W/I :: Russia sues for peace after Tannenberg

300px-Russian_prisoners_tannenberg.jpg


For those who don't know, Imperial Russia in the opening months of WWI, invaded Germany first.

Marching into east Prussia (around Memel) around 170K Russian troops step into a German ambush which let to the encirclement and destruction of the entire army.

Only 13k Germans were killed or captured.

Germany, which lauded the victory as the Miracle of Tannenberg, stole the intiative from the Russians on the eastern front, and successfully knocked them out of the war 3 years later.

But....


What if Russia, startled by the catastrophe at Tannenberg, sues for peace with the Germans September 1914.

The term are Status Quo antebellum or some small small polish concessions.

********

What effect would this have on the war in the west?

Would Germany curb-stomp on the western front?

Would Germany avoid Belgium if they knew they had more time? (not have to worry about a longterm Russian manpower horde)

What are the long term implications?
 
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Can you hear the sound of millons of frenchmen breaking their minds in unison?.

With the eastern front clear, the human wave will be in western, ottoman empire will be far safer and 1914.1915 will be interesting
 
Well... France will kinda get rekt if peace with Russia happens, won't they? Germany almost reached Paris in the mobile phase of 1914, and it could probably totally squash France with the extra divisions from the Russian front.

On the other hand, I propose that another thing will happen. Germany will reject the deal. I mean, it's not like Germany and Russia didn't try to peace out with each other several times, but Germany wanted more than just "small Polish concessions". Of course they did - they had nowhere to go in the West anymore, their real wargoals were in the east, trying to build the empire that they had stripped away from the Soviets at Brest-Litovsk later (for a short period of time)! They demanded Russia release Poland even very early during the war, and they consistently asked for more and more, always more than the Russians were willing to give up. No, peace won't happen this easily.
 

tenthring

Banned
Despite Tannenburg, the first six months of the war were pretty good for the Russians. They demolished Austria Hungary to a degree which was ridiculous.

I just can't see Russia surrendering before the 1915 offensives by the Germans really nailed them, Gallipoli was a failure, and it was obvious the Italians were getting nowhere with AH. I'd say Bulgarian entry and the fall of Serbia might be a good time to think about Russia throwing in the towel. Say late 1915 early 1916.
 

Deleted member 1487

Why, the Soviets weren't even finished mobilizing after Tannenberg and 1st army was closing in an Koenigsberg making it seem like they were going to cut off and wipe out the German 8th army, while their armies in Galicia were beating the hell out of the Austrians.
 

cpip

Gone Fishin'
Why, the Soviets weren't even finished mobilizing after Tannenberg...

The Soviets had not yet begun to mobilize in 1914, I must note. They didn't really kick into gear until 1917.

The Russian Empire, however, was indeed still mobilizing their reserve divisions and cadres, and indeed having some difficulty doing so.
 
Why, the Soviets weren't even finished mobilizing after Tannenberg and 1st army was closing in an Koenigsberg making it seem like they were going to cut off and wipe out the German 8th army, while their armies in Galicia were beating the hell out of the Austrians.

Right but it's about the cataclysm of the first encirclement and the fear it could happen again.

And Soviets? You mean Imperial Russia right?
 

Deleted member 1487

Right but it's about the cataclysm of the first encirclement and the fear it could happen again.

And Soviets? You mean Imperial Russia right?
Yeah, I've been posting about WW2 too much lately.
They had the confidence that they were going to win with their 1st army and had mobilizing armies still to more than make good those losses. IOTL they didn't want to quit even after 1915 and the more than 1 million losses they took there, plus the loss of vast territories. The Russians couldn't care less about losing whole armies.
 
Other concessions...

One thing I could see happening...
Austria's getting munched, but Tannenburg was BAD for Russia. The right person might just consider offering Russia this:

Russia only makes some minor Polish concessions, returns to status quo on the Austrian front.

Russia guarantees to continue trade with Germany in certain materials--sch as FOOD.

Russia also promises to allow materials to pass through neutral Russia into Germany and Austria-Hungary from other neutral nations. (Nothing says that Russia can't charge a reasonable transit fee..)
 
Germany would demand something ridiculous, like the Baltic States and Poland as well as abandoning all influence in the Balkans+Reparations. There is no way Russia would then accept that deal.
 
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