Never Ending War Part 1

Updated Sunday 15 May, 2011 12:18 PM

Never Ending War Part 1

by Matt Mitrovich

What if World War I never ended?

1914- The Great War begins with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand.

1915-1916- Stalemate continues on western front with no movement whatsoever and huge losses of life.

British begin invasion of Mesopotamia in the Middle East. Russians drive Turks out of Armenia.

Italy enters the war on the side of the Entente.

Bulgaria enters the war on the side of the Central Powers. Serbia falls to Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria. Montenegro and Albania also fall to Austria-Hungary.

1917- Germany signs a secret alliance with Mexico in case the United States enters the war on the side of the Entente. At first several generals in the Mexican army are against the idea but the President of Mexico agrees to the proposal. Germany begins sending money, arms, and German military advisors to Mexico.

The United States declares war on Germany due to their unrestricted submarine warfare. Mexico enters the war on the side of the Central Powers, wins some early victories in the southwest against ill-prepared American forces. General Pershing becomes the supreme commander of American forces on the Mexican Front. It will now take longer for American troops to arrive on the Western Front.

Bolshevik Revolution begins in Russia.

The British capture Jerusalem.

The Central Powers capture Romania.

Civil war begins in Greece between Pro-German and Pro-Entente forces after King Constantine I refused to abdicate.

The War spreads to South America as the different nations take sides. Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Chile join the Central Powers while Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, and Panama joins the Entente. The United States sends troops to help their allies to the south.

1918- Attempted cease-fire between Germany and Bolshevik Russia fails after the sudden death of Lenin and Leon Trotsky taking control of the Bolsheviks and ending negotiations. Fighting on the Eastern Front continues. Petrograd comes under siege by German forces. On July 17, 1918 Nicholas II and his family are assassinated by their Bolshevik guards. These two events lead to an outbreak of civil war in Russia between the communists and the anti-Communists.

Germany begins organizing their new territories in the east promising them autonomy in the German Empire under German "kings." Ukraine proves to be the most loyal of the new eastern kingdoms providing soldiers to help support German troops occupying former Russian territories.

Germans aid Austria-Hungary in fighting the Italians.

Damascus falls to British/Arabian troops.

1919- St. Petersburg and Moscow are captured.

In an effort to keep the population happy Germany rush through several liberal reforms giving more power to the elected assembly. In Austria-Hungary the principles of the Ausgleich are given to all the major ethnic groups in the Empire. The new nation is renamed the Austrian Empire. However some wonder if this is only a temporary solution to the crumbling empire.

Pro-Central Powers forces win a major victory in Greece. Entente troops are evacuated from Greece.

Turkish nationalists begin rebelling against Ottoman rule. Sultan Mehmed VI asks for assistance from his allies. German and Bulgarian troops enter Constantinople while British and Colonial troops continue to advance west into Asia Minor in support of the nationalists.

The Hashemite Caliphate is founded in Damascus, with Sharif Hussein becoming the first Caliph, and is immediately recognized by Britain and France. The new nation includes former Ottoman territory (minus Asia Minor) along with the entire Arabian Peninsula. However the Kurds have declared independence as the nation of Kurdistan. No one is sure what side they will join. The Entente hopes to use the Arabians to help them fight the Central Powers who are now entering what is left of the Ottoman Empire.

Zionists upset with this because they were promised a Jewish homeland in Palestine in the Balfour Declaration of 1917 enter into secret negotiations with German agents. If the Zionists promise to support Germany they will give them a homeland in Palestine. Jews around the world begin finding ways to enter Germany to be trained in an all-Jewish military division.

1920- German offensive succeeds in reaching the outskirts of Paris, but American reinforcements manage to hold onto the city. Long-range artillery manages to destroy the Eiffel Tower, causing a wave of hate to spread through France. Many French politicians are demanding the unconditional surrender of Germany as the only way to end the war.

A German/Russian nobleman is crowned the Czar of Russia in Petrograd. He orders all forces loyal to Russia to stop fighting the Germans and help defeat the Communist menace. Many White Russians throw their support behind the new Czar, tired of fighting a two-way war against the Germans and the Red Russians.

Mexico surrenders to the United States after American troops reach Mexico City. General Pershing is made military governor of Mexico until a new government can be created.

