WW1 lasts until 2001

Ongoing warfare from the magnitude of WW1 or WW2 for four generation is more or less impossible - even a totalitarian society coudn't mobilize so many people to do that: WW2 claimed the life of 50 million people, most of them in Europe, and several millions more who died before and after the war (in the camps every totalitarian society needs to maintain a necessary level of terror to strengthen its rule) - continuing this would simply depopulate the warring nations in the long run.
However, on a smaller scale, it is very well possible IF your grip on the population is tight enough. In 1984, though it's just a piece of fiction that (though my favorite dystopian novel) should be taken with a grain of salt, the war was led in a war that it could literally continue forever. However, in this case, we had three superstates which were nor only *willing* to pay this price, but *needed* to fight forever. A RL-comparison would be what Hitler had in mind after an assumptive victory in WW2: an empire with debated frontiers in a permanent ongoing conflict in which the race of lords is hardened over and over again while conquering the world and so on. IF you have a society that praises martial prowess above all else and if you have the means to ensure that your enemies simply don't nuke you away (or can get a significant technological ladvantage), THEN probably eternal (or, in this case, a century of) warfare could be possible - however, this doesn't fit very well in a period of time which is accelerated in comparison to the time before, like the 20th century.
 
I'm surprised at all of you! Everyone knows the entire period from 1914 to 2006 has been an extension of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.:p

How was Germany treated, as opposed to how they managed to delude themselves that they had been treated?

1) Dolchstoss, a pure fantasy on the part of German officers who frantically wanted to blame anyone for their own mistakes.

2) Colonies taken. Like anyone on two legs was surprised by that, note that all of them were financial losses(except Nauru).

3) Fleet surrendered. The German Navy played a key role in incurring the enmity of the British, then brought the US into the war, thus guaranteeing defeat.

...by the way, members of the Cabinet, we in the Kriegsmarine have sent the u-boats under orders guaranteed to bring the Americans in AND under radio silence so you verdammnt politicians can't call them back...​

Other than that and massive costs, the battlefleet spent the war cowering in port, except for one day at Jutland, where they ran the moment they realized the entire British Grand Fleet was coming.

4) Reparations. Beyond the fact that one-seventieth(1/70) of the claims was actually paid, and this may exceed loans TO Germany that were never made good on...

5) Territorial concessions. The concessions to Denmark, Belgium and France were justified, as was much of the Polish Corridor and it was the German government which lied about the referendum for Silesia. Everyone who was not German understood that Silesia was being split based on percentage of the population. Only in Germany was it thought to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Is this even relevant after the terms imposed on Russia and Romania...?

6) Saar coal basin. Germany's top military men, including Ludendorf, should have been executed for that crime alone, and by their own people, rather than being lionized. Beyond the sheer evil and stupidity in a war crime whose direct consequences will linger for years to come only DAYS before you beg for mercy from the victim(France) and the victim's allies...France was justified in demanding sufficient German coal resources until such time as their own destroyed mines could be returned to service.

7) Military restrictions. Obviously negotiable in the long-term. Also, German behavior while Versailles was being discussed, particularly in the Baltic States, did absolutely nothing to convince even the most reasonable Allied diplomat that there was much to hope for in honorable behavior.
 
Since there's always been some war anywhere on Earth (except for three weeks in September 1945), why don't we divide human history new, in the Forever War (before that date) and the Cold War (after)?
 
Originally Posted by Grimm Reaper
I'm surprised at all of you! Everyone knows the entire period from 1914 to 2006 has been an extension of the French Revolution and Napoleonic Wars.:p

And before that Seven Years War and American Revolution?
 
Let's imaginethat WW1 had lasted until 2001, what affects would there be on the world ?

Why not until 2014 ? :p:D;)
It would be a lot more ironic, considering the centennial. :D
Hm, I was thinking of writing a short story with a premise like that once - not so long ago, maybe 2 - 3 years. I imagined it as a sort of a hybrid between the AH, war drama and post-apocalyptic genre... But then I forgot about it - probably because I felt, that it sounded overly ASB-like...
 
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Sachyriel

Banned
Sounds like Iron Storm.

The game is set in an alternate 1964, in which the Great War never ended. Baron Ugenberg seized Mongolia in an uprising during the Russian Revolution in 1917, and later invaded Russia itself to crush the Bolsheviks. His plan was to establish his Russo-Mongolian Empire, stretching from Vladivostok to the Atlantic.

Western Europe and the United States formed the Western Europe-United States alliance to counter Ugenberg's plan. Instead of the Great War ending in 1918, it was extended beyond half a century.

