Let Them Pass

[lukedalton]

And lastely, we do not know how the war and later peace will play out, but painting Albert as court jester is going a bit far I think. Because whatever happens, Belgium will be a nation that fought with Germany in this war.

As said, Belgium position towards France and UK is too important to be ignored, Albert has already show to basically throw away precedent treaty at the first sign of real pressure and if Germany win Belgium will not have any other ally in the continent except Berlin that by past history will reasonably believe to be capable to ask whatever they want to the Belgium goverment.
Oh sure, they will pay a reasonable price for their base in Antwerp and for stationing troops in the country...but everybody will understand who is really is in charge in the nation and Albert? Yes he will be the court jester, the shoeshine man, janitor, french maid, whatever the Kaiser will say because? He will not have any choice.
Will the population hate the Germans? No, at least not initially they have fought a war together...but will soon be clear that things are done for the benefit of Germany first, second and third after all it's not the MittelEuropa final objective.
Even A-H fought side by side with Germany and by the end of the war was a whole owned subsidiary of the German Empire, so i really doubt that Belgium will fare differently.

The legal case for neutrality can certainly be made. The start of the war and the actions of the various players are murky enough for that. On the other hand, Italy was in an alliance with AH and Germany. So a certain amount of displeasure from the Germans and Austrians should be understandeble.

As the British and France one because a supposed neutral nation had basically permitted at the enemy to be used as a springboard for an offensive; sorry there is no way that this can't be seen a Belgium throwing away his neutrality and cast his lot with Germany regardless of Albert motivation and even for a moment the king and his goverment have believed that they will not be attacked by France and/or considered a German co-belligerant are basically braindamaged

Oh and I agree that Belgium would have had a very hard time in explaining its actions to others as truely neutral. On the other hand, if they would have managed to keep the Germans to only transit and transport a case Imo can be made on certain points...
Also writing history is so much easier if the other side does bad things and you have true facts to work with...

As said only if Germany win, sorry but not permitting to foreigner troops to pass through your territory is the reason Belgium is neutral; regarding the part of the French my reaction has been
Making scorched earth and basically destroying anything of value that the enemy can use and killing the civilian that try to resist? Sure, it make sense and also punish Belgium...going in a rape spree with the loss of discipline of the army during an offensive so that the gallant german white knight can save the day? Suuuuure, next Joffre twirling his mustache kidnapp the Belgium royal family and go full Sidney Whiplash?

France did not demand it and got right down to ordering very harsh reprisals, so a case can be made, that if Belgium had not allowed transit, that it would have been the Germans doing the harsh treatment. So Albert was between the rock and hard place. ANd we do not know what information Belgium gave to France and Britian regarding its actions on the Ultimatum. At least I do not think we know.

From what has transpired the French and British goverment has been informed by the journal and the Belgium goverment has basically surprised them with their decision and any attempt to keep at least the illusion of Belgium neutrality will have included a formal attempt to resist at least passively the German passage, but Albert had not done even that.

 

[Deleted member 94680]

You know @Stenz, I am unsure if you are discussing or are obstuse for the sake of it...

I’m not being obtuse for the sake of it, I apologise if that’s how you feel. But it seems we have a different understanding of the Western Front in 1914. The Race to the Sea was nothing to do with capturing Channel Ports and as such still indicates the German’s intent in the early stage of the War. It was an attempt to outflank the Entente before circling south to take Paris.

The Germans want to capture Paris. To achieve this, Moltke took on Schlieffen’s assertion that a wide, sweeping manoeuvre to the North around the likely French positions (ie towards, but not as far as, the Channel coast) before coming back around to the north and rear of Paris would be required.

 

[Geon]

In case some of you think I made this up, Ambassador Herrick actually was asked to take charge of protecting French landmarks as it became clear the Germans might reach Paris, prior to the Battle of the Marne in our TL.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 7: Invasion and First Impressions!​

August 8, 1914: The Franco-Belgian Border: Along a broad front from the English Channel to Givet the German Army advances. By the end of the first day of the invasion Dunkirk and Maubeuge are in the hands of Germany’s First Army, the 2nd Army has taken La Cateau and is moving toward St. Quentin, and the 3rd army is in Hirson and Guise, and the Fourth Army coming out of Luxembourg is crossing the Meuse. Thus far French resistance has been minimal.

