Anohter CP Victory TL.

1914 and the Collapse of the Third Republic
In June 1914, the world was at peace, with several major powers on the European Continent, there were military countries, economic countries, and cultural conuntryis. One was outstanding in every way, France, the Third Republic, in the midst of its golden age of culture, was totally ruined by a few years of war, at the end, being the poorest nation in Europe, all of its governments coffers empty and its people poor and destitute. How could this have happened?

In Late June 1914, Arch-Duke Franz-Ferdinand of Austria was killed by Serbian Nationalists in Sarajevo. The Austro0-Hungarians gave the Serbians an ultimatum of:


  1. Suppress all publications which "incite hatred and contempt of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy" and are "directed against its territorial integrity".
  2. Dissolve the Serbian nationalist organisation "Narodna Odbrana" ("The People's Defense") and all other such societies in Serbia.
  3. Eliminate without delay from schoolbooks and public documents all "propaganda against Austria-Hungary".
  4. Remove from the Serbian military and civil administration all officers and functionaries whose names the Austro-Hungarian Government will provide.
  5. Accept in Serbia "representatives of the Austro-Hungarian Government" for the "suppression of subversive movements".
  6. Bring to trial all accessories to the Archduke's assassination and allow "Austro-Hungarian delegates" (law enforcement officers) to take part in the investigations.
  7. Arrest Major Voja Tankosić and civil servant Milan Ciganović who were named as participants in the assassination plot.
  8. Cease the cooperation of the Serbian authorities in the "traffic in arms and explosives across the frontier"; dismiss and punish the officials of the at Shabatz Loznica frontier service, "guilty of having assisted the perpetrators of the Sarajevo crime".
  9. Provide "explanations" to the Austro-Hungarian Government regarding "Serbian officials" who have expressed themselves in interviews "in terms of hostility to the Austro-Hungarian Government".
  10. Notify the Austro-Hungarian Government "without delay" of the execution of the measures comprised in the ultimatum.
The Serbians, realizing the ultimatum would ruin their country, denied the ultimatum. The Austrian-Hungarians, in turn, declared war on the Serbians, so in return, on July 12, the Russians declared war on the Austrian-Hungarains, in Return Germany declared War on Russia, in return Russia Gaullic Ally, France joined the war on July 29, 1914, after stating neutrality twice, catching Germany off-guard , so in return Italy, ally of Germany and Austria-Hungary declared war on France. In the West, the Battles of the Frontiers began, in which the Germans and French fought throughout Alsace-Lorraine and the French Border Provinces. There German forces were superior, beating the French everywhere. Desperate, the French swept through Belgium and the Netherlands in an attempt to take Hannover and Braunshweig at the end of the campaign, it was unsuccessful, as right as they crossed the border, the Germans caught them. Britain, the Protector of Belgian neutrality declared war on France, and attacked its colony's and Corsica with a combined Anglo-Italian Fleet. By the end of the year, France was not looking good.
 
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italy entered the war in 1915 otl, what speeds up the process here?

with britain on german side, there is actually a chance the dutch enter the war too on the german side. especially because hannover is in the north and the shortest way would have been through the south of the netherlands.
 
italy entered the war in 1915 otl, what speeds up the process here?

with britain on german side, there is actually a chance the dutch enter the war too on the german side. especially because hannover is in the north and the shortest way would have been through the south of the netherlands.
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Why does Britain declare war on France? :confused: They are allies at this point.

I also did not get that...

If France attacks through Belgium Britan might not be as pissed off as if Germany would be doing the same.

UK wanted to contain Germany before the Great war - aiding it NEVER (IMHO)

the BEst Germany can hope for is getting UKs neutrality (for some time)

If France sweeps Belgium and the Dutch this is the worst thing they can do.

(Dutch going to aid Germany of course)

But more important - its a long way to Tipp... err Hamburg...

this wwould create a LONG front for France while Germany can strike from a secure home turf thus cutting off a large part of the French army - If UK is neutrakl Germany will rule the North sea and through the Channel (provided the UK don't declare it to be an UK-exclusive zone)

You will have the french exhausting themselves early in the war - and a possible blocade by Italian and German navy.

If Italy is siding with the CP then Turkey stays neutral (Bulgaria probably joining a winning CP (revenge for the Second Balkans war)

Austria-Hungatry has one front less to worry thus doing better after 1915 (given that the war lasts that long.

UK might join when France is on the verge of defeat - but this only makes the war a bit longer as France will be in a worse position than OTL.
 
For that to happen, you'd need an earlier POD which explains why
  • Germany decided to not attack through Belgium,
  • Britain stayed neutral even though the whole point of giving up splendid isolation was Germany.
Granted, if it's clear to all that Britain will remain neutral, then there's a good chance that Italy will join the CP, since there's no way Italy would join a war against Britain in 1914 given that they're dependent on coal imports by sea.

Problem is, however, that going through Belgium is a much better idea once Britain's neutrality is ensured. Even if the Germans had lost the battle of the Marne, without the BEF they'd have been back in Paris rather soon. Seems to me that implicitly you assume that the British are able to deter the Germans from invading Belgium even though they do not enter the war.

And then you'd need to change the objectives of the French invasion: they wouldn't go for Hannover and Braunschweig, they'd go for the Ruhr and Cologne, the industrial heartland of Germany. Taking this could win them the war.
 

yourworstnightmare

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Also an explanation why Italy join Germany and Austria so quickly? Italy would only join the CP if Austria gave up Trentino and Trieste to them (not going to happen unless Germany really really think they need Italian help and force the Austrians to give in).

As for Germany not going through Belgium, eh, that was their whole Western Front strategy, they really didn't had a good alternative. They knew they wouldn't beat the French defences unless they broadened the front.

And Britain... even without Belgium Britain would sooner or later join the Entente. They felt threatened by the German naval program and wanted to crush it before it was too late.
 
I assume the Great war starts with France getting the initiative on the Western Front - thus Germany (chaught off guard - see first post!) does NOT execute the Schlieffen plan - Thus GERMNAY does NOT go through Belgium.

I assume further that because UK does not join Italy will honor the "Defensive treaty" with Germany (as technically France attacked first, not as OTL GErmany). maybe Italy waited until the French got beaten in several battles (see first post) and reasons: first we beat France and get Tunisia, settle issues with Austria later.
 
I assume the Great war starts with France getting the initiative on the Western Front - thus Germany (chaught off guard - see first post!) does NOT execute the Schlieffen plan - Thus GERMNAY does NOT go through Belgium.

I assume further that because UK does not join Italy will honor the "Defensive treaty" with Germany (as technically France attacked first, not as OTL GErmany). maybe Italy waited until the French got beaten in several battles (see first post) and reasons: first we beat France and get Tunisia, settle issues with Austria later.
Thats what happens, all is correct above.
 
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