AHC Challenge: Alternative WW1

With a POD no earlier than Jan 1, 1905, make a WW1 equivalent with Germany, Russia, the UK, and the US on one side against France, AH, Italy, Ottomans, and Japan on the other. Other countries can be involved.

EDIT: The war must begin no later than December 31, 1919
 
With a POD no earlier than Jan 1, 1905, make a WW1 equivalent with Germany, Russia, the UK, and the US on one side against France, AH, Italy, Ottomans, and Japan on the other. Other countries can be involved.

EDIT: The war must begin no later than December 31, 1919

... all the world's ascending Great Powers and industrial-naval rivals (sans Japan) in an alliance? If any combination is ASB, this would be it
 
... all the world's ascending Great Powers and industrial-naval rivals (sans Japan) in an alliance? If any combination is ASB, this would be it

And its the giants versus the pygmies, the members of the second group would grovel at the feet of the first or be totally smashed in a single campaigning season.
 
That’s part of the point. It’s ultra difficult

Which is the reason you basically need an outside force actively crafting the series of unfortunate events, irrational/blatently self-destructive decisions, and cascade of extenuating circumstances in order to make it look even remotely plausable (So, near-ASB at minimum). The powers of the 2nd group would have agreed to arbitration of basically any issue via international conference like Europe had been handling its disagreements for decades rather than fight a Great War, for the reason Riain described.
 
Good comedy

France Pol #1: Hey Germany, Britain and Russia seem to be getting friendly. Maybe should find an ally?

France Pol #2: Italy and AH are both Catholic. How bout them?

France Pol #1: Brilliant!
 
If I had time I would seriously try to do a WWI with:

Britain, Germany, AH vs. France, Russia, US

Italy, OE and Japan can go where necessary to equal things out.
 
Good comedy

France Pol #1: Hey Germany, Britain and Russia seem to be getting friendly. Maybe should find an ally?

France Pol #2: Italy and AH are both Catholic. How bout them?

France Pol #1: Brilliant!

Would it be possible for literally this to happen with a POD of restoring the Bourbons after Napoleon III?
 

BigBlueBox

Banned
If Germany and Russia are friendly then both countries must be rivals of Britain. In OTL the Great Game ended when both Russia and Britain became worried by Germany's rise. In this timeline the Great Game would probably never end, and the Anglo-German Naval Arms Race would also sour relations between Britain and Germany. A Russo-German alliance would dominate Europe, and Britain could never tolerate Europe coming under total domination by a single faction. Finally, why would Italy ally with France instead of joining in on wrecking Austria-Hungary and the Ottomans?
 
That really doesnt make sense. I started to write a list per country why this wouldnt work for them, would never enter into such an alliance. In the middle i decided to scrap it because the whole is soo crazy it hurts. So I will make it short: The German-UK-Russia-US side has no reason to form an alliance like this whatsoever. I would bet on Germany alone against all of the other alliance. Add in Russia and we are already at the very easy win category. You dont need the USA or Brittain at all. The other alliance is simply far too week compared to make this even desirable for the other side.
 
1st January 1901: Wilhelm II of Germany, dies. [1]
His eldest son, becomes Wilhelm III of Germany, aged 18 and unmarried.

4th January: The funeral of Wilhelm II, takes place.

12th January: Although at 81, lame, nearing the End of her life and her eyesight being clouded by cataracts, Queen Victoria was pleased to see her granddaughter, Princess Beatrice of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha [2] marrying Victoria’s, great grandson Wilhelm III, in a ceremony at St George’s chapel in Windsor. The couple would stay in the United Kingdom until the death of Victoria. Staying as guest with their cousin, George, Duke of York.

22nd January: With the death of his great grandmother, Wilhelm signs a treaty with his great uncle, Edward VII, supporting a military alliance along with a stop to .

1st July: A grand coronation is held for Kaiser Wilhelm III and Empress Beatrice.

12th September: The German royal welcome the birth of a healthy son named Prince Wilhelm, with whom they arrange a marriage contract with Nicholas II’s youngest daughter, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, born 3 months earlier

This is the best way to keep Germany Russia and Britain friendly. This will anger France forcing an alliance with Italy and Austria-Hungary grabbing whatever land they can from Italy and Russia.

Japan attacks Russia and the US forcing Congress to declare war on Japan.

[1] At 42, any accident could be life threatening, choking on a schnitzel, thrown off a horse or falling down the stairs.
[2] Daughter of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second son of Queen Victoria, and Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, the only surviving daughter of Alexander II of Russia and Princess Marie of Hesse and by Rhine.
 
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