.
wank.gif


Still nice read.
 

giobastia

CP huge offensive in the East (and a Russian soft revolution)

July 1915

Eastern Front: Lemberg (occupied by Russian in 1914) is liberated by Austro-German forces; in the Northern sector, Germans reach the Riga fortress’s external defences; general Judenic is transferred from Caucasus to the command of the Northern Front in Pskov. By the end of the month, Austro-German armies reach the Dniestr-Vistula-Narev river’s line, well inside Russian Empire’s territory. OHL gives Hindemburg all divisions and freedom of action he needs. Hindemburg and Ludendorff are determined to knock out Russia before the deployment of Us troops in France. Falkenhayn doesn’t agree, but he thinks that there is nothing to loose and he accepts the risks of a wider offensive for the next month. In Petrograd the Duma gathers and all the moderate political forces (KD, Progressives, Left-Nationalists and Octobrist) form a coalition, named Progressive Bloc: the 2/3 of Duma. In the Black Sea’s harbours, Western materiel begins to rush in: ammos, weapons and materiel for the construction of new railways are unloaded in Odessa, Sevastopol and Novorossijsk. Three other French divisions arrive in Rumania and take the fight against Austro-German forces in Transylvania; two Greek divisions, Anzac and British 29th division are deployed in central Serbia. Every new Austrian and German advance in Rumania and Serbia fails during the month: rough terrain, bad logistics, the high morale of defenders and the presence of veteran French and British divisions make the difference.

Italian Front: after a bold advance the Austro-German offensive in Trentino is stopped by Italian 1st Army, supported by elements of Italian 5th Army; Cadorna set up an advanced defensive line in order to cover Trento; all quiet on the Isonzo front

Western Front: all quiet

North Sea/Atlantic: German submarines sink 98.000 tons; after the Us declaration of war, Admiralstab is determined to continue the unrestricted submarine campaign.


August 1915

Eastern Front: a two pronged offensive converges on Minsk. Russian Western Front has to evacuate all Poland immediately. Germans capture Warsaw, inflicting to the Russian Empire the worst humiliation since the beginning of the war; until the end of the month, German and Austrian forces clear all the Russian Poland, reaching Minsk and capturing the city. The Russian 4th and 13th Army were trapped inside advancing forces and annihilated. The other three armies of the Russian’s Western Front (1st, 2nd, 3rd) are rescued through Minsk, but they lost at least half of their forces. Ludendorff launches a frontal assault on Riga and try to land in Estonia’s islands. The Duma, the government and the Tzar move to Moscow. But, Judenic's Russian Northern Front hold on. Two minor pushes against Rumania and Serbia don’t produce results and the offensives against those two minor enemies are postponed. In the provisional capital Moscow, harsh criticism erupts against the Tzar, the political opposition in Duma is stronger then ever. The Western allies begin the construction of a new railway from Odessa to Galician front. Ammos and equipment begin to reach first line Russian infantry, not enough to produce some effects.

Italian Front: the Austro-German advance in the Trentino is stopped, Trento is safe. All quiet in all the other sectors.

Western Front: British and French armies begin the preparation for a large-scale September offensive; all quiet along the first line

North Sea/Atlantic: German submarines inflicts the heaviest losses ever to allied and neutral sea lanes, sinking 182.772 tons.


September 1915

Eastern Front: Germans and Austrians stabilizes their lines; by the end of the month, the large Austro-German offensive against the Russian Empire is ended because of logistical problems more then Russian resistance; inside Russia, political turmoil is growing faster; the Progressive Bloc asks to the Tzar for reforms; they ask for a new government (formed by Duma members), equal rights for all religious minorities (Jews included), full autonomy for Poland and Finland, liberalizations of labour unions and a complete amnesty for political prisoners. Western pressure is fundamental. Generals (including Grand Duke Nicholas), after the destruction of Russian Western Front in Poland, believe that their war effort depends entirely by Western help, which is beginning to flow in. British and French allies want reforms, in order to stabilize Russia. Wilson is pushing for democracy in Russia. Tzar Nicholas II nominate a new Progressive Government and emits the “September Manifesto”, which implements all the Progressive Bloc’s reforms immediately. The “September Manifesto” also promises post-war democratic reforms: universal suffrage elections of Duma, a government responsible in front of Duma, elective local authorities for all the Oblasts (regions) and a land reform

