AH Challange: Germany a Superpower

It really depends on your definition of superpower. I don't think anything akin to the status of OTL's USA or USSR is feasible. There are too many powerful nerighbours and too little resources. But a 'superpower' in the sense of one of the leading great powers is certainly feasible. The bare fact that OTL Germany lost two of the most devastating wars ever fought and nonetheless came out a leading industrial power argues that the foundatzions are there. As the AP states, no WWI or an early (and not too complete) 'victory' would do the trick. A Wilhelmine Reich controlling large parts of Central Europe, with its industrial base unharmed and its international connections still functioning, would very likely become too focused on containing Russia (France would be relegated to secondary status after losing both the war and its British alliance) to become entangled in adventures overseas. It certainly has the makings of a regional champion.
 
[shameless advertisement]Here are but a few examples of my hand although some are not post-1900:


1) The Twin Eagles and the Lion: https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=119376

This involves a POD in the 1870s which leads to the formation of a Russo-German-Italian Alliance while the Habsburgs are ditched by Germany in favour of Russia and Italy. In their version of WW I they kick ass of the alternate Entente (Britain, France, Austria-Hungary, Spain and the Ottoman Empire) and become the dominant block of the world. A-H is of course dismembered and we get a Grossdeutschland :cool:.

2) The Fall of Goering and Udet's Mediterranean Strategy of 1940-1941: https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=137749

This is a Nazi Victory, not what the OP requested, but it still becomes a superpower for a time after a successful Mediterranean strategy in 1940-'41 leads to Britain bailing out and receiving a white peace more or less.

3) 'A Liberal German Empire? Not while I'm King of Prussia!': https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=148492

1848 unification of a Grossdeutschland (which means that it includes the German-speaking lands of the former Habsburg Empire). They and their Italian allies, Hungarian clients and their Ottoman friends are dominant worldpowers ITTL.

4) The Munich Coup: https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showthread.php?t=137010

There's a coup in 1938 against Hitler after Hitlerstries to go to war with Czechoslovakia over the Sudetenland when negotiating takes him too long. They're sane and merely vassalize rump-Czechoslovakia which seeks protection from Hungary and Poland. There's a détente with the west and Poland is defeated in a limited German-Polish war. German maintains 1914 borders minus Alsace-Lorraine, but with Austria and the Sudetenland included into Germany until today after the victory of the Allies (Germany, Italy, France, Britain and the US) over the Soviet-Japanese Axis in TTL's WW II.[/shameless advertisement]. :D:p:cool::eek:
 
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Superpowers are generally self sufficient, have huge reach and massive industrial capacity. A WW1 victory for Germany which resulted in a strong German economic bloc in central and eastern Europe would do the trick.
 
Rather wild thought.

In 1814/15, Princess Charlotte of Wales got very smitten with one Friedrich, a nephew of the King of Prussia. OTL, her father vetoed the match (possibly though misunderstanding, or else pique at her rejection of his choice, the Prince of Orange) but suppose it went ahead. If Charlotte's death in childbirth is butterflied away, she becomes Queen in 1830, and sometime around the 1860s, her son becomes King Frederick I thus bringing Britain under a branch of the House of Hohenzollern.

No real problem so far, as King Frederick William III left four healthy sons, putting their British cousins a long way down the line. But in the next generation Fred I has only daughters. Being anxious not to let this grand prize pass out of the family, he marries off the eldest to Albrecht, son and namesake of FWIII's youngest boy. Again seemingly safe, as there are three elder brothers between "Bertie" and the Prussian (or by now German) throne.

Then everything goes pearshape. The eldest brother, FWIV, dies childless as OTL But on TTL, the next two, Wilhelm and Karl, also die without male issue. OTL they had just one son each so it's not ASB. There are frantic efforts to avoid the union of crowns, but neither Frederick nor Wilhelm is willing to tamper with the succession. On Wilhelm I's death in 1888, Frederick I's son in law and daughter become Kaiser and Kaiserin. In 1900, Frederick dies and the two countries are ruled by a husband and wife. Five years later, Charlotte II dies suddenly, and the German Crown Prince becomes Albert I of Britain. A few years later he becomes German Emperor as well.

