Would an World war 1 alliance between Germany and France against Britain have been possible?
Question related to this. How would Britain react to this (Ignoring the question how logical such an alliance would be)?
Would an World war 1 alliance between Germany and France against Britain have been possible?
Question related to this. How would Britain react to this (Ignoring the question how logical such an alliance would be)?
Would an World war 1 alliance between Germany and France against Britain have been possible?
Question related to this. How would Britain react to this (Ignoring the question how logical such an alliance would be)?
Starve Britain out is what the Franco-Germans would attempt to doIgnoring how such a thing came about, what could each side even do to the other? Neither have the ability to invade the other on land and the Royal Navy is still going to be preeminent at sea. With Japan on her side in the Pacific, Britain will take all of their Pacific colonies pretty quickly. Likewise for the Indian Ocean. Africa is a bit more of a fair fight because France is pretty entrenched there, but Britain will eventually still win IMHO. The Western Hemisphere...that's tricky. France is dug into islands like Martinique pretty deep, and opposed amphibious landings in the WWI era aren't likely. Probably a long series of sieges there.
Long term, Britain ends the war on favorable terms after rolling up all of France and Germany's colonies while they can't do much in return.
No Entente? If this is the case, we have a potential alliance of Russia, France and Germany. It's logical to assume that Austria-Hungary would be in that alliance too.
It might be possible if Germany didn't annex A-L.
No you don't. France aligning with Germany basically means she has to abandon her alliance with Russia. You can't just be friends with everybody as it would require juggling dozens of mutually conflicting interests in a network of obligations that's bound to choke you and bind you into inaction if war ever comes around. Russia would need to have a detante with Britain and line up alongside her for such an alliance to be even remotely possible.
Ignoring how such a thing came about, what could each side even do to the other? Neither have the ability to invade the other on land and the Royal Navy is still going to be preeminent at sea. With Japan on her side in the Pacific, Britain will take all of their Pacific colonies pretty quickly. Likewise for the Indian Ocean. Africa is a bit more of a fair fight because France is pretty entrenched there, but Britain will eventually still win IMHO. The Western Hemisphere...that's tricky. France is dug into islands like Martinique pretty deep, and opposed amphibious landings in the WWI era aren't likely. Probably a long series of sieges there.
Long term, Britain ends the war on favorable terms after rolling up all of France and Germany's colonies while they can't do much in return.
Starve Britain out is what the Franco-Germans would attempt to do
Britain is massively dependent on Coastal shipping for internal transportation and Franco-German light units in the channel would make that very difficult. Add in submarines and surface raiders based out of French Atlantic ports and the situation is even worse for her. Britain getting starved out before she manages to grab a majority of Franco-German colonies is probable IMO
Of course as you say this is ignoring how such a thing comes about
Didn't work in either world war, most likely wouldn't in this one.
I'm not sure of the statistics on how dependent Britain was on coastal shipping in the early 1900s
I agree that Britain would win in the colonies zone (why I liked the comment; also since you said that how could it even come in the first place), but the combined Franco-German industrial capabilities will win in the end. Germany could have won WW1 in OTL. With France by their side, they will win.
No way Russia and Italy would fight against a Franco-German alliance just to save Britain's sorry hind. They would rather be subservient and maintain their existing domestic power structure in place.
This is exactly what Britain feared. This would be nightmare 101. A resurrected Empire of Charlemagne would be the strongest power on the planet.
Neither power has the ability to challenge each other at home.
1 - No OTL war in 1914 probably means that Wilson does not get re-elected. He was very pro-Entente and anti-Central Powers.U-Boats are the biggest threat, but to be really effective the WWI ones had to be used in the unrestricted fashion, which is going to bring in the U.S. eventually.
Not starving, but hurting nonetheless.I'm not sure of the statistics on how dependent Britain was on coastal shipping in the early 1900s (if you have any on hand would love to see them), but I don't see where it's likely that a country with a road and rail network that sophisticated is going to starve because the channel ports are compromised.
Same way they got into those ports OTL during WWII. Remember I am talking about coastal forces, Torpedo Boats (those too big to go by rail), Destroyers, maybe a few light cruisers, Germany did get destroyers through the Channel in OTL WWII, and managed to get DD and CL to Belgium in WWI (and with France and Germany at war with the UK Belgium's neutrality means spit). OTL WWI Germany was almost completely shut out of the Channel, WWII Germany lacked the light forces to take advantage of having access to the Channel in a way WWI Germany would not. AFAIK would have to look it up, but one of the British officers in command of the Channel forces during WWI claimed that if the Germans held just a bit more of the channel ports London would starveDidn't work in either world war, most likely wouldn't in this one.
Britain has historically been almost unbelievably effective at shutting down hostile traffic in the English Channel. Enemy forces have managed to transit it exactly once since the Anglo-Dutch Wars (the WWII Channel Dash). Even with friendly French ports, that raises the question of how exactly significant German surface assets are going to get into them. U-Boats are the biggest threat, but to be really effective the WWI ones had to be used in the unrestricted fashion, which is going to bring in the U.S. eventually. At that point, France and Germany's chance of winning goes to flat zero.
I'm not sure of the statistics on how dependent Britain was on coastal shipping in the early 1900s (if you have any on hand would love to see them), but I don't see where it's likely that a country with a road and rail network that sophisticated is going to starve because the channel ports are compromised.
Russia and Germany did not have conflicts of interest.