alternatehistory.com
European Reaction
Reaction in Europe
The rapid retaliation by the British to declare war on the Russians sent a ripple effect through Europe only hours after the news reached the great cities of the continent. Fears of a new, multi-national war across Europe were inflamed, and nations like Belgium and Greece pulled their military commanders in for briefings on potential defense plans. The nation most shaken by the declaration was none other than France.
View attachment 422579
President of France, Émile Loubet
Since 1894, France and Russia had remained staunch allies as the “Triple Alliance” between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy had grown into a serious concern for the leaders of both nations. France’s humiliating defeat but two generations prior led to the creation of the German Empire, who had, with little competition, become a world power that straddled itself across the center of the continent. France was not just concerned with the Germans, but the British as well, as the Fashoda Incident in 1898 nearly led the two nations to war.
However, Loubet found himself in a difficult position. Though allied to the Russians, and thus obligated to join alongside them in the event of a declaration of war, France had already failed to uphold their part of the bargain earlier that February, when the Empire of Japan and Russia came to blows. Britain was a much more immediate and much more intimidating threat than the Japanese, as the British were able to do more damage than capture far-off colonies. Though strong, the French navy paled in comparison to the British, and the British control over the Suez canal and Gibraltar made the Mediterranean a death trap for the French in the event of a war.
On the other hand, if France were to remain neutral, it would not only be a betrayal of a trustworthy ally, but an embarrassment to France’s diplomatic standing on the world stage, and could lead to any number of treaties being broken preemptively. The possibilities of civil upheaval at the action were obvious, as it would leave France essentially isolated in the event of a war between the republic and the Triple Alliance.
What concerned Loubet the most was the fact that Germany and Austria-Hungary were not a part of any deal with the Russians, British or French. Should the French enter the war on the side of the Russians, what would that mean for the rest of Europe? Would the Germans enter the war alongside the British to knock down their rival one more peg? Would it not bring in the Austrians and the Italians, who would swarm over the Alps into France’s underbelly? What of the Ottomans, would they seize the opportunity to tear away at Russian possessions in the Black Sea? All of these questions and more ran through Loubet’s mind for days after the war broke out between Britain and Russia.
A delegation from the German Empire arrived in Paris on Friday, the 28th of October, 1904, to meet with president Loubet, to discuss both nation’s positions on the “War between the Empires” (as it was called in many European newspapers). For two days, the French and Germans debated, sometimes ferociously, over how to deal with the ongoing crisis. Meanwhile, tabloids in both nations speculated wildly over what possible agreement both sides could come to. The debates came to a screeching halt when French foreign minister, Théophile Delcassé--a known anti-German radical in the French government--outright slapped Oswald von Richthofen, the German foreign minister over the possibility of both sides remaining neutral in Russian affairs. Calling Richtofen a “Foolish moron and adversary of human decency”, Delcassé was physically removed from the meeting.
German foreign minister Oswald von Richtofen
Insulted, Kaiser Wilhelm II recalled the delegation from France, and condemned Delcassé’s “violent rhetoric and actions that will no doubt lead to European insanity”. Loubet was both infuriated and terrified, and after having Delcassé removed from office, attempted to send his own delegation to Berlin, which was immediately refused. Unable to stay in the awkward position of having not chosen a side, Loubet took it upon himself to make the decision.
On the 31st of October, 1904, French President Émile Loubet announced that France would dissolve its alliance with Russia, and remain neutral in the war “unless French assets or civilians are in immediate and pressing danger.” The announcement, once reaching St. Petersburg, sent Tsar Nicholas II into a deep depression, and the monarch was not seen for nearly a week afterwards. The following day, Germany, despite the tensions in the conference, announced that the Triple Alliance would also remain neutral.
War in Europe was averted.
For now.
The rapid retaliation by the British to declare war on the Russians sent a ripple effect through Europe only hours after the news reached the great cities of the continent. Fears of a new, multi-national war across Europe were inflamed, and nations like Belgium and Greece pulled their military commanders in for briefings on potential defense plans. The nation most shaken by the declaration was none other than France.
View attachment 422579
President of France, Émile Loubet
Since 1894, France and Russia had remained staunch allies as the “Triple Alliance” between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy had grown into a serious concern for the leaders of both nations. France’s humiliating defeat but two generations prior led to the creation of the German Empire, who had, with little competition, become a world power that straddled itself across the center of the continent. France was not just concerned with the Germans, but the British as well, as the Fashoda Incident in 1898 nearly led the two nations to war.
However, Loubet found himself in a difficult position. Though allied to the Russians, and thus obligated to join alongside them in the event of a declaration of war, France had already failed to uphold their part of the bargain earlier that February, when the Empire of Japan and Russia came to blows. Britain was a much more immediate and much more intimidating threat than the Japanese, as the British were able to do more damage than capture far-off colonies. Though strong, the French navy paled in comparison to the British, and the British control over the Suez canal and Gibraltar made the Mediterranean a death trap for the French in the event of a war.
On the other hand, if France were to remain neutral, it would not only be a betrayal of a trustworthy ally, but an embarrassment to France’s diplomatic standing on the world stage, and could lead to any number of treaties being broken preemptively. The possibilities of civil upheaval at the action were obvious, as it would leave France essentially isolated in the event of a war between the republic and the Triple Alliance.
What concerned Loubet the most was the fact that Germany and Austria-Hungary were not a part of any deal with the Russians, British or French. Should the French enter the war on the side of the Russians, what would that mean for the rest of Europe? Would the Germans enter the war alongside the British to knock down their rival one more peg? Would it not bring in the Austrians and the Italians, who would swarm over the Alps into France’s underbelly? What of the Ottomans, would they seize the opportunity to tear away at Russian possessions in the Black Sea? All of these questions and more ran through Loubet’s mind for days after the war broke out between Britain and Russia.
A delegation from the German Empire arrived in Paris on Friday, the 28th of October, 1904, to meet with president Loubet, to discuss both nation’s positions on the “War between the Empires” (as it was called in many European newspapers). For two days, the French and Germans debated, sometimes ferociously, over how to deal with the ongoing crisis. Meanwhile, tabloids in both nations speculated wildly over what possible agreement both sides could come to. The debates came to a screeching halt when French foreign minister, Théophile Delcassé--a known anti-German radical in the French government--outright slapped Oswald von Richthofen, the German foreign minister over the possibility of both sides remaining neutral in Russian affairs. Calling Richtofen a “Foolish moron and adversary of human decency”, Delcassé was physically removed from the meeting.
German foreign minister Oswald von Richtofen
Insulted, Kaiser Wilhelm II recalled the delegation from France, and condemned Delcassé’s “violent rhetoric and actions that will no doubt lead to European insanity”. Loubet was both infuriated and terrified, and after having Delcassé removed from office, attempted to send his own delegation to Berlin, which was immediately refused. Unable to stay in the awkward position of having not chosen a side, Loubet took it upon himself to make the decision.
On the 31st of October, 1904, French President Émile Loubet announced that France would dissolve its alliance with Russia, and remain neutral in the war “unless French assets or civilians are in immediate and pressing danger.” The announcement, once reaching St. Petersburg, sent Tsar Nicholas II into a deep depression, and the monarch was not seen for nearly a week afterwards. The following day, Germany, despite the tensions in the conference, announced that the Triple Alliance would also remain neutral.
War in Europe was averted.
For now.
- Cytokine Pioneer
- Word Count: 780