God Save Us All..Rewriting History in Blood

[Inkana]

In the end history is simply a explosive chain reaction. One single event, not matter how small and insignificant it may seem at the time, may or may not turn out to be just the right trigger to start an event that can radically change the world for years, decades, even centuries to come. These "gunpowder" events, are the cornerstones of history. They can also lead people to wonder "What if...?" Well, friends, I have often sat and wondered "What if..?" about a great many things, and this is probably the most explosive of all the "gunpowder" events I have thought about.

What If...? France's pleas to Austria and Bavaria had gotten through, and Prussia had lost the Franco-German War, therfore not allowing a unified Germany to form?

Part I - The Franco-German War

Chapter 1 - July 30, 1870 to August 7, 1870
Chapter 2 - August 9, 1870 to August 16, 1870
Chapter 3 - August 30, 1870 to September 9, 1870
Chapter 4 - September 25, 1870 to October 16, 1870
Chapter 5 - October 18, 1870 to November 10, 1870
Chapter 6 - November 12, 1870 to December 11, 1870

Part II - PostWar Europe

Chapter 7 - Prussia, France & Britain
Chapter 8 - A Renewed Rivalry & Prussia in Turmoil
Chapter 9 - A Race Starts

The Jutland War
Chapter 10
Chapter 11

Part II - The Second Napoleonic Age

Chapter 12 - The Great Powers 1871-1875
Chapter 13 - Germania 1871-1875
Chapter 14 - Eastern Europe 1871-1875
Chapter 15 - The United States 1871-1875

Part III - The Industrial Age

Chapter 16 - European Tensions 1875-1885
Chapter 17 - Balkan Tensions 1875-1885
Chapter 18 - The Russo-Turkish War & The Congress of Paris
Chapter 19 - The Brussels Conference

Part IV - America, Japan and A Brewing War

Chapter 20 - An American Empire
Chapter 21 - The European Boiling Point & The Russo-Japanese War

Part V - The Great Eastern War

Chapter 22 - June 28, 1906 to August 19, 1906
Chapter 23 - August 24, 1906 to December 2, 1906
Chapter 24 - December 3, 1906 to January 1, 1907
Chapter 25 - January 28, 1907 to April 4, 1907
Chapter 26 - April 7, 1907 to April 30, 1906
Chapter 27 - May 8, 1907 to July 12, 1907
Chapter 28 - July 15, 1907 to October 10, 1907
Chapter 29 - October 15, 1907 to December 6, 1907
Chapter 30 - December 18, 1907 to March 17, 1908
Chapter 31 - March 19, 1908 to April 1, 1908
Chapter 32 - April 2nd, 1908 to May 1, 1908
Chapter 33 - May 6th, 1908 to June 22nd, 1908
Chapter 34 - July 8th, 1908 to August 25th, 1908
Chapter 35 - August 30th, 1908 to September 24th, 1908
Chapter 36 - September 30th, 1908 to October 26th, 1908
Chapter 37 - October 28th, 1908 to November 22nd, 1908

Recap: 1870-1914
Recap: The Franco-German War & Postwar Europe
Recap: The Great Eastern War

Part VI - A Peace Resting on Quicksand

Overview: The Winter of 1909
Chapter 38 – The Russian Revolution Part One: Unrest and Revolt
Chapter 39 - A "Worsening Situation"
Chapter 40 – Gunboat Diplomacy
Chapter 41 - A Giant Awakens?
Chapter 42 – The Last Throes of Trotsky’s Bolsheviks & Reform
Chapter 43 – Europe 1915-1925
Chapter 44 – The Crisis of April & The Great Egyptian Rebellion of 1935
Chapter 45 – The Suez War, Part 1
Chapter 46 - The Suez War, Part 2
Chapter 47 - The Suez War, Part 3
Chapter 48 - The Suez War, Part 4
Chapter 49 - The Suez War, Part 5
Chapter 50 –The Treaty of Lisbon
Chapter 51 - The Divide Grows
Chapter 52 - The Spanish Conflict
Chapter 53 - Spain in Flames & The Re-Emergence of Prussia
Chapter 54 – The Means to an End
Chapter 55 - Storm Clouds & America
Chapter 56 – The Essen Agreement


Part VII - Fall Grün

Chapter 57 - First Blood in the West
Chapter 58 – Blitzkrieg!
Chapter 59 - Attack and Retreat
Chapter 60 - Once More Into the Breach

Our little endeavor into the What If? begins on the flat plains of Northern Europe. For months conflict had been brewing in Europe. In Paris, an extremely ambitious Napoleon III had been looking warily at King Wilhelm of Prussia, or more importantly, Chancellor Otto von Bismarck. Tensions between these two military powerhouses had been brewing since 1867, when Prussia and the North German Confederation blocked France's purchase of Luxembourg from The Neatherlands.

