AHC: Screw Russia

Anti-Western makes serious difference.

As far as creating a succession crisis and killing millions people it does not make any difference whatsoever. Unless you insist that NOT wearing a wig makes all the difference in screwing vs. not screwing the country. :winkytongue:
 
Yes, I think it butterflies Crimean War too. But if Crimean War still happens and Germany or Grossdeutschland joins allies. Russia is certainly screwed.

Another idea. If War in Sight crisis of 1875 escaltes in to war, probably Russia dow on Germany, then A-H dow on Russia and you have a premature great war. Germany/A-H vs. France/Russia. Unless Italy and UK stays non-belligerent, I bet Germany/AH screws Russia and France.

Unrealistic: Alexander II was advocating in French favor but (even he) was not foolish enough for any type of a serious military commitment on French behalf.

Other idea. Ottomans subjugates Bulgarian revolt quickly, so no " the Bulgarian Horrors". Thus public of GB stays pro-Ottoman. Then when Russo-Ottoman war breaks out, GB dow on Russia. Now you have Second Crimean War.

In that scenario the Russian-Ottoman War would not happen: the "trigger" was Russian public opinion enraged by the Ottoman atrocities in Bulgaria. No atrocities, no war.
 
Other idea. Ottomans subjugates Bulgarian revolt quickly, so no " the Bulgarian Horrors". Thus public of GB stays pro-Ottoman. Then when Russo-Ottoman war breaks out, GB dow on Russia. Now you have Second Crimean War.
The Bulgarian uprising was crushed quickly - the atrocities did not happen because it took too long. It was simply the way the Ottoman Empire dealt with rebellions. Unfortunately for them, information about this uprising spread to Europe and horrified public opinion enough to make it politically unfeasible for Britain to invade against a Russian invasion of the Ottomans. Now if the uprising did not happen or the Ottomans managed to cover it up, Russia would probably not attempt to start a war with the Ottomans since they were well aware that they could not fight the British at the same time.
 
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So in case of Franco-German War in 1875 would Russia allow German winning?

Well, it was excited about the German victory in 1871 and in 1875 Alexander's meddling was, AFAIK, a byproduct of a confused policy of his (senile by that time) Chancellor Gorchakov who was obsessed with all that European Concert nonsense. But I have very serious doubts that the whole thing would go beyond the words: Russian army, even with Milutin's reforms, was not a match to the Germans and, AFAIK, there were no plans for such a war.
 
Worse relations between Petersburg and Berlin and Russia being hostile towards German unification is entirely possible (from geopollitical POV German unification was bad thing for Russia). Russo-Prussian relations improved as result of January Uprising (and Alvensleben Convention that followed). So if Margrave Wielopolski is not such effective in pissing off everyone around, he could perhaps prevent uprising. But even with hostile Russia, Bismarck could just wait for Russians to be busy in Balkans, German unification would happen anyway, at this point Prussians would need utter idiot in charge (and Billy number 2 is not available yet) to screw German unification.
 
Civil War is always the best way to screw a country. Having a mega-Germany constantly interfering also works well.
 
Civil War is always the best way to screw a country. Having a mega-Germany constantly interfering also works well.

I'd disagree. A country's national unity and internal organization usually benefit from the end of a Civil War, provided it ends (As most do; being succession rather then secession wars; IE a question of WHO should be in charge of the country rather than a question of weather the country should remain united). Losing to a foreign invasion that carves off pieces of territory dosen't usually provided the same long-term structural benefits.
 
I would go with a worse ending to the Crimean War kicking off a series of wars that get ever worse for Russia.

You need to find a way to have the next-year plans of the Allies put into action, rather than the OTL peace, but if they were then you have assaults in the North, the Pacific and the Caucasus

At this point in time Khiva, Bokhara were still independent, and places like Kokand too

You'd then need to write in successor wars, where people take advantage of Russia's weakness - eg a Persian War, or a Polish Uprising which succeeds (as opposed to the OTL one in this period which did not)
 
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