WI: A Franco-German alliance

Germany didn't annex Alsaces-Lorraine, so we have got three major powers on the continent: France, Germany and Russia. During the scramble for africa, Germany and France want to break the English colonial hegemony and Form an alliance. Is this a realistic scenario?
 
Germany didn't annex Alsaces-Lorraine, so we have got three major powers on the continent: France, Germany and Russia. During the scramble for africa, Germany and France want to break the English colonial hegemony and Form an alliance. Is this a realistic scenario?

Not likely without a policy shift in Berlin towards an active pursuit of a major colonial Empire. IOTL, Germany really only got the majority of what she did via negotiating with the British and by the iniative of a handful of private enthusists (German East and Southwest Africa were both corperate affairs, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_for_German_Colonization ). This, however, would be complicated by greater British efforts to frustrate such a policy if Germany is aligning with their main colonial rival, and that both Germany and France aligning away from Russia means Austria is either falling into their orbit, or Britain will concede on some areas of disagreement with St. Petersburg in order to avoid her nightmare scenario of a hostile uncontested power Bloc on the continent. That means Germany has to still focus heavily on Eastern Front security and preventing the formation of a "great Eastern Crab Claw" around Silesia
 
That means Germany has to still focus heavily on Eastern Front security and preventing the formation of a "great Eastern Crab Claw" around Silesia[/QUOTE]

What does russia gain from an alliance with Britain and Austria. From a Russian Point of View it would be so much better to just join the german alliance and invade India
 
What does russia gain from an alliance with Britain and Austria. From a Russian Point of View it would be so much better to just join the german alliance and invade India

I can see Russia, the UK and Austria agreeing on how to divide Ottoman lands if a Franco-German alliance tries to undermine British colonial interests. For instance, an Egyptian Pasha can try to nationalize British shares of Suez with Franco-German help or the Boers can resist longer with a stronger aid from Europe...
 
What does russia gain from an alliance with Britain and Austria. From a Russian Point of View it would be so much better to just join the german alliance and invade India

Gods, not this again...

Because Russia is just as threatened by a Europe dominated by a Franco-German alliance who has acheieved hegemony over the colonial scene and thus can focus their attentions on the Continent without the British as a counterbalancing force as Britain is by a Franco-German alliance with no continental concerns who can focus on contesting British hegemony in the wider world. Such a three-power alliance is literally only held by a mutual desire to cubstomp London, and once that's done it has no basis on which to remain and so the three powers are going to break into some 2-1 combination with the 1 left out in the cold since there's no one left powerful enough to align with.

Not being put into a situation where one is vulnerable to undercut is just as important if not more so than making minor gains. And Russia's primary area of interest has always been in Europe, not India
 
And Russia's primary area of interest has always been in Europe, not India.

If the Russo-Japanese war is not butterflied, Britain has to decide if they ally Japan or Russia
 
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And Russia's primary area of interest has always been in Europe, not India.

If the Russo-Japanese war is not butterflied, Britain has Devise if they ally Japan or Russia

Yah, it would be butterflied away at least in any recognizable fashion. Especially since without active British capital and support for Japan and French capital for Russia neither will be able to project much power into Manchuria.

And, if Germany is allied with France it's a no brainer: giant steamroller who can serve as a check on an extistental threat to Pax Brittanica, or a still semi-feudal backwater on the opposite side of the world who can't meaningfully touch said threat?
 
The only way to work this out is to play it out. It makes no sense to say "oh what does this mean 20 years later?" if you've not given the intervening history. It can go in various directions, and it can end in various ways. You have to play it out
 
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