Italian Front: all quiet; Cadorna begin the preparation for a new Isonzo’s offensive

Western Front: British launch their attack at Loos (using gas for the first time); French 10th Army launch a renewed attack in Artois; another French offensive is launched simultaneously in Champagne region; all three attacks end with few ground progresses and many human losses.

North Sea/Atlantic: German submarines sink 136.000 tons
 

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The rescue of the Balkans and the new plans

October 1915

Eastern Front: the Austro-German offensive in Russia is suspended, but the attacks against Serbia and Rumania are renewed; Serbian’s three Armies, supported by a Macedonian Army, the British expeditionary force (13 divisions) and 6 Greek divisions, entrenched in hills and mountain positions from Adriatic coast to the Danube, resists all the attacks. In the Danube, the British river forces (made by Insect’s class gunships) beat the A-H Danube Flotilla, establishing naval superiority in this theatre of operations; Rumania four Armies, supported by six French divisions and the Russian 9th Army, resists all the Austro-German attacks in Transylvania.

Italian Front: another Italian offensive against the Isonzo line smashes against the A-H 5th Army resistance

Western Front: the British offensive in Loos ends with huge human losses; the French offensive in Artois region continues until the end of the month, with no territorial gains and heavy human losses

North Sea/Atlantic: German submarines sink 200.000 tons

November-December 1915

Eastern Front: Russian army begin to reorganize after the defeat, helped by allied advisors and armed with British and French weapons; the new Southern railway advances, but, under American’s pressure, the new Progressive government forbids the employment of Austrian and German prisoners of war for forced labour. In Serbia and Rumania, the British and French military contingents increases. The British Danube’s flotilla repeatedly shells A-H positions along the Hungarian bank and in the occupied Belgrade.

Italian Front: a new Italian offensive in the Isonzo sector ends with a new defeat and many human losses

Western Front: French, British and German forces consolidate their own positions

North Sea/Atlantic: German submarines sink 350.000 tons from the beginning of November to the end of the year.


January 1916

It’s time for planning.

Germany: OberOst (Hindemburg-Ludendorff) believes that Russia is defeated but not destroyed, Serbian and Rumanian fronts are stable, but not quiet; in sum: Hindemburg calls for more troops in order to launch another offensive in the Balkans and a new offensive in Ukraine (in order to capture the “granary of Europe”). OHL (Falkenhayn), supported by the Kaiser, don’t agree with OberOst. Falkenhayn believes that he has to knock France out of war before the full deployment of Us troops. A decisive strike against the already weakened French Army could provoke its collapse in few months. In Falkenhayn’s view, Russia, Serbia and Rumania are minor dangers. The final plan for 1916 is similar to OTL: a main push against the French army at Verdun, in order to “bleed France white” before the end of the year.

Austria-Hungary: Russia is weak, but the “Southern Front” (Rumania, Serbia and Italy), supplied by Entente’s armies, is the main concern for Conrad von Hoetzendorf. He plans for a major offensive against Italy in Spring, in Trentino. Successive offensives are planned for Serbia and Rumania, after an eventual defeat of Italy. German OHL agrees to keep its 8 divisions in Trentino. They’ll support Austrian offensive against Italy. But many German divisions deployed in Serbia and Rumania are re-deployed in the Western Front or against Russian 9th Army in Ukraine. Austria-Hungary has to hold the lines alone against eventual Serbian and Rumanian offensives, until the expected Italian surrender.

