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  1. WI: Joseph Chamberlain did not go into politics?

    Interesting idea. On 1886, I'm not sure that Chamberlain's absence would change the ultimate outcome. The vast majority of Liberal defectors on Home Rule were from the Whig side of the party, and even among Radical defectors his was not the only voice - in the key meeting before the vote on...

  2. Why is 1915 in the west, the least what-iffed campaign of WWI?

    The thing is, there actually are opportunities, but the operations of 1915 on the Western Front are largely overshadowed by 1916 and the battles at Verdun and the Somme. At Neuve Chapelle in March, a meticulously-planned British offensive broke clean through the German line, but communication...

  3. Germany focuses on the Western Front in 1915

    Falkenhayn had wanted to undertake a major offensive in the West in the spring of 1915, and it was only the necessity of action to save the Austro-Hungarian position which prevented this. In early March, initial proposals came from 6th and 1st Armies for offensives on either side of Arras and...

  4. WI: No Siege of Kut (1915)

    Interesting question. It may not have had that much of an impact on the Mesopotamian campaign itself - a significant problem for the Brits was logistics, so I'm not sure they would have been able to advance on Baghdad before 1917 regardless of whether Townshend's division survives or not. On...

  5. AHC: An Anglo-German alliance - Wilhelm's dream

    If Fisher doesn't start the dreadnought leap, someone else does - either the Japanese Satsuma or the American South Carolina-class are the most likely first 'dreadnoughts'. If for whatever reason the British don't launch the first all-big-gun warship, someone else does and the British find...

  6. WI: Germany on defensive Western Front [WWI]

    The mines at Longwy and Briey, in German hands for the duration of the war.

  7. Which one was more crucial and decisive: United States intervention in WWI, or WWII?

    In some ways, though, the arrival of the Americans in Europe were a drain on the combat power of the French Army: 84% of artillery, 79% of tanks, and 77% of aircraft used in combat by American forces in Europe were provided to them by the French. Indeed, if the French had not had to equip the...

  8. Could the German Empire win WW1 and How?

    No they didn't - the Americans did not show up in strength until after the Spring Offensives of 1918 were halted. Plus, it took time for the Americans to learn the tactical and operational lessons that the British and French had spent the past four years learning.

  9. WI: Different Russian opening moves WW I?

    I don't see Italy entering the war until at least after the death of Foreign Minister San Giuliano on October 16th, 1914, regardless of the situation on the Eastern Front, as he strongly favoured the policy of neutrality, and it was only after his death & replacement by Sonnino. Even then...

  10. DBWI: George W. Bush wins reelection in 2004

    You have to think Bush would have responded better to Katrina than Kerry, given how the latter was roasted for elitist aloofness in the days after - who can forget the famous 'let them eat cake' cartoon? Responding to a disaster like Katrina might have been a golden opportunity to revive the...

  11. What does Britain do if Paris falls in 1914?

    And how exactly is that German army going to be supplied while marching across the Sinai? Britain would only agree to a peace if the Germans accept a 'peace without victors' on the Western Front, and be willing to hand over its colonies to Britain if it wants annexations on the Eastern...

  12. 1914 Germany stands defencive in the West

    Except there isn't a Liberal parliamentary majority - the Liberals and Conservatives won almost the exact same number of seats in December 1910, and the Liberals were kept in power only by the support of the Irish Nationalists and Labour. Since the last election, the Conservatives had made a...

  13. Mittelmächte Siegreich

    In terms of the Russo-German peace deal, an underlying assumption appears to be that Ludendorff doesn't mess it up by demanding too much. Are we sure Ludendorff isn't in a position to interfere ITTL? Even if Falkenhayn is still Chief of Staff (which is something I'm not sure about), Ludendorff...

  14. AHC: Entente Win w/ Worse 1915

    I'm not sure about this - Falkenhayn felt that it was only on the Western Front that a decisive victory could be achieved. If he had had his way, the Gorlice offensive would have been launched on the Western Front, not the Eastern Front. If the CP does comparatively better on the Eastern...

  15. Russian offensive into Silesia epic disaster in 1914 ?

    I'm not sure a mega Tannenberg is possible in such a case, because the problem remains that the other half of the pincer movement, namely the Austro-Hungarian armies attacking from the south, got absolutely nowhere, and I just don't think the German 9th Army is large enough to slice all the way...

  16. eastern front September 1914 question?

    In such a scenario I think the most likely Russian response would be to have the Russian 9th Army come into the line east, instead of west, of 4th Army - i.e. 9th Army plugs the gap created by the annihilation of 5th Army. This would leave 3rd & 8th Armies free to continue their advance. I...

  17. WWI and Turkey - what was the importance?

    With the Straits in Entente hands, the Russians would have been able to export its grain surpluses while Britain and France would have been able to send munitions to Russia. It is no exaggeration to suggest that Entente control of the Straits would have ensured no Russian Revolution.

  18. Which WWI Commander of the German Military Did the Best Job?

    None of the three are particularly inspiring options. I suppose I'd choose Falkenhayn, but more by default - Moltke deserves every bit of opprobrium heaped on him, & Ludendorff is significantly over-rated.

  19. AHC: Ottomans Defeated 1915

    I think, regardless of when in 1915 the POD occurs & the Straits are opened, Gorlice-Tarnow is going to happen more or less as in IOTL - the best the Russians can hope for is to perhaps stop the German advance a bit further westward if they are getting lots of British/French munitions. More...

  20. WI: Japan Sides With Germany in WWI

    That was pretty much the deal Japan offered in its ultimatum - hand over Tsingtao or we go to war. If Germany goes for the deal (a rather big if) I could see Japan staying neutral - the British weren't very enthusiastic about Japanese ambitions, & the Anzacs were downright hostile. If Japan is...
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