Paris: General Joffre has not been idle. He is in the process of forming a defensive line using the French 4th and 3rd armies to form a line from Compiegne to Revigny. He knows his troops are stretched thin in some places but he hopes this will delay the Germans long enough for the armies meant to take part in Operation 17 to be repositioned on the Marne to make a stand. If all goes well the Germans will exhaust themselves against the first French line at the Aisne and Vesle Rivers or at least be delayed so that hurried defenses can be built along the Marne by the 1st and 2nd French armies.

General Joffre like Poincaire’ is gratified that Britain has finally decided to declare war against the Boche. But he also knows it will take time for the British to get into the fight, at least one to two weeks according to his sources. He must buy the French those two weeks.

Poincaire’ is also concerned for Paris. Joffre has made it plain that the danger to Paris is quite real. Poincaire’ is presently going over plans to prepare the city for a state of siege, or worse with the mayor of Paris. Poincaire’ has also ordered the evacuation of all children under the age of 12 from Paris to safer parts in the south. He has asked the American ambassador Myron T. Herrick to take charge of protecting famous Parisian landmarks. Like Joffre, Poincaire’ is painfully aware that it will take time for the British to mobilize, time that thanks to the Belgians’ acquiescence to Germany, France does not have.

News of the rape incident on the French border has reached Poincaire’ and he already considers this a major public relations disaster. To forestall public uproar over the incident he instructs his various ministries to issue a blanket denial of the event claiming it is actually a piece of German propaganda. He also instructs Joffre that from now on any such incidents of drunkenness on duty and attacks on civilians by French soldiers are to be prosecuted most vigorously. He wants no more such incidents.

London: In London and throughout the United Kingdom the British declaration of war on the Central Powers is met with mixed feelings. Demonstrations both for and against the war again occur in major UK cities throughout the day. Again, there are clashes and another 154 people are arrested in total as a result of the demonstrations.

Reports indicate that activity at recruitment stations is good but not at the levels hoped for. Many in Britain are ambivalent on getting involved in this “German/French affair.” News has arrived that Canada and Australia will both as per being part of the Commonwealth be sending troops, but it will be weeks before they begin to arrive.

Meantime First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill has authorized the blockade of all ports “currently belonging to or under the coercion of Germany.”

New York, U.S.A.: Newspapers have begun to receive accounts from their reporters in France about the incident on the Franco/Belgian border. While access to the area is impossible accounts of the incident from German sources are snatched up and printed in lurid detail by many newspapers. Although an official statement has been issued by the French ambassador in Washington that the incident was plainly concocted by the Germans for propaganda reasons, one New York newspaper in its editorial section shows a cartoon of a handsome German soldier fending off a lecherous ugly and drunken Frenchman seeking to attack a young lady, with the caption. “And who here is the real barbarian?”

 

[TimTurner]

interesting concept. watched.

 

[Jaenera Targaryen]

And so it begins, the German drive to Paris. Given fresh troops, superior logistics this time around, I’d give Germany good chances at breaking through, or at least taking more of France’s coal and iron fields.

 

[Derek Pullem]

August 8, 1914: The Franco-Belgian Border: Along a broad front from the English Channel to Givet the German Army advances. By the end of the first day of the invasion Dunkirk and Maubeuge are in the hands of Germany’s First Army, the 2nd Army has taken La Cateau and is moving toward St. Quentin, and the 3rd army is in Hirson and Guise, and the Fourth Army coming out of Luxembourg is crossing the Meuse. Thus far French resistance has been minimal.

The Race to the Sea was nothing to do with capturing Channel Ports and as such still indicates the German’s intent in the early stage of the War. It was an attempt to outflank the Entente before circling south to take Paris.

The Germans want to capture Paris. To achieve this, Moltke took on Schlieffen’s assertion that a wide, sweeping manoeuvre to the North around the likely French positions (ie towards, but not as far as, the Channel coast) before coming back around to the north and rear of Paris would be required.

This is what was supposed to have happened

This is what actually happened

Kluck got drawn in and instead of sweeping round Paris (Keep the right wing strong!) got embroiled in the Marne. Which left his flank hanging and ended up with the race for the sea after the Marne. The original plan and timetable was probably unachievable if the Belgians chose to fight - but here they haven't. Even if the German are stopped before Paris then it's quite likely the Seine itself will be the stop line rather than Marne. which would leave most of the Channel coast down to Dieppe and Le Havre in German hands

 

[matzeskatze]

I’m not being obtuse for the sake of it, I apologise if that’s how you feel. But it seems we have a different understanding of the Western Front in 1914. The Race to the Sea was nothing to do with capturing Channel Ports and as such still indicates the German’s intent in the early stage of the War. It was an attempt to outflank the Entente before circling south to take Paris.