Great Britain: the battles of Neuve Chapelle and Loos demonstrate that German lines couldn’t be breached without some “mechanical” assistance (Churchill’s Admiralty is furiously working on the development of tanks) and the American support. While Western Front is stalling, the Eastern front is very promising after the bold victories against Turkey and the successful resistance of Serbia and Rumania against huge Austro-German armies. Winston Churchill influence in military planning is huge and he persuade Kitchener to deploy many more divisions in the Balkans, in order to knock Austria-Hungary out of the war. A defensive strategy prevailed for the Western Front. Haig is ordered to build a new defensive line: “The Kitchener Line”.

France: the long campaigns in Artois and Champagne bled the French army, but the morale is very high. Joffre adheres to British defensive strategy, winning some resistance. No offensives planned until the arrival of all American forces.

Italy: Cadorna plans for a new offensive against the Isonzo line, coordinated with the expected allied offensive in the Balkans

Serbia and Rumania: the armies of the two Balkan’s nations resisted all the Austro-German attacks and now they are ready for a new counter-strike supported by Western allies. The plan for 1916 campaign: a diversionary strike, made by Serbian 1st Army, the Greek divisions and the Montenegrin Army, has to attracts as many A-H divisions as possible in Bosnia and Montenegro. The Rumanian army, supported by French divisions has to hold the lines in Transylvania. The main attack is in the central sector of the front: British forces, Serbian 3rd and 2nd Armies have to breakthrough Austrian lines on the Danube, supported by the British flotilla; British deploy for this operation all 14 divisions previously deployed in Turkey, Egypt and Mesopotamia, which can join the 13 divisions already deployed in Serbia

Russia: Grand Duke Nicholas keeps his command over Russian forces; the Tzar remain in Moscow to keep an eye on the new Progressive government. The orders for a demoralized and defeated Russian army are simple: try to resist as many as possible against eventual new Austro-German pushes, wait for Western help, try to attack again in Summer. No new offensives has to be launched before the complete reorganization of the Russian forces.


to be continued...
 

giobastia

British advance in the Danube

February 1916

Western Front: on February 21st German 5th Army launch the offensive against Verdun; after an initial bold advance, Germans were stopped by the strong resistance of general Petain.

Eastern Front: this month begin with huge guerrilla operations conducted by Serbian “Chetniks” behind the A-H lines, in occupied Serbia and in Bosnia. After the beginning of Verdun, French command asks for help and the British command have anticipate the planned offensive in the Balkans; in the end of the month, scout missions conducted by the Danube British flotilla and a faint assaults of Greek and Serbian armies against Austrian divisions in Bosnia, open the operations, whose beginning is set in mid March. In Russia, bad weather and snow prevent any serious operation for both sides

Italian Front: all quiet

North Sea/Atlantic: German Admiralstab launches a second submarine offensive around British Isles. Admiral Von Pohl dies and he’s relieved by Von Scheer, a more aggressive commander


March 1916

Western Front: Germans continues their struggle around the Verdun’s salient, without any significant result; both French and German armies suffer huge human losses

Eastern Front: after faint attacks conducted by Greek and Serbian divisions in Bosnia and other faint attacks conducted by French 12 divisions in Transylvania, the main British and Serbian offensive starts on March 15th along the Danube, supported by the British Danube Flotilla. The A-H 3rd Army, overwhelmed by British superior fire-power and Serbian’s assault fury, loses ground and begin a quick retreat in Belgrade; German’s 11th Army comes to the rescue and stop the Entente offensive around Belgrade. Nothing new in Russian front: British and French advisors discourage any offensive manoeuvre before the complete restoration of full Russian capability

Italian Front: A-H reserves was distracted from the Italian Front, because of the battle of the Danube. In the end of the month, general Cadorna exploit those rare circumstances to launch an offensive against the Isonzo line. On March 30th, Mount Hermada is taken and the way for Trieste is cleared.

