BlondieBC
Banned
I see it (with hindsight) as a far more effective strategy. The Germans had their military attache observations; which while remarking on the rapid growth of the Russian army where also stinging in their appreciation of the Russian ability to command that force. Via their industrial investments in Russia, they also had detailed knowledge about Russia's lack of industrial war making potential. So the markers where there for the Germans to appreciate Russia as a large but beatable enemy
Russian soldiers where sent to the front often with no boots or field kitchens in 1914 because their mobilization plans where so poorly organized and commanded; a well developed assault with the striking power of the German and Austrian army at the outset would likely have given the Russians a very rough handling
The follow on question is can Russia's political collapse occur sooner than 1917 if the primary effort is made against them from the outset
Might move it up one year. Russia was running out of food, and this was a big factor in the fall. So a lot depends upon how the war goes. From the military perspective, the Central Powers want to take the food growing regions quickly, but not fast enough the Russians can't evacuate the civilians. Now this goes against the other desired to capture/destroy Russian armies which wants to take things fast. The Germans really have to decide if there strategy is the destruction of the Russian military or the undermining of the Russian government.