Search results

  1. S

    Without hindsight, was the Russian decision in 1914 to go to war the right one?

    Sorry I misread your initial post as I was assuming that the US comes in against the Anglo-German bloc.:oops: Not really for Russia. Between the defeat against Japan, their relative industrial/technological backwardness and geographical issues plus that the army must take overwhelming...
  2. S

    Without hindsight, was the Russian decision in 1914 to go to war the right one?

    Sorry missed this before. I think this is unlikely for two reasons. a) An Anglo-German alliance, especially since its likely to include Austria and probably the Ottomans is going to make war unlikely for a considerable period. You would have to get the Russian leadership to the point where...
  3. S

    Without hindsight, was the Russian decision in 1914 to go to war the right one?

    For all their failures in the century before 1949 gave China at least an appearance of being an independent great power, the Chinese are used to being a major nation that others bow to. Even if they think their going to supplant Russia over time their not going to be happy with foreign rule...
  4. S

    Without hindsight, was the Russian decision in 1914 to go to war the right one?

    Well they could try although this would prompt the hostility of just about every other great power as well as, of course, the Chinese. If nothing else China would be receiving a hell of a lot of military aid and supplies even if no one stepped in directly. A lot would depend on the...
  5. S

    Without hindsight, was the Russian decision in 1914 to go to war the right one?

    I think the key thing was that morale was so badly destroyed. Also a US dow in 1917 is a lot less important than one today. For one thing even without the much less information about the world and most Russian soldiers being poorly educated it would mean virtually nothing to them. There...
  6. S

    Without hindsight, was the Russian decision in 1914 to go to war the right one?

    Did you actually read what I wrote? Its not a question of hindsight at all but simple common sense. Relying on threatening virtually all your neighbours with military attacks is not an intelligent approach to providing security for your country. That Wilhelm himself was stupid doesn't make...
  7. S

    Without hindsight, was the Russian decision in 1914 to go to war the right one?

    The problem was German leadership was that stupid in the decades immediately preceding the war. Wilhelm dropped friendship with Russia then threatened the UK forming the alliance that ultimately took them down. The army tied itself to offensive warfare and especially an attack into France...
  8. S

    Without hindsight, was the Russian decision in 1914 to go to war the right one?

    Some good points here but I think it was fairly well known by at least the military's of both sides that Germany would enter any great was with an invasion of France via Belgium. What wasn't known was the sheer size of it and how far north the right wing would go - although that was less than...
  9. S

    Without hindsight, was the Russian decision in 1914 to go to war the right one?

    I would agree plus also with Bulgaria alienated after the Balkan wars and Greece now with a pro-German monarch Serbia [along with the much smaller Montenegro possibly] was their last ally in the region. Romania while many had designs on Transylvania they had a German monarch and also interests...
Back
Top