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Chapter 2 - A War to End All Wars, and a War to End All Lives
Death is one of the few things humans hold in common. Through all differences, all men unfortunately die. Though all hope it's peaceful, the men that fought in the never ending trenches got anything but peaceful. In October of 1917, death tolls started to steadily increase as the days went on. Luckily enough for the Germans, Russian communists (Bolsheviks/Soviets) under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky had risen up in Leningrad and all around Russia. Bolsheviks started to capture towns and industrial centers throughout the country before anti-communist forces started rising to compete against them. Though disorganized and splintered up into multiple different groups, the anti communists had created a steady foothold to oppose the Soviets. In the span of 3 weeks, the Russian Civil War had started.
Meanwhile on the Western Front, the war had reached a stalemate. As the French mutinies grew, the British became the backbone for the Entente. The Western Front was not a war of traditional warfare, but a war of attrition. German supplies would start to dwindle as a result of the strong British blockade and it became apparent to German high command that if Germany were to win this, Paris would have to be captured. General Ludendorf constructed a quick strategy that would attempt Germany's occupation of Paris, either winning or losing the war for the Central Powers. Germany's last hope to become Europe's dominant power laid in the hands of Ludendorf. And so became the Spring Offensive. Historians estimate that almost 760,000 German casualties were gained in the Spring Offensive. Ludendorf started the Offensive off strong with direct attacks on the British army. German infantry pushed through multiple points of the Allied line, reaching the town of Compiegne before being halted. Though these offensives were months long and through out the other fronts, the Central Powers were cracking under the pressure of the Allies. The Ottomans faced a crushing blow in the Middle East as Jerusalem and Baghdad were captured. And the Austrians found themselves in a stalemate with the seemingly unbreakable Italian soldiers. Not until the dawn of 1918 did the Central Powers finally get their much needed relief. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed by the Soviets and the Central Powers, granted the the Central Powers client states in the rich Eastern lands of Russia and ratified an official armistice on the Eastern Front. The Germans were given Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic states as satellites, while Ukraine was made an independent realm. Not only this but the Ottomans gained multiple lands lost from the Russians 40 years prior. The armistice brought the war back into the unbeknownst, but despite this victory, the Germans were to confront their shrinking supplies in the ever increasing decisive Western Front.
Ludendorf's Offensive had continued for many months, being reinforced by late April. This helped German troops push further to Paris but again were stopped by a strong resistance army in Chantilly. The Offensive would go on for 7 months, from January to August. By the time the German assaults had come to a standstill, the German army only outnumbered the British and French by 200,000 men. Unluckily for the Germans, who were 31 miles away from Paris, became exhausted after the months long attacks. With Ludendorf's halt the French and British who were now reorganizing and resupplying, were planning to launch a new thrust into the weakened German lines. August passed with minimal offensives into German-Occupied land. But during Fall, the fall of the Central Power's presented itself as inevitable. A major Italian victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto and Piave River (2nd) marked the route of the Austrian army and the collapse of it's forces as an effective army. Bulgaria's defeat in the Vardar Offensive put the Central Power's Balkans holdings at severe risk. And the Ottoman army had been in full retreat by the time of the Battle of Megiddo.
1919 emerged with grave loses to Germany and her allies. Bulgaria had found Skopje occupied and Sofia in danger of artillery fire, and as a result, Bulgaria had sued for peace on the 2nd of February, 1919. And with it's fall came their past allies. After half a year of preparations, the British and French had charged into German territory, slowly taking German-gained land piece by piece. Ludendorf and Hindenburg fought furiously using their best troops to hold the German positions. But with limited supplies and disorganized lines, the Germans began to lose ground as each day passed. The Austrians found themselves on withdrawal as they retreated to the Alps and Istria for a last stand. The Ottomans too had been pushed back to their homeland, watching Syria and Northern Iraq fall to the Entente. With Bulgaria's exit from the war, the Ottomans found Istanbul immediately in the sights of the colonial powers. And with the Middle East and the Balkans looking increasingly dangerous for the Ottomans, the Ottoman Empire sued for peace with the Entente in late May. Germany and Austria were the last to stay fighting in the war. Austria continued to lose in their defensive positions and as the Allied forces moved north to fight them, Emperor Karl grew extremely worried for the stability of his Empire. Allied forces marched almost unopposed through Romania and the Balkans. With the recapture of Belgrade and the invasion of Ukraine, Emperor Karl of Austria Hungary had been the second to last to sue for peace with the Entente. Then stood Germany. Retreating to the Rhine and facing massive casualties, the Germans had lost. Almost 3,000,000 Germans dead, Germany had lost the war. The Treaty of Versailles (which will be detailed in the next chapter) was signed on the eve of November to avoid a bloody Winter campaign, and with that World War One, the War to End All Wars, had ended.
