With Folly to Flanders: Another Central Victory TL

"When our new armies are ready it seems folly to send them to Flanders, where they will chew barbed wire, or be wasted in futile frontal attacks." Prime Minister H.H Asquith

The Great War

1914

Cpt. Edmund Blackadder IV [1] summed up the road to WWI the best. “The nations of Europe split themselves into two alliances. Us (Britain), the French and the Russians on one side and the Germans and Austro-Hungarians on the other. This plan was supposed to preserve peace in Europe with one small problem...it was bullocks.” He turned out to be right of course. All it would take was one diplomatic crisis and war would be met. And it was. Far away in Sarajevo, modern Yugoslavia the heir to Austria-Hungary was murdered by a Serbian terrorist. So naturally Austria invaded Serbia causing outcry among their fellow Slavs in Russia. Meanwhile in Britain Liberal PM Henry Herbert Asquith was becoming increasingly concerned. Ever since the days of Napoleon Britain had kept itself aloof of continental politics. Now it was being dragged back in. In vain he asked King George V to write to his cousin Tsar Nicholas II to stop Russia's mobilisation. This didn't work and eventually Britain's main rival Germany declared war on Russia and France declared war in response. All through this popular opinion in Britain remained largely anti-war until Germany violated Belgian sovereignty to get to France. That got the people riled up, but not Asquiths cabinet. 3/4 of his MPs were against the war and even his Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George was threatening to resign. Caught at a crossroads Asquith called a general election [1]. A month later in September the indecisive liberals had been snowploughed by the Imperialist, pro-war Conservatives under Andrew Bonar-Law who became Prime Minister in early September. Unfortunately by then it was too late and the French had been forced to retreat to the Marne which ended in a stalemate. [2] Because of the German advances it was now more difficult for Britain to make a landing. They made land in Normandy [4] in December and made land before being caught in a pocket and cut down. Britain had been allied to Japan before the war but their defaulting meant that a German mission from Tsintao got to them first offering them Allied territories if they turned on their former allies. Japan accepted and declared war on the Allies attacking the Russian coast, the East Indies and Indochina.

[1] Yes, the same Blackadder from Blackadder Goes Forth who dies in 1917. In this TL he's just a snarky officer and this comment is discovered in his diary.

[2] In OTL Asquith committed to the war despite cabinet protests though eventually they did come around and Britain declared war on 4th August.

[3] OTL Marne was a decisive victory which pushed the Germans back causing the infamous trenches.

[4] C'mon it was too obvious not to use.


The Lights Go Out

From this point on the war followed all the strokes of the OTL Great War. Trenches, u-boats, Jutland, Lawrence of Arabia, Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck. One difference of note was that First Sea Lord Jackie Fisher attempts an audacious attack on Germany's northern coast and going straight to Berlin as well as a seprate attack at Dunkirque[1]. This is eventually chosen instead of First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill's idea for an attack on the Turks at Gallipoli [2]. They immediately regretted it. They faced massive resistance across the North Sea and the troops that weren't sunk by the mines and submarines that were starving their homeland were left floundering on the beaches like sea-lions [3]. But despite this there was still a determination and fighting spirit among the allies. That is until 1917 when the despised Tsar and his family are thwarted in their escape and forced to abdicate. Tsar Michael I and Prime Minister George Lvov pull out of the war in February and is forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Brest-Listvosk [4]. Following their example the French army mutinied and the country is forced to surrender in late Spring. Seeing no reason to continue and facing a revolt in Ireland Britain surrendered soon after. Both nations were summoned to sign the peace treaty in Schonbrunn Palace, Vienna.

[1] Another WWII allusion. But at least these make sense.

[2] In OTL Churchill's Gallipoli plan is favoured and we all know how that turned out.

[3] See what I did there.

[4] Same as OTL except also parts of East Russia and Russian interests in Manchuria are organised into the Japanese puppet state of Manchuria.


Treaty of Schonbrunn

- Belgium and Luxembourg were placed under direct German control while the Netherlands became a German vassal state.

- The French border was to be demilitarised and war reparations were to be paid.

- French, British Belgian and Portugese colonies in Africa were ceded to Germany to form Mittel-Afrika.

- The East Indies fall under German control while Japan gets French Indochina and Hong Kong.

- Italy gets French Chad and British and French Somaliland.

- All British lands in Arabia are ceded to the Ottomans.

- Germany establishes an economic alliance among its vassal states in Europe, the Euroverein.

- Britain was forced to recognise Irish and Egyptian independence as France had to with Morocco and Tunisia.

-British, French and Dutch Guyana are reorganised into German Guayana.


The Banana Wars

Meanwhile across the Atlantic US President Woodrow Wilson had been looking for an excuse to enter the war but one never presented itself [1]. So America mostly focused on domestic policies. Most of these involved consolidating its control over Central America and the Caribbean. Perhaps the most famous of these was the Pancho Villa expedition where rebels were hunted by both American and Mexican soldiers. Eventually Wilson sent troops deeper into the heart of Mexico under the pretence of restoring order but it was really to gain control of the Tampico oil fields, something he'd been alluding to since the invasion of Veracruz in 1914 [2]. In reaction to American Imperialism the ABC countries of Argentina, Brazil and Chile strengthened their alliance seeking the support of the new German colony to the north. It seemed to dawn on America that if they didn’t pick a side in European conflict, one would be chosen for them.

[1] In OTL the Zimmerman Telegram provided the perfect excuse. But in this TL Germany never feels the need to send so.

[2] Sound familiar. C'mon you wouldn't put it past Wilson would you.
 

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Thomas1195

Banned
A month later in September the indecisive liberals had been snowploughed by the Imperialist, pro-war Conservatives under Andrew Bonar-Law who became Prime Minister in early September
After one month, it would be clear that lots of soldiers would be killed by machine guns. I am sure this would be enough be discourage British public.
 
Well, but if Bonar Law raise the voice to call for Tariff Reform (IOTL he planned to do so in 1915 election), he would be flayed. A repetition of 1906 election.

Well they make land in Normandy so it is possible to land. Its just too late to help but not too late to not be stirred up. But I will delete the Dunkirque reference until later and go straight to Normandy.
 

Deleted member 94680

There is evidence that Germany was planning to annex the Netherlands after the war regardless.

Was there? Do you have a source for that? Very interesting titbit if you do, I'm forever interested in German post-War plans...
 
Was there? Do you have a source for that? Very interesting titbit if you do, I'm forever interested in German post-War plans...

Look up Septemberprogramm. Its says Netherlands would be bought into a closer relationship with Germany. Notice they're not part of Germany. Just the light grey of a close alliance.
 
Was there? Do you have a source for that? Very interesting titbit if you do, I'm forever interested in German post-War plans...

I feel like expecting detailed plans from any side, military or especially political, that weren't incomplete at best or delusional and unlikely to ever see the light of day at worst, in WWI is a recipe for disappointment.

Look up Septemberprogramm. Its says Netherlands would be bought into a closer relationship with Germany. Notice they're not part of Germany. Just the light grey of a close alliance.

The Septemberprogramm wasn't barely even a first draft of a plan, let alone one that the Germans had committed to.
 

Deleted member 94680

Look up Septemberprogramm. Its says Netherlands would be bought into a closer relationship with Germany. Notice they're not part of Germany. Just the light grey of a close alliance.

Neither of those mean annexation.
 
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