WI Ressurgent russia after BL?

Imagine a scenario that WWI ends in late 1917 or early 1918 after a even worse Nivelle offensive and Brest Litovsky treaty

Russia is pushed from Poland, belarus, Finland, the baltics, ukraine + Crimea, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia

Could Russia retakes all this land through a war later? Since Russia was at civil war in 1918, you can choose which side wins and if that side would be capable of taking this gigantic task
 
No no no

Imagine a scenario that WWI ends in late 1917 or early 1918 after a even worse Nivelle offensive and Brest Litovsky treaty

Russia is pushed from Poland, belarus, Finland, the baltics, ukraine + Crimea, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia

Could Russia retakes all this land through a war later? Since Russia was at civil war in 1918, you can choose which side wins and if that side would be capable of taking this gigantic task

France collapses, the UK withdraws and accepts German hegemony, and Russia is left embroiled in a civil war; that's what you mean by the conclusion of WWI? :rolleyes:

The Russian Civil War raged for nearly five years, further decimated the country, and left Russia in dire straits for some time afterwards. This is without much foreign intervention which I can't see happening with a victorious Germany. It's in Germany's interest to keep Russia weak and I can see them buttressing Ukraine and the Baltics against future Russian encroachment as well as possibly aiding the Whites if for no other reason than regicide. The very fear of the future Russian threat alone may be enough to keep these lands tied to Germany for the forseeable future and the benefits they offer economically would only strengthen Germany in the ensuing years. Couple that with the 'rising' threat of Japan to the East and Russia will find itself hard pressed when it manages to finally get its act together. Will it devolve to warlordism like China? No, but whoever wins will have an exhausted nation as their prize. It would be in the victor's best interest to enter into some agreement with Germany if only to rebuild their shattered economy rather than to risk yet another general war.

So if Germany wins WWI, they let the Whites do the majority of their dirty work (would the Germans really want to keep fighting after four bloody years?) with excess military equipment left over from the Great War while gradually tightening their grip on their new territories. And when the war finally ends, Germany is likely the only nation left to help them rebuild (The UK abandoned them, France is broken).

Could Russia ever threaten to retake these lands? After a generation of separation, and supported by Germany, I don't think so. Economic, cultural, and military variables just make it seem impossible.
 
Hmmm... a German victory for the Great War; Russia losing lots of provinces, and a bloody civil war.

One possibility is the Germans decide the leftists dont need to be ruling Russia and ensures some White faction is installed & the Reds seen off. That is a second German invasion to seat a White leader & rebuild his army.

Fast forward two decades. Its the later 1930s, the post war economy has been as bad as OTL & the Depression is different but bad. France & Britain still have heart burn with German hegemony. So, do revanchist Russian leaders. A coalition of anti German Allies emerges and eventually its WWII, or at least the Second Great European War.

The Non Communist government of Russia ensures a conservative British government wont refuse a alliance as happened OTL in the spring of 1939.

In this situation would a Facist Italy favor a insufferably aristocratic Germany, or whatever Britain and France have evolved into?
 
Last edited:
Hmmm... a German victory for the Great War; Russia losing lots of provinces, and a bloody civil war.

One possibility is the Germans decide the leftists dont need to be ruling Russia and ensures some White faction is installed & the Reds seen off. That is a second German invasion to seat a White leader & rebuild his army.

Fast forward two decades. Its the later 1930s, the post war economy has been as bad as OTL & the Depression is different but bad. France & Britain still have heart burn with German hegemony. So, do revanchist Russian leaders. A coalition of anti German Allies emerges and eventually its WWII, or at least the Second Great European War.

The Non Communist government of Russia ensures a conservative British government wont refuse a alliance as happened OTL in the spring of 1939.

In this situation would a Facist Italy favor a insufferably aristocratic Germany, or whatever Britain and France have evolved into?


Italy would side with the anti german block, the austro hungarians would occupy parts of north italy after winning WWI, so their rivalry would get even worse
 
Could Russia retakes all this land through a war later? Since Russia was at civil war in 1918, you can choose which side wins and if that side would be capable of taking this gigantic task

All - can't, some - probably can. The Caucasus area will be extremely unstable. The CP occupation of Ukraine and the Baltic was a trainwreck as well. It's likely to collapse sooner or later, the question is: when, and will Russia be strong enough to jump in in a big way or just nibble at smaller territories in the Caucasus.
 
and will Russia be strong enough to jump in in a big way or just nibble at smaller territories in the Caucasus.
That's also assuming that the Caucasus aren't under foreign occupation (Ottoman Empire or possibly even Persia) Having either of those empires take over the land isn't very high though. Russia waged a century and a half war in the Caucasus mountains and still has to deal with various independence movements (mainly in Chechnya) to this modern day.
 
Top