Note: Ah, the end of World War One. Many things went different in this TL, from the more successful (yet still failed) German Spring offensive, the larger pushes into Central Powers territory, and the overall length and death toll of the war. Yet the Treaty of Versailles, arguably the most important part of this TL, has yet to be signed. The support I have gotten so far for this TL has inspired me to do the best research and writing I can do for the viewers. Thank you for reading, remember that all criticism is very appreciated, and have a nice day!
- BenDaCoolGuy
A War to End All Wars, and a War to End All Lives
Death is one of the few things humans hold in common. Through all differences, all men unfortunately die. Though all hope it's peaceful, the men that fought in the never ending trenches got anything but peaceful. In October of 1917, death tolls started to steadily increase as the days went on. Luckily enough for the Germans, Russian communists (Bolsheviks/Soviets) under the leadership of Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky had risen up in Leningrad and all around Russia. Bolsheviks started to capture towns and industrial centers throughout the country before anti-communist forces started rising to compete against them. Though disorganized and splintered up into multiple different groups, the anti communists had created a steady foothold to oppose the Soviets. In the span of 3 weeks, the Russian Civil War had started.
Meanwhile on the Western Front, the war had reached a stalemate. As the French mutinies grew, the British became the backbone for the Entente. The Western Front was not a war of traditional warfare, but a war of attrition. German supplies would start to dwindle as a result of the strong British blockade and it became apparent to German high command that if Germany were to win this, Paris would have to be captured. General Ludendorf constructed a quick strategy that would attempt Germany's occupation of Paris, either winning or losing the war for the Central Powers. Germany's last hope to become Europe's dominant power laid in the hands of Ludendorf. And so became the Spring Offensive. Historians estimate that almost 760,000 German casualties were gained in the Spring Offensive. Ludendorf started the Offensive off strong with direct attacks on the British army. German infantry pushed through multiple points of the Allied line, reaching the town of Compiegne before being halted. Though these offensives were months long and through out the other fronts, the Central Powers were cracking under the pressure of the Allies. The Ottomans faced a crushing blow in the Middle East as Jerusalem and Baghdad were captured. And the Austrians found themselves in a stalemate with the seemingly unbreakable Italian soldiers. Not until the dawn of 1918 did the Central Powers finally get their much needed relief. The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk, signed by the Soviets and the Central Powers, granted the the Central Powers client states in the rich Eastern lands of Russia and ratified an official armistice on the Eastern Front. The Germans were given Poland, Belarus, and the Baltic states as satellites, while Ukraine was made an independent realm. Not only this but the Ottomans gained multiple lands lost from the Russians 40 years prior. The armistice brought the war back into the unbeknownst, but despite this victory, the Germans were to confront their shrinking supplies in the ever increasing decisive Western Front.
1919 emerged with grave loses to Germany and her allies. Bulgaria had found Skopje occupied and Sofia in danger of artillery fire, and as a result, Bulgaria had sued for peace on the 2nd of February, 1919. And with it's fall came their past allies. After half a year of preparations, the British and French had charged into German territory, slowly taking German-gained land piece by piece. Ludendorf and Hindenburg fought furiously using their best troops to hold the German positions. But with limited supplies and disorganized lines, the Germans began to lose ground as each day passed. The Austrians found themselves on withdrawal as they retreated to the Alps and Istria for a last stand. The Ottomans too had been pushed back to their homeland, watching Syria and Northern Iraq fall to the Entente. With Bulgaria's exit from the war, the Ottomans found Istanbul immediately in the sights of the colonial powers. And with the Middle East and the Balkans looking increasingly dangerous for the Ottomans, the Ottoman Empire sued for peace with the Entente in late May. Germany and Austria were the last to stay fighting in the war. Austria continued to lose in their defensive positions and as the Allied forces moved north to fight them, Emperor Karl grew extremely worried for the stability of his Empire. Allied forces marched almost unopposed through Romania and the Balkans. With the recapture of Belgrade and the invasion of Ukraine, Emperor Karl of Austria Hungary had been the second to last to sue for peace with the Entente. Then stood Germany. Retreating to the Rhine and facing massive casualties, the Germans had lost. Almost 3,000,000 Germans dead, Germany had lost the war. The Treaty of Versailles (which will be detailed in the next chapter) was signed on the eve of November to avoid a bloody Winter campaign, and with that World War One, the War to End All Wars, had ended.
"Only the dead have seen the end of war."
- George Santayana, 1922
------ George Santayana, 1922
Note: Ah, the end of World War One. Many things went different in this TL, from the more successful (yet still failed) German Spring offensive, the larger pushes into Central Powers territory, and the overall length and death toll of the war. Yet the Treaty of Versailles, arguably the most important part of this TL, has yet to be signed. The support I have gotten so far for this TL has inspired me to do the best research and writing I can do for the viewers. Thank you for reading, remember that all criticism is very appreciated, and have a nice day!
- BenDaCoolGuy
- BenDaCoolGuy
- Word Count: 1.1k