“If You Can’t Beat ‘Em….”
When heir to the throne of the Austria-Hungarian Empire Archduke Franz Ferdinand was assassinated on June 28th, 1914, many in the Austria-Hungary Empire saw this as a chance to settle longtime disputes with Serbia. With that notion, Emperor Franz Joseph of the Austria-Hungarian Empire declared war on Serbia on July 28th, 1914. This was to start a war that would last 4 years and engulf the war.
3 days after the declaration of war, Russia announced full mobilization of her armed forces and systematically declared war on Austria-Hungary due to their alliance with Serbia. This also forced Germany to mobilize her forces and declare war on Russia. Then, on August 3rd, 1914, Germany and France sign a treaty that ensured the French would not enter the war in return for the reduction of German forces on their border. This allowed Germany to focus solely on Russia and Serbia. Germany then defeated a Russian invasion at the Battle of Tannenberg, and Austria-Hungary quickly overran Serbia and Montenegro, who had sided with Serbia. When France refused to join the war on Russia’s side, Russia declared war on France. Two days later, the United Kingdom honored its alliance with France and declared war on Russia. Romania, who was so close to Russia, allied herself with Russia, and formed the Eastern Axis. Three days later, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire declared war on Romania, and subsequently got a nice declaration of war from Russia. The stages were set, and the battle lines drawn.
In the early spring of 1915, Russia decided to take the initiative and attacks at several places along the Eastern front, including East Prussia, Armenia, Bulgaria, and Galicia. They make considerable progress in Armenia and Bulgaria, but up north in Galicia and East Prussia, fierce German-English-Austria-Hungary counterattacks force the Russians back, but not before the Russians pillaged many towns and cities. This infuriated the Kaiser, and he ordered an immediate invasion of Russia to be planned. Down South in Bulgaria , the Ottomans and Bulgarians are forced back to the city of Lovech. In Armenia, the Ottomans swiftly rush elite troops to the Russian bulge, and push it back to pre-border lines.
In the fall of 1915, the combined German-England-Austria Hungary attack goes in. The Kaiser and General Hindenburg couldn’t have made a stupider move.
The Russians were waiting, and were well dug in. Concealed in most places along the Brest-Litovsk defense line, the Russians massacred advancing Anglo-German forces with machine guns and artillery. This is where the first trenches were seen and dug. The German attack ended in complete failure with 8,000 Anglo-German deaths, 2,000 or so captured, and 14,000 wounded. This lowered German morale significantly and forced Austria-Hungary to cease military actions for the rest of the year. The German retreat was even worse. Russian military units had snuck in behind Anglo-German lines in a pincer movement by the 5th and 13th Armies. The German 8th Army was completely surrounded, and then 4 days later destroyed by repeated attacks by fierce Russian attacks. When word got back to the Kaiser that a whole German Army had been destroyed, he had a massive stroke, and later died. The world was in shock.
All of a sudden, England pulled out of the war saying, “The incompetence of the German army cannot be associated with the well being of the English army, nor can it ever meet as allies again.” France, although not much of a help, pulled out and declared herself neutral. The Ottoman Empire began relations with Russia on benefits of changing sides, and Romania and Bulgaria signed the Treaty of Livoch, which ended the Romanian-Bulgarian war and gave Romania a little bit of Bulgarian land. After the Battle of Brest-Livotsk, the Eastern Front was quiet with the exception of a small Russian invasion of Galicia, which was more of a raid. Then, during the winter of 1915-1916, the Ottoman Empire joined the Eastern Axis, and the Bulgaria soon followed. Now the Eastern Axis looked for a new ally...
The United States had been greatly affected by the war, especially when an American diplomat in Berlin was shot dead by a German nationalist. The war had boosted the economy way up, and the United States had traded with both sides. Many Americans felt that they needed to stay out of European affairs but President Woodrow Wilson and most of congress knew that they would have to enter the war soon. But the question was, on what side?
OOC: This is only the beginning, and is amateur.