raharris1973
Gone Fishin'
If Berlin took an east-first strategy in 1914, declaring war on Russia only, while respecting Belgian neutrality and not offensively threatening France's position as a great power, Britain has some choices to make. In OTL, not only did the German western offensive make the UK decision for war politically easier and seem automatic, but German successes in the west and early heavy engagement of the BEF and massive French losses meant that Britain had to devote the bulk of its war effort to the western front or invite an immediate catastrophic defeat of France.
In an ATL where Germany's opening offensive moves are to the east instead of west, Britain may or may not feel going to war is in it's best interest, but also, with Paris and the channel ports in no imminent danger (because the French are attacking and the Germans are not on the Franco-German border), Britain has much more flexibility about how heavily to commit its forces and where to commit them. Britain can go as whole hog as OTL, or try to fight more on the cheap or around the edges.
So I ask, if Britain declares war on Germany in 1914 despite Berlin taking a Belgium-respecting, east-first strategy, British stategy would be:
Which of the above should Germany expect?
In an ATL where Germany's opening offensive moves are to the east instead of west, Britain may or may not feel going to war is in it's best interest, but also, with Paris and the channel ports in no imminent danger (because the French are attacking and the Germans are not on the Franco-German border), Britain has much more flexibility about how heavily to commit its forces and where to commit them. Britain can go as whole hog as OTL, or try to fight more on the cheap or around the edges.
So I ask, if Britain declares war on Germany in 1914 despite Berlin taking a Belgium-respecting, east-first strategy, British stategy would be:
- Deploy the full BEF into France, and join the French army attacking Germany along the Franco-German border
- Deploy the full BEF into France and attempt to extend the front against Germany by pressuring Belgium (and maybe Netherlands) to permit Anglo-French passage
- Leave the fighting in France to the French, since they are not under attack, and use British forces for a peripheral campaign in the Balkans or Middle East
- Leave the fighting in France to the French, since they are not under attack, just blockade Germany and snatch colonies
- Leave the fighting in France to the French, since they are not under attack, invade the German coast
- Britain would be amenable to a negotiated peace with some CP gains in the Balkans and Russia if that’s all
- Britain would accept any German offer of a status quo ante peace
- Britain would fight to force at least an 1918 style German capitulation
- Britain would never go to conscription without being thrown onto the strategic defensive western Europe
- Britain would go to conscription to impose maximum terms on Germany and CPs
- Britain wouldn’t go to war with Germany at all.
Which of the above should Germany expect?