An early end to World War 1

OTL: There was a meeting of Kaiser Wilhelm and Emperor Charles and staff on August 15th 1918 where the Austrian seriously pushed peace, suggesting the Central Powers do like the Soviets and just request a general meeting of the belligerent parties with the goal of securing peace.

The Germans (who had a high command meeting on August 14th and 15th) didn't want to do this because they thought it would signal weakness and thought they could stop any allied offensive in the fall and could get better terms then.

This feeling was not universal, some like the Crown Price of Germany, even a couple of weeks before Amiens thought that things would only gets worse and Germany should not only ask for a peace without annexations but be willing to give up territory.

So the POD: IN OTL Liman von Sanders consistentaly overrated the Turks ability to hold off an Allied offensive in 1918, strengthening the arguments of Ludendorf and those who wanted to hold on, perhaps this was somewhat political false estimation considering Sanders long ties to the Turkish army, so lets say a different general is in charge then in Palestine (Falkenhayn stays on there or something) and gives the German High command a realistic assement of the Turks ability to continue the war, which scares the high command enough to take these Austrian peace proposals seriously now.

Germany with all the other central powers requests a peace conference August 22 via Dutch envoys, offering to evacuate France and Belgium and end submarine warfare as a preliminary to any peace conference. The Allies, pushed by the Belgians who want a peaceful evacuation of their territory, express a mild interest in this and meet to discuss the terms of which they would agree to such a thing. These conditions are presented on September 7th, far harsher than the Germans expected and nothing like a truce amongst equals:

German to evacuate France and Belgium and Alscase Lorraine without demolitions.
Germany to surrender all submarines and not produce any more
All other German surface ships go to Baltic ports. No more construction of surface ships.
Germany to surrender all bomber aircraft (Gothas, Giants)
Germany to disable all Zepplins
German to surrernder all heavy artillery (over 150mm)
All forces in east Africa to be evacuated to Germany.
All Allied POWs to be returned.
Austria to evacuate Italy and the port of Trieste.
Austria and Bulgaria to evacuate Macedonia, Kosovo, Albania and Montenegero
Entire Austrian navy to be surrendered to Allies.
No more advances in the East
Blockade continues as usual.

Allies to stay out of Baltic and Black seas and not interfere with Danube.
Allies to return all POWs excepts for officers and naval personnel, one month after return of Allied POWs.

A peace conference involving all parties to begin in Holland September 30th.

-------------------------------------------------

While shocking the Germans, these terms are far less harsh than the OTL armistice terms however and would allow the Germans to continue resistance if need be later and to draw supplies from the east (Danube and Black sea are still controlled).

With the cat out of the bag and the Austrian population restless and more than willing to accept these terms seperately if necessary, the Central Powers as a whole agree to these terms on August 10th.

--------------------------------------------------

So with this kind of cease fire can the Germans and other Central Powers secure a better peace than OTL at the conference?
The Americans havent had serious fighting yet (No Argonne). How would this affect them going forward?
Is it realistic for the Allies to offer this kind of cease fire (better terms), it takes away most ability for the German to hurt them offensively and they can always keep the blockade up to secure the kind of peace they want later?
 
Last edited:
Top