Sir Francis Burdett
2004-06-14 19:34:46 UTC
Leaving the broad outlines of the origins of the Great War as they
were OTL; WI the actual trigger for the war occurs several years
later?
Again leaving aside what the actual trigger was except to say that it
was similar enough that the beginning stages of the conflict go as
OTL, let us say that the start of the Great War was April 6, 1917.
Are there any political developments that preclude a war beginning in
1917 if Europe had been able to avoid war in 1914, 15 and 16?
There would have been a General Election in Great Britain sometime
between 1914 and 1917. It seems likely that the Conservatives would
have won this election. Lord Balfour would have been the Prime
Minister in the spring of 1917. Would the _opposition _ Liberals have
been against British involvement in the conflict? Would there have
been any changes in the UK General Staff in the extended three years?
The French President in 1917 would still have been Raymond Poincaré
but as to whom the prime minister would be who can say. Perhaps
Alexandre Ribot or Aristide Briand. And again are there any changes in
the French General staff in this extended peace?
The Russian Empire would be limping on as in 1914.
I know even less of the actors in the Central Powers. Von Moltke is
dead by 1917, unless his death was predicated on events that occurred
in our 1914. But Generals von Falkenhayn and von Hindenburg are
certainly active and Erich Ludendorff would be working his way up in
the German General staff. If it actually matters Theobald von
Bethmann-Hollweg would still be Reichskanzler.
The American Presidential election of 1916 would be fought on a purely
domestic agenda. What might be the complexion of the 6th Congress
elected in the fall of 1914 or were there no international issues
affecting those races? Who might President Wilson be facing as a
Republican nominee? Is it too early for there to be a reconciliation
of Roosevelt to the GOP?
In a very vague outline would the course of the war be similar or is
there some year dependent variable that will cause the course of the
war to drastically vary?
-Francis "Leaving Aside" Burdett
"If I might harp for a minute, we are a newsgroup devoted to
discussing alternate history. Cutting out the history part is almost
never a good idea." President Chester Arthur
were OTL; WI the actual trigger for the war occurs several years
later?
Again leaving aside what the actual trigger was except to say that it
was similar enough that the beginning stages of the conflict go as
OTL, let us say that the start of the Great War was April 6, 1917.
Are there any political developments that preclude a war beginning in
1917 if Europe had been able to avoid war in 1914, 15 and 16?
There would have been a General Election in Great Britain sometime
between 1914 and 1917. It seems likely that the Conservatives would
have won this election. Lord Balfour would have been the Prime
Minister in the spring of 1917. Would the _opposition _ Liberals have
been against British involvement in the conflict? Would there have
been any changes in the UK General Staff in the extended three years?
The French President in 1917 would still have been Raymond Poincaré
but as to whom the prime minister would be who can say. Perhaps
Alexandre Ribot or Aristide Briand. And again are there any changes in
the French General staff in this extended peace?
The Russian Empire would be limping on as in 1914.
I know even less of the actors in the Central Powers. Von Moltke is
dead by 1917, unless his death was predicated on events that occurred
in our 1914. But Generals von Falkenhayn and von Hindenburg are
certainly active and Erich Ludendorff would be working his way up in
the German General staff. If it actually matters Theobald von
Bethmann-Hollweg would still be Reichskanzler.
The American Presidential election of 1916 would be fought on a purely
domestic agenda. What might be the complexion of the 6th Congress
elected in the fall of 1914 or were there no international issues
affecting those races? Who might President Wilson be facing as a
Republican nominee? Is it too early for there to be a reconciliation
of Roosevelt to the GOP?
In a very vague outline would the course of the war be similar or is
there some year dependent variable that will cause the course of the
war to drastically vary?
-Francis "Leaving Aside" Burdett
"If I might harp for a minute, we are a newsgroup devoted to
discussing alternate history. Cutting out the history part is almost
never a good idea." President Chester Arthur