The Western Europe-United States (or, the Alliance) quickly saw that they would not be able to finance the war by conventional means, so they decided to put the armies on the market, creating a market for war. This way, the success of the war depended on the war itself.

I loved that Game. I'd turn off the game's music and put on Heavy Metal and Industrial (Think Rammstein and Static X and Frank Klepaki's Hell March 2 in one long playlist on random) and waste away entire days shooting attack dogs.

Well, not sound too eager...

Anyways, yeah, the wars could have the 'phoney war' style. The 'sitzkrieg', and they could use this time to reducate, repopulate, etc, but holding the same grudges, etc.
 
The evil capitalists have been fighting a proxy war against the glorious international proletariat and worker states since 1917!
 
Why not until 2014 ? :p:D;)
It would be a lot more ironic, considering the centennial. :D
Hm, I was thinking of writing a short story with a premise like that once - not so long ago, maybe 2 - 3 years. I imagined it as a sort of a hybrid between the AH, war drama and post-apocalyptic genre... But then I forgot about it - probably because I felt, that it sounded overly ASB-like...

"In the grim dark future of the 21st century, there is only war..." :D;):rolleyes::eek:

This old post from the Alternate Photos thread just about sums up my whole idea :

https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=1123120&postcount=1086

:)
 
It's a cool (well, Chinese interesting at least) idea. But totally impossible. As was mentioned towards the top of the thread, by 1918 Germany was literally falling apart at the seams; Britain and France were six months to a year behind it and the States three or four years behind them. Even getting the war to 1920 would be very, very hard.
 
A slightly longer WW1

The Germans do not send the Zimmermann Telegram and divide their steel between tanks and U-boats, so the U-boat campaign starts slower. Thus the USA does not enter WW1 during the first half of 1917.

The German High Command decides that they should win if they knock Russia out of the war. In order to commit more troops against Russia, the decision is taken to give up territory in front of the Nivelle Offensive but not in front of the British because of the U-boat bases. Thus the Nivelle Offensive advances further and continues for much longer. Mutinies do not occur because advances are being made.

In the second half of 1917, German succeeds in taking the Ukraine quickly enough to obtain the harvest but the Russian revolutions occurs as OTL. The USA declares war anyway because of the submarine campaign. The Nivelle Offensive finally stops south west of Sedan leaving a German salient at Laon between the French and British armies. British offensives as OTL. Caporetto as OTL.

In early 1918, larger than OTL expeditions are sent to Archangelsk and Siberia. They are still there many years later!

In March 1918, the Germans decide to attack the new French salient from north of Laon combined with a smaller attack from the Argonne. As an attack on the British front is expected, surprise is achieved. The appearence of German tanks is also a surprise. The French collapse catastrosphically with some units refusing to go to the Front and those at the front surrendering. As the Russian revolution has occurred, the mutiny is more revolutionary than OTL in 1917. Verdun is belatedly abandoned after the Germans reach Bar-le-Duc and its defenders reach Toul without guns after suffering heavy losses from artillery. The Germans advance on Langres and again units at Troyes mutiny rather than be sent to stop the advance. Thus eventually most of the army to the east of Langres surrenders or retreats into Switzerland. A very strong British force is sent to help defend Paris and the Ypres offensive is resumed to take the pressure off the French. However, this weakens the British position and the Germans break through and take Amiens and reach the Somme estuary. Thus the British forces in the north become isolated and also lose Arras and Bethune. To the south, British and French commanders have lost confidence in each other and the Germans are now advancing rapidly. One general stated that the main problem slowing his advance was the need to guard the French prisoners. Thus the British evacuate their troops from France just as the first American divisions arrive.

In the second half of 1918, some British and American units reach Italy but the appearence of many, now very confident, German units causes an Italian collapse. The Germans manage to destroy most of the Italian armies in the north and take Rome and Naples as winter arrives. However, that is the high water mark. In 1919, a large Anglo-American army is deployed to hold the far south of Italy.

By 1920, the Anglo-American armies are capable of defeating the Central Powers if they could find a battlefield. However, the Channel Coast is well fortified and both Italy and Greece were mountaneous. The German U-boat campaign had fallen from its successes of 1917 to a low level after convoys were introduced. However, at night the wolf pack tactic has now been discovered. The Germans are also trying to start a revolt in India.

As they fear a new encirclement, Germany refuses to leave France or Italy unless the Anglo-Americans agree to demobilize their forces and the French and Italian forces are kept very small. The only thing driving the sides towards peace is that everyone fears the Bolsheviks.

This might run to 1925 if we are lucky. Any further suggestions anyone?
 
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