North Sea/Atlantic: the surface fleets made sorties on both sides, but there is no encounter; German zeppelins bombard British East coast, British sea-planes try unsuccessfully to bombard a Zeppelin base in Northern Germany; German submarines sink 160.000 tons

to be continued...
 

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From the Danube Campaign to Brussilov Offensive

April 1916

Western Front: while the struggle continues around Verdun, Churchill’s Admiralty deploy the first battle-ready tank unit (six month before OTL); the new weapon is kept secret in England and produced in large numbers; under the instructions of Admiralty, British command in Flanders and Somme sectors begin the preparation of special logistical infrastructures (reinforced bridges and special railways) for tank’s manoeuvre.

Eastern Front: despite hard German resistance, the 3rd and 2nd Serbian Army, supported by the British Balkan Force and by the British flotilla liberate Belgrade by the end of the month. German and A-H forces retreat to the Northern (Hungarian) bank of the Danube

Italian Front: Italian 3rd Army takes Trieste, the second main target for Italy; the Austro-Hungarian morale is severely hurt, but the 5th Army recovered and launches counter-attacks against Trieste; the harbour doesn’t fall, but it is besieged and isolated; Italian 3rd Army can resist, only because of naval support

North Sea/Atlantic: German submarines sink 186.000 tons; on April 25th, the entire German HSF support a naval shelling of the British East coast; bad weather prevent British Grand Fleet from intercepting the enemy fleet


May 1916

Western Front: the German 5th Army continues its offensive against Verdun

Eastern Front: German 9th Army rushes in the rescue of A-H 3rd Army and German 11th Army in Belgrade sector; the Entente offensive in the Danube is stopped at high costs. In Bosnia, the six Greek divisions and the Serbian 1st Army launch a new offensive, exploiting the dispersion of Austro-German divisions. Serbians seize Sarajevo on May 30th. Hindemburg postponed his offensive in Ukraine, because of the crisis in the Balkans. Russian forces are ready to launch a new offensive: Allied supply lines (the new Odessa railway) are complete, Allied materiel, weapons and ammos reach every Russian unit.

Italian Front: Conrad launches his offensive. The 5th Army attacks Trieste as a diversionary move, while the main force, 11th and 3rd Army (including the 8 German divisions commanded by Kress von Kressenstein), attacks in Trentino region. Italian defences hold on in Trieste, but the 1st Army in Trentino is severely beaten. Italians are obliged to reach a new defensive line close to Trento. Now, both the “redeemed” cities, Trento and Trieste, are in Italian hands, but shelled by enemy artillery

North Sea/Atlantic: on May 31st, British Grand Fleet and German HSF clash near Jutland peninsula; the battle ends with a German tactical victory; German submarines sink 211.000 tons


June 1916

Western Front: while the massacre of Verdun continues, British Command strengthen its defensive positions from Somme river to Flanders.

Eastern Front: on June 4th, the Russian South-Western Front led by general Bussilov launches its offensive against the A-H armies in Galicia; simultaneously, the Russian Northern Front led by Judenic launches an offensive against Germans in Curlandia; both attacks have success. The Germans succeed in retreating in good order and form a new defensive line close to Koenigsberg; A-H forces has no help, nor from Germans (engaged in Curlandia and in the Balkans), nor from A-H reserves (engaged in Italy and in the Balkans). The A-H lines in Galicia are broken and Brussilov reaches the Carpatian Mountains in the end of the month. Exploiting Russian success, Serbians and the British Balkan Force attack the Hungarian bank of the Danube and capture Vukovar and Vinkovci.