In early 1870 the Spanish Throne had no apparant heir. Otto von Bismarck, eagerly offered Prince Leopold of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, a distant cousin of King Wilhelm of Prussia to the Spanish throne. A Furious Napoleon III immediatly sent a Telegram to Berlin instructing that either Prussia will cease it's current course or war will be declared.

Prussia kept it's current course.

July 19, 1870


Napoleon III of the Second French Empire declares war onto The Kingdom of Prussia under King Wilhelm and Otto von Bismarck. Almost immediatly, the North German Confederation backs Prussia by Declaring war on France. The Southern German States of Bavaria, Baden, and Württemberg, and Saxony always in competition with the North German States, are more reluctant to join any cause. It seems that it will take some persuasion to sway these small Kingdoms.

July 21, 1870

The first of Napoleon's diplomats begin discussions of alliance in Vienna. Kaiser Franz Josef of Austria-Hungary, still furious over Austria's humiliating defeat in 1866 listens intently to the alliance proposal.

In Munich and Dresden, similiar discussions are also underway. In both cities, the Frenchmen beat their Prussian counterparts by scarce hours. This will prove to be extremely lucky for the French as the war continues.

July 28, 1870

Napoleon III joins up with the 100,000 strong Army of the Rhine in Metz. The French army is full of well-trained Regulars, some of which have fought in the Crimea, Italy, Algeria, and Mexico. The Army of the Rhine is expected to grow dramatically as French Mobilisation continues. However, unknown to Napoleon, the Germans are mobilising much faster, as the entire Prussian Army is made up of conscripts.

To Be Continued....

[Oranje Verzet]

Supercool!

This is like an awesome story, im subcribing, great beginning.

[Inkana]

Oranje Verzet: Thank you very much! That first post was just to get things moving, the next one will be much longer(I hope)

[SirCliveWolfe]

Interesting start I shall be watching intently....

[TekcoR]

Alternative history is always an exciting issue. Regardless of the issue, one will always ask: "What if?"

I'm looking forward to where you will take this.

[Earth's Savior]

Germany will be split?

[Sir Humphrey]

Great start. Sounds like you have a good backstory, checked it all and its looking real nice. Great stuff.

[lifeless]

there was a book called what if. actually there were 2 of em. they were really interesting...

[Inkana]

Part I - The Franco-German War

July 30, 1870

Austria-Hungary declares war on Prussia. The first reserves were called up as soon as hostilities began and have been concentrating in Bohemia for a few weeks now, and by now about 150,000 men are ready for action. Franz Josef chooses Archduke Albert to lead the force. The Archduke has an impressive record, defeating an Italian army more than twice the size of his own in the 1866 war.

The Kingdom of Bavaria, it seems, had been waiting for this exact event, for scarce hours later, it also declares war on Prussia and her allies.

August 2, 1870

French General Frossard's II Corps and Marshal Bazaine's III Corps cross into Germany, evicting the Germans from the vital city of Saarbrücken. In the short skirmish that ensued as the French entered the city, the French Chassepot rifle proved superior to the decade old Prussian Needle Gun.

French Zouaves outside of Saarbrucken

Meanwhile, Marshals MacMahon and Canrobert are in planning with Bavarian and Austrian commanders on the strategy for the war in the south. I Corps under MacMahon in concert with the Bavarian army and the small Austrian Army of Tyrol would invade Palatinate and proceed to "liberate" southern germany, completely bypassing the 350,000 some men that von Moltke has arrayed on the French Border.

August 4, 1870

The first real battle of the war starts at the small city of Wissembourg. The short, bloody battle occured when a single divison of the Army of the Rhine was attacked by two Prussian Corps. The Prussia attack was wild, uncoordinated, and undercommanded by the upper echelons of Prussian Command. This confusion, combined with a good defensive positon, allowed General Douay to successfully repluse three strong attacks by forces more than double the size of his. By the end of the day the French send in reinforcements and the field is taken by the French.

(Author's Note: In our time, the Prussians came to Wissembourg with two Prussian Corps, and one Bavarian Corps, the absence of the Bavarians, I believe, would allow the French to gain the upper hand, and eventully win this crucial battle.)

August 7, 1870

The war in the south begins. A Franco-Austrian force of about 60,000 coupled with the Bavarian Army invades Palatinate, finding little organized resistance. The Napoleonic allies are making very good progress before the day is out. Von Moltke immediatly dispatches a Corps to deal with the invasion.

