Germany goes East, what happens to Belgium?

Susano

Banned
Italy might not even bother showing up to this war. It'd make things a little awkward for them after their supposed allies win, but they'd live with it.
As said, unlikely. They can join either side to gain territory, and hence they will.
 
Naval complications...

I'm assuming that Britian would stay out, at least at first, even though strategists would wnat to trim back Germany. If Britain stays out for a bit, there's complications at sea. I can't see Wilson aquiescing to French violations of American rights (As clearly deliniated in various treaties, not just an American position) at sea to the same extent that he let Britian run roughshod over American free trade. This means that much more stuff gets to Germany--including FOOD, which is not contraband of war.

And if Britain assists France in maritime control, this makes Britian look like the agressor with regard to American trade. Add in German propaganda about the "Rape of Begium," and it's going to take a while to get the USA sympathetic to the Entente.

Still, Britain might not matter for long, as Home Rule explodes over in Ireland. I doubt the Government of Ireland Act 1914 would be delayed if Britian wasn't in a foreign war at the time. And with Home Rule comes an Irish rebellion, more than likely, as the Unionists fight Home Rule. IMVHO, it would come to violence, and more effective violence than the IRB's Easter Rising--the UVF had more and better weapons. The willingness of the army to put it down could also be questionable--and Britain's out of the European picture until it gets its own house in order.

I can't see France and Russia winning this one without Britian, but strange things happen in war.

Incidently, Goeben doesn't need to run for Istanbul, with no battlecruisers in pursuit. I do wonder if Britain would still seize Turkey's dreadnoughts; I expect they would.
 
http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/frrumil.asp
As you can see it was a secret treaty. Though it was known that France and Russia had a deal worked out, the act of France expanding a war that she had no direct interest in, other than this secret treaty makes her the aggressor. Germany, in this scenario would be reacting to Russian mobilization, making Russia the aggressor, as German sent a letter to Russia stating that mobilizing against either Austria or Germany would be considered an act of war. Though Germany was looking for war, in this scenario she is not the guilty party.

Thanks for the link.

It does show that France had a direct interest and that she did not expand the war. Article 1 and 2 pretty much outline it. Don't forget that the Germans also have Alsace-Lorraine.
 
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