Italian Front: given the crises in the Eastern Front, the Austro-German offensive is suspended immediately, all reserves are send to Balkans and Carpatian Mountains

North Sea/Atlantic: few activities of the main fleets, due to the damages suffered in Jutland; an American battleship squadron (9th Battle Division) joins the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow, to replace the heavy losses suffered by the British at Jutland. Kitchener goes to Russia through the secure France-Mediterranean-Black Sea route; in mid-June he reaches Petrograd, where he discussed a possible coordination between Russian and Allied offensives for the next month.

to be continued
 

giobastia

Map 2: Entente offensives in the Eastern Front (1916)

We can see here the advance of Judenic (North), Brussilov (Center) and the Serbian-British Army (South)

ATL_east_front2.gif
 

giobastia

The Defeat of Austro-Hungarian Empire

July 1916

Western Front: given the crisis in the Eastern Front, OHL slows down the offensive against Verdun and sends two army corps to OberOst; Falkenhayn knows that he has to act quickly, before Us forces become operational. The struggle at Vardun demonstrates that it’s impossible to “bleed France white” in time. So he plans a new decisive offensive in the Aisne, aiming to Paris.

Eastern Front: Russian Northern Front pushes on Koenigsberg, but German lines hold on; the Bussilov’s South-Western Front pushes the A-H lines in the Carpatian Mountains; the A-H Army is rapidly imploding, Germans retreat their 11th Army in Slovenia and Austria, the 9th Army take positions around Budapest. The British Balkan Force (British forces now amounts to 30 divisions) with Serbian 2nd and 3rd Army, begin to advance up in the Danube, supported by the British Danube Flotilla. French expeditionary force in Rumania and the entire Rumanian Army launch a full scale offensive against retreating A-H forces in Transylvania and they rush in Hungarian plain

Italian Front: exploiting A-H collapse, Italian Army launches a large scale offensive on both fronts. In the Northern front, it reaches again the Brennero Pass, where it’s stopped by the German Alpine Corps; in the East, the Italian 2nd Army liberate the besieged 3rd Army in Trieste

North Sea/Atlantic: Admiral Scheer is not ready for a new action, but he’s planning for a new mass sortie of HSF in the next month. Submarines and zeppelins go out in scouting missions. In the Atlantic, German U-boots sink 280.000 tons.


August 1916

Western Front: while the struggle around Verdun slows down, Falkenhayn launches his main offensive through the Aisne river with 1st and 7th Army. After an initial bold advance, the German’s offensive is stopped on the Marne. Two American infantry divisions participate to the defence of the French front

Eastern Front: the Russian South Western Front breaks the A-H lines in the Carpatians and rush in the Hungarian plain; exploiting Russian success, British Balkan Force push on further North and the British Danube Flotilla begins to attack Budapest external defences. The battle of Budapest (defended by German “South” Army and by the 1st A-H Army) begins

Italian Front: the Italian 2nd Army, supported by elements of the 4th Army, launches a bold advance to Lubjana and captures the city in the end of the month; A-H 5th Army opposes few resistance; British-Italian fleet in the Adriatic, covers the landing of Us Marine forces in Sabbioncello Peninsula and Curzola Island

North Sea/Atlantic: the German HSF sorts out on August 18th as planned, aiming to Sunderland; on August 19th the HSF is intercepted by the entire Grand Fleet (including the Us Battleship Division 9); the miracle of Jutland doesn’t repeat itself and the Germans suffer a definitive naval defeat; Von Scheer dies in action and is replaced by Von Hipper.


September 1916

Western Front: Falkenhayn suspends the offensive in the Aisne and he tries to attack British forces in Flanders. But British defences are strong and the German 4th and 6th Army are stopped by the Bef, entrenched in the new “Kitchener Line”

Eastern Front: the Russian South Western Front, the Rumanian Army, the French expeditionary corps, the British Balkan Force and Serbian 2nd and 3rd Army, all converges to Budapest; the city hold on, but German and A-H forces suffer heavy losses. The German forces in Poland are exposed and begin to retreat beyond Vistula. Russian Western Front, led by general Evert, advances in Poland and reach Warsaw in the end of the month. A pro-Russian (but autonomist) Polish government, led by Dmowski, is established in Warsaw. British Admiralty plans, given the domination of North Sea, plans a sortie in the Baltic, in order to support the advance of the Russian Northern Front

Italian Front: the A-H Fleet sorts out to attack Us-Italian forces at Sabbioncello Peninsula. Intercepted by the Allied fleet, it is completely annihilated. Once conquered the domination of the Adriatic Sea and dominant positions in Sabbioncello and Curzola, Italian forces land in Pola, Fiume and Zara, securing those cities, meeting few or no resistance on the A-H side.