The Germans want to capture Paris. To achieve this, Moltke took on Schlieffen’s assertion that a wide, sweeping manoeuvre to the North around the likely French positions (ie towards, but not as far as, the Channel coast) before coming back around to the north and rear of Paris would be required.

And I appologize for the tone as I do not want to sound aggressive.

Yes I agree that Germany was trying to take Paris. But after the Marne whatever goal the Race had, it clearly ended up at the coast. And in this TL the Germans are starting from a much better position so I assume they will end further west. My thinking is that the Pas de Calais is a probable region that they could take. If such would happen, the situation would change drastically for both the British and French.

Not only would the transport be hindered by the loss of Dunkirk and Calais, but also by the geography of the Channel. Add that the Bethune Coal Field would be threatend or taken to worsen the French situation further to compound the threat to Channel shipping that would exist. Regardless of CP naval action, the loss of the narowest point at Dover and Calais would have negative reprecussions.

And as the last chapter started, we will have to see how the battles unfold. One thing I noticed is that the French are rather... well defensive. Would they really divert to such an extent from Plan XVII and abandon all offensive action into Elsaß-Lothringen? Because that seems very und Joffre lile to me.

 

[VoidStalker]

Am I reading this correctly that France has gone for a full defensive mode? That seems bizarre given the cult of the offense is strong right now everywhere

 

[Deleted member 94680]

And I appologize for the tone as I do not want to sound aggressive.

No need to apologise, I wasn’t offended in the slightest.

We are now, as of the last update, fully into ATL territory. It seems the Germans have decided to capture coastal areas rather than throw everything into the drive for Paris. That is what the OP has decided and now OTL seems to be of little relevance.

Personally, I think the German advance is too fast to be realistic and a lack of pre-War planning PoD makes the “coastal drive” not that believable, but it’s the OP’s prerogative.

It’s an interesting TL thus far and I’m intrigued to see where it goes next.

 

[TimTurner]

German strategy seems to prescribe acting in a way akin to a boa constrictor, slowly strangling Allied logistics, and Paris along with it.

 

[Derek Pullem]

No need to apologise, I wasn’t offended in the slightest.

We are now, as of the last update, fully into ATL territory. It seems the Germans have decided to capture coastal areas rather than throw everything into the drive for Paris. That is what the OP has decided and now OTL seems to be of little relevance.

Personally, I think the German advance is too fast to be realistic and a lack of pre-War planning PoD makes the “coastal drive” not that believable, but it’s the OP’s prerogative.

It’s an interesting TL thus far and I’m intrigued to see where it goes next.

The only mention of a coastal diversion is the capture of Dunkirk - I don't know what the garrison would be but the fortifications were not negligible. If Kluck if diverting men to take Dunkirk then he's weakening the most important part of the Schlieffen plan.

 

[Deleted member 94680]

The only mention of a coastal diversion is the capture of Dunkirk - I don't know what the garrison would be but the fortifications were not negligible. If Kluck if diverting men to take Dunkirk then he's weakening the most important part of the Schlieffen plan.

It would appear that the Schlieffen Plan has been thrown in the bin completely.

 

[Geon]

Chapter 8: Take the Long Road to Paris​

August 9, 1914; London: At the offices of the recently appointed Secretary of State for War, Lord Herbert Kitchener is sequestered with General John French conferring on plans for British intervention in the war. Looking at a map there is considerable reason for pessimism on the part of both men. As Lord Kitchener observes, “The German First Army is closing on Calais and will doubtless have occupied it by tomorrow at the very latest. At this point the only safe embarkation point I see for our troops once we begin sending them across will be the port of LeHavre.”

General French frowns. “That’s taking the long road to Paris for our men Lord Kitchener.” Lord Kitchener sighs. “Yes, but I don’t think the Germans are planning to sweep the French coast. I suspect the plan is to surround Paris and force the French to surrender or face a siege or worse urban warfare.”

General John French nods. “Then what should be our countermove?”

Lord Kitchener gestures to the map. “My best suggestion for a counterattack? I would first secure LeHavre against the possibility of a German attack. And then move up toward Chartres. There I would stage a crossing in force of the Eure River break through the German lines and relieve Paris.”

