WW1 end due to economic collapse

yourworstnightmare

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What if Germany had not started unrestricted submarine warfare and the US had never entered the war? While Germany would have the military advantage after Russia leave the war, the German economy was already completely destroyed. But the French economy was not really any better, and the British economy was also slowly deteriorating. Would the war end simply because both sides collapse economically?
 
That's more or less what actually did happen.
Germany just collapsed first.

America's impact in WW1 was more psychological than actual.
It showed the Germans that the weight of resources against them
meant that sooner or later they were doomed.
That's why they doubled down in Spring 1918 in a last ditch
effort to end the war before the USA could make an effective
contribution to the fight.
 
Yeah, what Charles says. Its OTL.
You're never going to get both sides to collapse, one will always collapse before the other and then the 'winner' will demand reparitions to try and fix itself.
I'd think you'd need Germany to totally collapse ala Russia with a massive civil war and no recognised government then draw in the allies to a never ending war with various groups there.

And yep. The US did very little directly in the war.
 
nicht wirklich...

US had a GREAT impact on the course of WWI - without US money and US troops the war would have been lost by the Entente (no money) or dragged on longer (troops).

But the latter scenario might have led to a total exhaustion of all participans. Though if the US was out of game the CPs might have recovered a bit (Russia lost - prisoners returned , Ukrainean and Romanian food inbount for CPs) while the Entente might have had an accelerated decline (which already had started IOTL, but was stopped by US entry).

So saying US had not contributed much is "understatement".
 
nicht wirklich...

US had a GREAT impact on the course of WWI - without US money and US troops the war would have been lost by the Entente (no money) or dragged on longer (troops).

But the latter scenario might have led to a total exhaustion of all participans. Though if the US was out of game the CPs might have recovered a bit (Russia lost - prisoners returned , Ukrainean and Romanian food inbount for CPs) while the Entente might have had an accelerated decline (which already had started IOTL, but was stopped by US entry).

So saying US had not contributed much is "understatement".

The key word is "directly".

Most of the important battles on the Western Front in 1917 / 1918 were still fought by British (incl. Commonwealth) / French troops.

American money certainly did play a great role, especially in helping France.

As I said, the increasing arrival of USA troops was more psychological but none the less important. Remember that sections of the French Army mutinied in 1917.

But the American presence on the battlefield of WW1 was nothing compared to their contribution in WW2.
 

yourworstnightmare

Banned
Donor
The key word is "directly".

Most of the important battles on the Western Front in 1917 / 1918 were still fought by British (incl. Commonwealth) / French troops.

American money certainly did play a great role, especially in helping France.

As I said, the increasing arrival of USA troops was more psychological but none the less important. Remember that sections of the French Army mutinied in 1917.

But the American presence on the battlefield of WW1 was nothing compared to their contribution in WW2.
Still, America secured the victory for the Entente, with money and manpower and perhaps most importantly the news that the Americans were on their way did wonders for Entente morale. If America hadn't come the situation might have been different. Germany or the Entente might have been able to make a breakthrough, but more likely the status quo would remain, while both sides come closer to economic collapse.

But of course one thing that speak for the Entente is that they still can import food from the colonies, the US, the Commonwealth and Latin America. Germany can't, and the German food supply was running low.
 
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