North Sea/Atlantic: the the merchant’s losses rise to 320.000 tons in this month

to be continued...
 

giobastia

Eastern Front, map 3

Here we can see the Entente further advance after the collapse of Austro-Hungarian Army and the retreat of German OberOst armies West to Vistula

ATL_east_front3.gif
 

giobastia

Mackensen's last winter offensive

October 1916

Western Front: Falkenhayn keeps high the pressure on all the sectors, but he doesn’t achieve any breakthrough

Eastern Front: Budapest fell on the hands of Entente forces; the old Emperor Franz Joseph dies and Emperor Karl I ascends to throne of a collapsing Empire. The first move of the new Emperor is a proclamation on Autonomy for all the peoples of the Empire. Just after this move, in the end of the month, he asks for an armistice, signed in Sopron, on October 21st. German 9th and 11th Army, led by Mackensen, occupy defensive positions in Bohemia and Austria; they are completely isolated

Italian Front: after the collapse of A-H Empire, Italian 1st Army try to break the Brennero Pass, but it’s stopped by the German Alpine Corps; Italian 4th and 2nd Army are free to advance in Austria, using A-H railway system

North Sea/Atlantic: German U-boots sink 315.000 tons


November 1916

Western Front: the last German attacks slam against the Kitchener Line; Falkenhayn is removed. Hindemburg and Ludendorff become chief of OHL with semi-dictatorial power over Germany; French 3rd Army, supported by the new American 1st Army liberate all the ground lost during the battle of Verdun

Eastern Front: General Mackensen occupies a very difficult position inside a now neutral country. He has two options: launch a preventive assault against Entente’s forces, before they regroup in Austria, or retreat in Germany. He opts for the second choice and launches a preventive winter offensive against the weakest of the enemy forces: the Italian 4th and 2nd Army. After this move, he’s ready to re-direct his offensive against Russians and British Balkan Force. The assault against Italian armies breaks their lines near Gratz. Italians has to retreat to Lubjana. After November 21st, German 9th Army leaves few divisions to guard Italians in Slovenia, while the main force of Mackensen’s Army Group marches against the Russian South-Western Front in Hungary

Italian Front: Italian 1st and 5th Army launch a frontal assault against German defences through Brennero Pass, but they are stopped with heavy losses

North Sea/Atlantic: German launches a new class of submarines against the Atlantic sea lanes, sinking an impressive quantity of merchant vessels: 426.000 tons are sunk until the end of the month


December 1916

Western Front: all quiet; Us command forms a 2nd Army.

Eastern Front: Mackensen launches his main assault against the Entente forces along the Danube. In a large battle, close to Vienna, German forces pushes Russian forces to the East, but are counter-attacked and severely beaten by British Balkan Forces. By the end of the month, Allies enter Vienna, Germans has to retreat in Bohemia and Germany, Italians take the initiative again and join forces with the Entente main force in Austria

Italian Front: all quiet

North Sea/Atlantic: German submarines sink almost 500.000 tons

to be continued...
 

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The Baltic Expedition

January 1917

It’s time for planning

Germany: the Duo (Hindemburg-Ludendorff) mobilizes all national resources for an extreme resistance; all classes of reserves are sent to the various fronts, despite the naval blockade (and the total mobilization policy itself) begins to produce devastating consequences for German civil society. Germany relies on the indiscriminate submarine warfare, which is producing very good results. If Germans resist on all fronts and succeed in interrupt the Atlantic naval traffic, they could force Entente to an honourable peace.