Fighting continues in Asia Minor. Central Powers high command begins to prepare for an invasion of the Middle East from the Caucasus peninsula. The force being assembled includes Germans, Cossacks loyal to the new Czar, and soldiers from the former Russian territories.

1921- Kaiser Wilhelm II presides over the creation of an economic union led by Germany and Austria with members made up of all the members of the Central Powers and their vassal states.

A group of less radical Bolsheviks overthrows Trotsky. They form a coalition government with the remaining White Russians. General Wrangel is made supreme commander of all Free Russian forces. He orders all forces under his command behind the Urals; taking anything that’s valuable and destroying whatever is left. Thousands of Russians follow the retreating armies behind the Urals. German troops follow after them but they make no move to follow them across the Urals fearing they might outrun their supply lines.

Allied offensive pushes Germans back away from Paris. Tanks are used to drive them back but they are unable to penetrate heavily fortified German lines.

Central Powers launch offensive out of the Caucasus peninsula driving into pro-Entente Armenia. Persia joins the Central Powers to throw off British control over their country.

US and Royal Navies succeed in ending the German U-boat threat once and for all. Both navies begin to put up a blockade around the South American members of the Central Powers.

New Provisional government of Mexico asks to be annexed into the United States. The debate in the US is mixed. Some expansionists are overjoyed about the possible of new territory, while other fear the possibility of a large Catholic voting bloc. Eventually a compromise is reached giving Mexico a Commonwealth status similar to Puerto Rico.

Spain and Portugal join the Entente after being pressured by Britain, France, and the US.

1922- Japanese troops seize Vladivostok and the rest of the Sakhalin Island. Japanese troops also land along the Russian Pacific coast on the premise of protect this land from the rightful Russian government. The new Republic of Russia, created out of the coalition government of White and Red Russians, protests this move. However they are not the recognized government of Russia by the Entente because of their support of communists. Instead a Russian government located in France under the new Czar Nicholas III is considered by the Entente as the true government of Russia. However this government in exile lacks any army with most of Imperial Russia’s soldiers either in the Kingdom of Russia or out east with the Republic.

As for the Republic of Russia, it is currently in no position to enforce its protests. With its new capitol in Omsk, the Republic of Russia is weaken by constant squabbles between the White and Red factions. Not only that but also most of the territory they claim is being chewed away. To the west, forces under the Kingdom of Russia are attempting to break out of the Urals to reunite the Russian Empire. Central Asia has been lost to new Muslim states. Cossacks in eastern Russia refuse to recognize the Omsk government and have declared themselves independent. Also there are warlords throughout the Republic territory who are also refusing to recognize the Republic government unless they are promised an important position within its operation.

The Western Front has stabilized between France and Germany. Along the front huge concrete bunkers and artillery positions make it almost impossible for any breakthrough to occur, not even from tanks, stretching from the North Sea winding down all the way to the Adriatic Sea. A huge stretch of no-man’s land now exists between what one what reporter has called "The Great Walls of Europe." No Man’s Land is so big that it contains the ruins of whole villages. Raids are launched every once in a while looking for weaknesses but currently most of the fighting is being contained in the Middle East as the Central Powers race to reestablish the Ottoman Empire and take the Suez Canal from Britain. The Kurds have joined the side of the Entente after Germany refuses to recognize their independence.

The Emperor of Austria dies and is succeeded by the 10 year old Otto. Not old enough to reign by himself, a regency is established until he comes to age. However the Hungarians take the opportunity to announce their independence, followed by Bohemia and similar outbreaks of calls for independence among the southern Slavs. The Germans, not wanting to risk war in the Balkans with the fighting going down in the Middle East brings everyone into negotiations in Kiev. At the Kiev Conference the Austrian Empire is disassembled. Hungary and Bohemia gain independence. Hungary is ceded the Galicia and Bukovina regions along with all of Romania. Austria and Slovenia will be annexed into Germany, but will have a degree of autonomy under the Habsburg dynasty. Albania is ceded to Greece while Macedonia is ceded to Bulgaria. The rest of the Austrian Empire (Dalmatia, Bosnia, Serbia, and Montenegro) is created into the nation of Pan-Slavia and placed under a German king.