General French nods again. “A good plan. But I won’t make a move until I have the total number of all 6 British divisions promised me. I’ll take the time to fortify LeHavre against a German attack until I’m fully ready.”

Now, it was Lord Kitchener is the one to frown. “You may have to move sooner than that. The Germans are moving faster than we anticipated due to Belgium’s capitulation. Assuming the French can’t stop the 2nd army at the Vesle or the Marne many of our analysts believe Paris could be under siege in as little as two weeks.

“Lord Kitchener I appreciate that fact, I hope that you appreciate I will not lead my men into battle until I am certain I have the manpower and equipment for the breakthrough at Chartres,” replies General French forcefully.

For Kitchener it is imperative that relief be sent to help the French Army as soon as possible. But General French will not commit his force to battle until he is certain all is ready.

----------​

Elsewhere in London and in several major cities in the UK protestors are picketing outside of recruiting stations urging young men not to enlist. “This is not England’s war!” They declare. British constables are kept busy keeping the entrances to the recruiting stations clear and on occasion arresting protestors who try to interfere with men entering.

Several London newspapers are starting to call the protestors “German stooges.” Of course, this is not sitting well with the protestors who consider themselves loyal British subjects protesting Britain’s involvement in a war that will ultimately not benefit the Empire.

Paris: In Paris work has begun on evacuating “non-combatants” namely children under 12, the elderly, and the disabled from the city. Work has also begun on digging defensive works around the perimeter of the city and plotting sniper’s positions. Ambassador Herrick is horrified to learn that some consideration is being made to turning the Eifel Tower into both an observation post and a sniper position. He protests to President Poincare’ that doing so will result in the possible destruction of the tower. Poincare’ agrees with the Ambassador and orders any further considerations of using the tower put on hold, ‘unless a change in the situation warrants.” Meantime Herrick is concerned for the safety of the monuments he has been tasked with protecting. He wires a request to President Wilson for a “small contingent” of about 60 army troops to be debarked immediately for France to help guard the various monuments, specifically the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre.

In the meantime, General Joffre receives hourly updates from the first line of defense being finished at breakneck speed. It is estimated that the German 2nd army will reach the Aisne/Vesle line within 2 days, 3 at the most.

General Joffre has received some good news, however. The first of the colonial troops from Algeria have begun arriving in French ports. Joffre has decided that these troops will be deployed to the eastern Franco-German border on the Rhine to bolster positions there, while troops from the French 1st and 2nd armies are repositioned at the Marne and form a second line of attack.

For the troops at the Aisne/Vesle line Joffre orders them to resist as long as possible then fall back to the Marne. That will be where the French will make their main stand.

 

[Geon]

It would appear that the Schlieffen Plan has been thrown in the bin completely.

Not completely. Consider this a modified version of the plan. With Belgium not a threat the Germans can take the time to capture the channel ports with the 1st Army. Reason: deny them to the British who here don't have the luxury of time to debark troops there. Take the channel ports and the British have to debark further down the coast. And that allows the German U-Boats the chance to intercept them. Von Kluck still intends to turn eastward, after he is certain the British won't be able to use the channel ports.

 

[Deleted member 94680]

Not completely. Consider this a modified version of the plan. With Belgium not a threat the Germans can take the time to capture the channel ports with the 1st Army.

Fine, but this should be some form of PoD, as OTL the Germans knew full well (or rather, heavily suspected) that the British would send a contingent to the continent. They knew this and discounted it as significant to their plans. You’re viewing this with the benefit of hindsight. The Germans didn’t care that the British might embark six or eight divisions sometime after the War had started as they were planning for it all to be over before the British could have an effect.

This “move faster through Belgium, so they’re ahead of schedule” thing is suspicious to me as well. It moves forward their invasion of France, yes. But once they’re in France, they won’t be moving quicker. They still have to move and deploy with an eye to their flanks and tail, just as they did OTL. Your TL starts on the 2nd of August. OTL, the French began mobilising on the 1st. Therefore, there are mobilised French units somewhere when the Germans cross the border. Resistance to German advances will happen somewhere. France is not a nation of meek civilians, fleeing from the Teutonic hordes.