Entente: in the Conference of Rome, all allied commands agree on the final concentric assault against Germany. Russian Northern and Western Fronts have to attack in East Prussia and German occupied Western Poland. Royal Navy has to support this last Russian assault, penetrating in the Baltic. Russian South Western Front, the British and French Balkan forces and the Serbian Army have to attack in Silesia. The Italian Army has to attack from South, aiming to Munich. The American, French and British armies are ready for a total assault in the Western Front, with “British secret weapons”.


February 1917

Western Front: Ludendorff orders a general retreat from the “Great Salient” of Noyon to a new fortified Siegfriedstellung. During the retreat, Germans devastate all supply routes and occupied French towns and villages

Eastern Front: German commander (Hoffman) deploy the Mackensen’s Army group behind a new defensive line in Bohemia. The Eastern Army Group entrenches behind Danzig-Vistula-Breslau line. German Alpine Corps fortifies the Brennero Pass

North Sea/Atlantic: German submarines sink 630.000 tons of merchant vessels. The three British Battle Cruiser Squadrons, supported by the Fifth Battle Squadron, force the Oresund, after a diversionary manoeuvre in the Great Belt. German Scouting Group (the Battle Cruisers survived after Terschelling) and the remnant Battleships fall in the trap and are defeated in another decisive naval battle. British naval forces are in the Baltic and they reach Riga, their new provisional base for the final assault.
 

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Piercing the Empire, Map 1

Here we can see the new lines of German fronts (coloured Red) and the two British naval expeditions (Blue) into the Baltic Sea

piercing_empire2.jpg.jpg
 

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The Entente Steamroller

March 1917

Western Front: on March 8th, Entente launches its offensive against all German sectors. American 2nd Army launches an offensive against German Army Group Albrecht aiming to Metz and the South side of the St. Mihiel salient. American 1st Army attacks the North side of the St. Mihiel salient. Germans has to evacuate the salient immediately; overwhelming American forces reaches the external defences of Metz by the end of the month. The French Army Group Center (Petain) attacks in Meuse-Argonne sector. The “Reserve Army Group” (Celer) in the Aisne sector. Both French offensives met hard German resistance and are stopped very quickly, with heavy losses. The French army uses for the first time its tank, the CA1, but the effect is poor: French generals disperses tanks along the line and the CA1 presents a lot of technical problems. It’s the Bef that uses the tanks in the right way. After a short artillery preparation, nearly 2000 Mark 1 tanks attack German Hindemburg Line in 3 different sectors (more then 600 tanks for each sector): Arras, St. Quentin and Cambrai. German defenders are not ready to meet the new weapons: they have no “K” anti-tank ammos, no training, no psychological preparation. And they escape or surrender to the enemy. By the end of the day, British armoured forces break German defences in all three sectors. All the “Kitchener’s Army” rushes in those breaches. Ludendorff panicks and orders a general retreat, behind the Meuse-Antwerp line, abandoning nearly all occupied France and Belgium. The Army Group Rupprecht is trapped between the advancing British forces and can’t escape with all of his forces. The German 6th Army is trapped in the “Cambrai-St. Quentin Pocket”, completely encircled by British 3rd and 5th Army.

Eastern Front: on March 8th, Judenic’s Northern Front attacks the fortress of Danzig, supported by the British Battlecruisers and the Fifth Battle Squadron. After three weeks of struggle, the fortress falls in the hands of Russian forces. The Evert’s Western Front launches a frontal assault against the German Vistula line, but they don’t achieve any breakthrough. Brussilov’s South-Western Front attacks in Silesia and he reaches Breslau by the end of the month. French, British, Rumanian and Serbian assaults against Bohemian German line fail. Italian assaults against the Austro-German border also fail. In the Brennero Pass, Italians cannot move, because of snow and bad weather.

North Sea/Atlantic: the Allies applies a convoy system in order to protect their sea lanes. The number of German successes decreases sharply, as the number of sunk submarines increases. German Gotha bombers attack London every week.
German Gotha “giant” bombers multiply their raids on London.
 
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