1923- The Turkish nationalists are defeated as the Central Powers begin attacking into Kurdistan. British, French, Kurd, and Caliphate troops hold out in Kurdistan and Iraq where Persian troops attack there and into India where Colonial Indian troops hold them from entering into the rest of India. The 1^st Zion Division arrives on the front. Their arrival marks a beginning of anti-Semitism in the Entente nations for their support of Germany (everyone conveniently forgets the Balfour Declaration) some Jews attempt to distance themselves from the more militant Zionists while other seek to move to a pro-Central Powers nation.

Germany and Japan enter into secret negotiations. Japan, only a marginal member of the Entente wants more territory than the Entente can give them. Even their foray into Eastern Russia has started to upset Britain, France, and the US. Some in the Entente have suggested reconciling the Russian government in France with the one in Omsk. Germany promises to recognize the Pacific as Japan’s sphere of influence if they change sides. Japan considers this, but it is not ready yet to betray its allies.

The Republic of Russia begins hiring mercenaries from China to hold the Ural Front. The Kingdom of Russia asks for assistance from his neighboring allies to send aide. Ukrainian and Finnish troops begin arriving to help the Kingdom.

1924- Dominican Republic is invaded by the US after coup by pro-Central Powers factions. The US immediately begins work on turning the Dominican Republic into a Commonwealth similar to Mexico.

Central Powers capture Damascus. Caliphate moves to temporary capitol of Jerusalem. Large numbers of Muslims are immigrating to the Middle East to support the Caliphate and its attempt to unite Islam. UK, France, and the US look on this with worry.

Stalemate continues on Western and Eastern fronts. Japanese end advancement into Siberia at the request of allies. Japan is driven further into the German camp.

1925- Persian troops driven out of Iraq while at the Battle of Jaffa, German and allied troops are driven off by the British and Arabians.

The Bordeaux Accords signed between Nicholas III and representatives of the Republic of Russia. Nicholas III is recognized as Czar of Russia, but will have no formal power. This brings the Republic of Russia into the fold of the Entente again. Entente airships begin flights across Central Asia bringing supplies the help out the Russians.

1926- Peace talks begin in Geneva. By now the war has dragged on for 12 years. France is adamant against ending the war, as is the Republic of Russia who does not wish to loss the European half of Russia. Those who have profited from American expansion into Latin America are taking over the United States politically. New calls of "Manifest Destiny" can be heard in many American cities. On the side of the Central Powers no nation does anything without Germany’s say, and Germany is going to try to see how much they can get out of the Entente. Both sides do agree to trade prisoners, but nothing much else is worked out.

While there are peace talks in Geneva fighting continues in the rest of the world. Scattered fighting along the Western and Eastern Fronts keeps those armies there in the trenches, but in the Middle East it’s a different story. Persia is being invaded from both sides as British, India, and Arabian troops march into the country. The Central Powers hold Syria, but attempts to dislodge the Kurds or Arabs out of their positions has failed. The Caliphate’s new "Arab Legion", outfitted with the best weapons the Entente nations can provide, has begun to make life difficult for Germany and it’s allies.

Germany is attempting to cut off supplies to the Republic of Russia using new air bases along the Caspian Sea. German planes have dropped the bi-planes for the more efficient mono-wing planes. The British airships are sitting ducks to these interceptors, prompting to British to unveil a new airship that can carry and launch escort fighters to defend the convoys of airships.

1927- Peace talks in Geneva end after Japan launches a surprise attack on Manila, destroying the American ships docked there. Japanese forces land in the Philippines, French Indochina, and Dutch Indonesia. Thailand joins the Entente fearing that Japan will come after them next.

The Germans for their part declare war on the Netherlands and quickly overwhelmed the small nation using their newest "mobile fortresses," the newest generation of tank, which supposedly will bring about the end of the stalemate in the west. The Germans don’t stop there but launch an invasion of Denmark. The Germans hope to use the nation as a springboard into the rich iron and coal region of Scandinavia. Already fighting has broken out along the Swedish/Finland border. Norway and Sweden join the Entente.

Persia surrenders to the Entente. British and colonial troops that can be sparred are sent east to fight against the Japanese in the Pacific. Persia’s occupation is left to the Caliphate, who secretly begins to hunt down powerful Shiite clerics.

To be continued…

Hit Counter