Again, this is your TL, so write it how you want. But IMHO you haven’t squared the circle of how having Belgium allow access (which was a dream of the OTL German government to allow the Schlieffen Plan to gain the all important “head start”) suddenly makes the Great General Staff want to capture the coast. They never wanted the Channel ports because the Channel wasn’t important to them because anything that could come over the Channel (trade, supplies, British soldiers) would be rendered moot by their swift capture of Paris. Anything diverted from the “right hook” of the northern encirclement of Paris is wasted in their view. The Germans were on the clock and they knew it. As far as Moltke is concerned, to gain some time (via capitulated Belgium) to then ‘waste’ it on a wilful frolic down the Channel coast is madness. Who cares about stopping a few Tommies coming over the Channel when you could be marching down the Champs-Élysées in your dress uniform?

 

[matzeskatze]

As @Stenz said, there are mounting problems that would need investigation. Not only the ones he mentiond, but also the total abandonment of offensive thinking from the French. At least until now we have not heard about anything going on in Elsaß-Lothringen. And that is THE goal of the French in the war.

Another point is the U-Boot one you mentiond in TL. As I understand it as of this point in time, the submarine is not yet recognized by navies round the world as an offensive weapon. So that does not yet makes sense. Merchant Raiders, Cruiser and such were the weapon of choice for sweeping the merchants from the sea.

One thing where the troops for the coast could have come from, would be the ones planned for the Belgian operation. I am not sure how much manpower that would entail and if it would be enough to ge to Calais and take it. As I do not know what troops the French had in the area. The reason could be that there is a rail line from Bruges to Dunkirk to Calais at the time I think. But for that someone with more understanding of the rail lines of the time should say something mor.

 

[Riain]

I'm not sure what is inaccurate - if you had quoted the whole post in context you would see that when I referred to "major / modern fleet units". Yes the UK and Germany based light forces in the channel (Dover Patrol) but these were expendable. The RN clearly did operate within 5 miles of the coast during the Zeebrugge and Ostend raids.

The fact that it took two years for Germany to prepare to adequately defend even these light forces shows how exposed the Channel ports were to enemy action. Possession of Antwerp and Ostend (or even Calais) does not close the Channel, it merely makes it contested rather than a British maritime highway.

You claim that the Belgian ports were too exposed and therefore unusable, and further claim that it took 2 years to fortify them and this is why the Germans never used them for anything other than uboats. I'm pointing out that the Germans fortified this stretch of coast by March 1915, 6 months after their capture and these defences meant the RN couldn't conduct 'operations' within 5 and 10 miles. By operations I mean close observed bombardment, minesweeping of German fields, raiding any german coastal ships or lightships etc, the fact that you point out a single operation carried out in a single night over more than 3 years of war proves how little the RN could do for most of the war.

Below is the German study of the Channel ports carried out in Sept 1914, note that the canal between Zeebrugge and Bruges was big enough for a small cruiser, and the defensive gun emplacements.

• Antwerp: major port and shipbuilding facilities, Scheldt pass through (neutral?) Dutch waters, linked by inland canal to Bruges:
  
  
• Zebrugge: shallow approaches and drifting sand requiring dredging, undefended apart from sea mole requiring major defensive gun emplacement, canal big enough for small cruisers inland to Bruges, minimal repair facilities: in general not considered a desirable base
  
  
• Bruges: linked by canal to Antwerp, Zeebrugge and Ostend, no repair facilities: useful as safe harbour and supply station
  
  
• Ostend: defenceless without guns, linked by small canal to Bruges, some repair facilities including 2 small drydocks
  
  
• Dunkirk: shallow and navigational hazards on approach meant bad for Uboats but easily defended, good repair facilities: Good base for Torpedo boats
  
  
• Calais: Deep approaches mean uboats could dive as soon as leaving port, well equipped with repair facilities, very vulnerable to attack and would need major defensive gun emplacements: useable by uboats but overall worse than Dunkirk.
  
  
• Boulogne: approaches and defensibility similar to Calais but with added disadvantage that the supporting rail line ran along the coast and was vulnerable to naval gunfire leaving the port isolated, limited repair facilities: barely passable for Uboats and Torpedo boats
  
  
• Le Havre: navigation hazards so bad as to require French pilots, excellent defensive works with artillery, exceptional repair facilities, canal access from port to inland, Seine navigable deep inland for shelter against naval gunfire: very promising.
  
  
• Cherbourg: deep approaches, excellent defences, very well equipped repair facilities, very well placed for a commerce war against Britain: First class, more promising that Le Havre.