A Hungarian Hussar, possibly the best Cavalry in Europe

To Be Continued....

[SirCliveWolfe]

Nice... very nice.

[Phoenix Dace]

Splendid start. I'm always up for some alternate history.

[Oranje Verzet]

Another good update, and dont worry about the length, I like it when the updates are not one page long.

You already have an authors note within the text very good explanation of how your alt hist comes about.

[Sir Humphrey]

Great upate, this is certainly going places.

[kenneththegreat]

this will be our Mundes Excersado while CSL_GG fixes it

[Pacer]

i think this is actually weird sooooo..........yeah

[Inkana]

SirCliveWolfe: Thank you!

Phoenix Dace: Yep, I've found that Alternate History is a wonderful retreat for when regular History loses some of it's luster.

Oranje Verzet & Sir Humphrey: Thank you very much!

kenneththegreat: I don't know about that, I've read Mundes Excersado and I doubt I could compare to that.

Vincent Julien: Why thank you, good sir!

Pacer: How is it weird? France did indeed send envoys to said countries, and this is what the world would have been like if the diplomats had been just a bit more persuasive.

[Inkana]

August 9, 1870

First major battle in the south begins. In the plains about 50 miles south of Frankfurt, the Prussian IV Corps comes into contact with elements of the 1st Bavarian Army. The Bavarians decided to make a retreat so that their French and Austrian comrades can come and help. The two armies meet each other at about 3 PM. The Prussians, with about 20,000 men against the 75,000 Allies, put up stoic resistance, holding out until night comes and the firing stops, for the most part.

Bavarian Infantry charging out of the woods.

August 10, 1870

Battle resumes on the fields of Frankfurt at around 5 AM. Prussian Jägers make a name for themselves by picking off infantry officers as they lead their troops into battle. However, no amount of sharpshooters can turn the tide of the Allies, and the IV Corps retreats after about four hours of fighting and 9,000 dead. The Allies on the other hand, suffer a moderate 5,000 dead. The French bear the brunt of the casualties, so the French 3rd Division of IV Corps is brought in to replenish losses.

Von Moltke sees what the Allies are trying to do. By holding the French border and allowing the south to be the main line of offense, the French can cut off the Prussian Army’s supplies. He desperately drafts orders for more men to join IV Corps in halting the Allied advance.

August 12, 1870

In Dresden, King John I of Saxony declares War on Prussia and the North German Confederation. In Berlin Otto von Bismarck flies into a rage. “Only with the full weight of Germany behind us,” he says, “Can we triumph!”

On this same day, Archduke Albert finally begins his attack into Prussian Silesia. The Army of Bohemia consists of more than 115,000 men and was still growing when it began marching. The Prussians have been expecting this for some time and Albert will be met with strong defensive positions.

August 14, 1870

Elements of the Army of Tyrol reach the outskirts of Wiesbaden on the Rhine.

August 16, 1870

Prussia launches a counterattack against the Allied Army in Wiesbaden. The Prussian Third Army, consisting of roughly 90,000 men face off against the combined Prussian, Austrian, and Bavarian armies, totaling 95,000 men.

From the start the battle is a disaster for the Allies. Marshal MacMahon is away in Metz conferring with Emperor Napoleon III and therefore the command is passed to the inexperienced Marshal François Canrobert. Also, the Prussians intentionally attack only the Bavarians, who are generally soldiers of a poorer-quality than the French or even Austrians.

The Prussians, on the other hand, are led by the extremely bright Crown Prince Friedrich, they enjoy a standard of training better than any in Europe, and, for the most part, superior technolodgy.

The Battle is the largest of the war, to date. The blistering hot August sun makes fighting no less difficult. Within two hours of fighting the Bavarians break, leaving the entire right flank of the Allied position vulnerable. Friedrich immediately sends in the brilliant-looking Prussian Cruassiers to wreak havoc in the Allied rear. Needless to say, the cavalry are very much successful in this endeavor, and the entire Allied army is forced to retreat with as much haste as possible.

It is a complete and utter defeat for the Allies, as they are pushed from the Rhine.

Cruassiers charging the Guns at Wiesbaden

To Be Continued….

[lifeless]

ooo. but im confused. did that happen in reality or is it alternate....

[Atruejedi]

Wow! I thought the Prussians were screwed, but what a turn of events! This is very nice, and it could go any way. But I have an idea...

[Inkana]

lifeless: This is alternte. In our time, the farthest France got on German soil was Sarrbrucken

Atruejedi: The Prussians still have plenty of fight left. Now how on earth could you know the outcome of the war?