There is much pressure for him to abdicate one throne or the other in favour of a younger son, but he's stubborn. And in the last fifty years, the two countries' armed forces have become very intermingled, with British Army officers being trained in Potsdam, and German Naval ones at Osborne. They don't see any problem about the Union, and will be perfectly loyal to their King in the event of any revolt.

So we've got a situation akin to Keith Laumer's Worlds of the Imperium, but under the Hohenzollerns instead of the Saxe-Coburgs. From there on, we are living in interesting times.
 
Anglo-German union of crowns, with German industry supported by British Empire? :eek: All of Europe couldn't beat that!
 
Germany as the Good Guy?

No WWI, Germany becomes more democratic, while Russia goes *fascist after failed Red revolution. Russian alliance with France decays, UK outright hostile as Russia gets more powerful, pushy in Asia. Russia vs Germany and Austria, more-or-less democratic Germany vs antisemitic dictatorship of Russia [1]. Close fight (Russia much more industrialized than in 1914) but Germany wins, liberates western Ukraine, Poland, Baltic States, Finland. Vengeful rump Russia. Eastern Europe shelters under German atomic umbrella. EC type economic union Netherlands to the Crimea, Finland to Ottoman Empire. Closer "united states central Europe" - Germany, Austria, Poland, Czechs, Hungarians, Croats.


[1] Hitler as Austrian Minister-President for bonus points! :D

Bruce
 
Rather wild thought.

In 1814/15, Princess Charlotte of Wales got very smitten with one Friedrich, a nephew of the King of Prussia. OTL, her father vetoed the match (possibly though misunderstanding, or else pique at her rejection of his choice, the Prince of Orange) but suppose it went ahead. If Charlotte's death in childbirth is butterflied away, she becomes Queen in 1830, and sometime around the 1860s, her son becomes King Frederick I thus bringing Britain under a branch of the House of Hohenzollern.

No real problem so far, as King Frederick William III left four healthy sons, putting their British cousins a long way down the line. But in the next generation Fred I has only daughters. Being anxious not to let this grand prize pass out of the family, he marries off the eldest to Albrecht, son and namesake of FWIII's youngest boy. Again seemingly safe, as there are three elder brothers between "Bertie" and the Prussian (or by now German) throne.

Then everything goes pearshape. The eldest brother, FWIV, dies childless as OTL But on TTL, the next two, Wilhelm and Karl, also die without male issue. OTL they had just one son each so it's not ASB. There are frantic efforts to avoid the union of crowns, but neither Frederick nor Wilhelm is willing to tamper with the succession. On Wilhelm I's death in 1888, Frederick I's son in law and daughter become Kaiser and Kaiserin. In 1900, Frederick dies and the two countries are ruled by a husband and wife. Five years later, Charlotte II dies suddenly, and the German Crown Prince becomes Albert I of Britain. A few years later he becomes German Emperor as well.

There is much pressure for him to abdicate one throne or the other in favour of a younger son, but he's stubborn. And in the last fifty years, the two countries' armed forces have become very intermingled, with British Army officers being trained in Potsdam, and German Naval ones at Osborne. They don't see any problem about the Union, and will be perfectly loyal to their King in the event of any revolt.

So we've got a situation akin to Keith Laumer's Worlds of the Imperium, but under the Hohenzollerns instead of the Saxe-Coburgs. From there on, we are living in interesting times.

:eek: Oh wow I'd read this TL
 
:eek: Oh wow I'd read this TL

I'd welcome suggestions on it. I haven't really thought much beyond the Union.

I'm also curious about how the "prequels" might go. This is could have major butterflies for the unification of Germany. How does Bismarck play it, assuming he still gets in? Does he fight the Union to the bitter end, or try to get "in" with the British Hohenzollerns? Does Austria cop it worse in 1866, if Wilhelm is confident that his British cousins will lean on France not to intervene? Could get complicated.
 
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