The real reasons why the Germans didn't station modern, major warships in Belgium ITOL is port capacity, light cruiser/coast defense battleship being the largest ships they could handle, and intra service rivalry within the KM. Von Schoder, CO of the MarineKorps Flandern, sent requests for forces from October 1914 and these were constantly denied by the 2 fleet and 2 other naval station commanders. He had to prise every man and gun from the North Sea and Baltic Sea naval stations and requested coast defence battleships in December 1914 but this was also denied. After Jutland the MKF did get significant light forces, 23 fleet destroyers against the 30 destroyers and 6 light cruisers of the Harwich force and they did fight some engagements with the RN, so the potential is there.

I agree that capturing Ostend doesn't close the Channel OTL proved that, but Calais is a different story. Assuming the Germans emplace similar guns at Cap Griz Nez as they did in Belgium IOTL the RN will have similar 10 & 5 mile restrictions this will push British coastal shipping into a difficult position, creating juicy targets for German naval forces. Perhaps merchant ships will only travel on longer winter nights, or convoys will have to be instituted or perhaps the British will simply close the Channel to through traffic and evacuate 1/4 of London's population so to be able to concentrate on protecting the supply lines of the BEF.

 

[Riain]

Re the capturing the coast. IOTL the only troops outside the BEF were 2 territorial divisions of Groupe D'Amade, which briefly went to 6 divisions including 2 reserve divisions before dropping back again. The Germans kept 4 divisions to conduct the siege of Namur and to 5 mask Amsterdam plus battalions etc garrison railheads and other points along the march route. Also German cavalry reaching Ostend is why the RM brigade went there on 27 August IOTL.

If the 1st Army starts its foot march in mid-west Belgium they will be able to send detachments, perhaps regiments from reserve divisions, to garrison the Channel ports instead of garrisoning Belgium in OTL. There are virtually no troops to stop this from happening. This would be peripheral to the main objective to march to the west of Paris, which the main body of the 1st Army would be doing against little resistance because the 5th French army is out of position and busy with 2nd Army and the BEF is still in Britain.

 

[Geon]

First off thank you all for your comments, criticisms and likes. I am frankly surprised this thread has drawn so much attention. Let me take a moment to tell you a few things. First, I am stepping back and taking a deep breath. What that means is I will not be posting for a day or two while I listen to further feedback and try to further determine where this TL will go. As most of you who have written these TLs know well they have a tendency to take on a life of their own and go in directions the author never originally intended.

Having said that, I trust that you will allow me a moment to let you know my intentions and what I would like to do with this story/TL.

[Takes out soapbox and stands on it.]
First and foremost, I am trying at least on the Western Front to if not totally eliminate, at least lessen the uses of that colossal bit of insanity from World War I - trench warfare. One definition of insanity is repeating the exact same action over and over but each time expecting a different result. That is the definition of trench warfare. Both sides dug in and then expected the next attack would be the one to break through the heavily defended trench lines of the enemy. An offensive was considered "successful" if it gained a full 100 yards - the length of a football field. The generals in charge oftentimes, I am tempted to think, never looked at their casualty lists but casually threw hundreds more young men "over the top" for the next "great offensive" as heedless of the casualty lists that this charge would generate as they were of the ones before.

Furthermore, they seem to never have grasped this was war in the 20th century and not in the 19th. You had men charging against other men into a hail of machinegun bullets with the machine gun nests expertly set up to cause the worst possible casualties. You had barbed wire meant to entangle men so they could be easily killed. The horror stories I have read and heard about in the trenches are complete nightmares. No wonder so many men that survived this horror lost their sanity!

I think the comments made by the main character in the last episode of Black Adder sum it up well. (note especially from 1:15 to 1:25)

Last episode Black Adder - Search Videos

www.bing.com

In my TL I hope to keep the war at least on the Western Front as mobile as possible. It may not make it less horrific, but at the very least it may help mitigate those horrors of trench warfare.

[Gets down off of soapbox.]

In other matters:

Although I will probably refer to the other fronts in a general manner, it is likely I will not be talking about them in detail. I am most familiar with the events on the Western Front and will be primarily focusing here.

As to the war at sea, likewise I will be dealing with it but in general terms. I prefer not to venture too far into an area I know little about.

As I said, I will be returning to this in a day or so. So, please continue to comment, critique and discuss this. Thank you all again for your support!

 

[Monitor]

SNIP

I do not think that trench warfare was really preventable at that point. It happened because former breakthrough tech was made obsolete (cavalry), while defensive tech developed more quickly. The tank changed that, but early on it was to mechanically unstable.

The only way to prevent trenches is to be home by Christmas, sorry. The casualties, well, power of hindsight.