raharris1973
Well-known member
What if Britain put the peace of Europe ahead of cordial relations with its Entente buddies in 1914?
It might not be immediately apparent those two things were at odds, or what Britain might have done that might have angered Entente powers but prevented the outbreak of general war.
So I'll spell it out for everyone: When Austria-Hungary delivers its ultimatum to Serbia and communicates this, Britain copies the wording and issues an identically worded ultimatum to Serbia as well, clearly indicating its support for Austrian redress, and, much more importantly non-support for Russian mobilization over the Austro-Serb issue.
Knowing Britain is on the opposite side of the Austria-Serbia issue, and completely unreliable in the event this escalates into a wider war, over this issue, Russia declines to mobilize or threaten war against Austria-Hungary.
Germany has no reason/motivation/excuse to mobilize, declare, war and attack its neighbors.
Instead of WWI in 1914, we have an Austro-Serbian war that year or "third Balkan war", whose most likely additional participant, if any, isn't another great power, but Bulgaria, as a scavenger when Serbia gets ground down.
Stepping back from the Balkans, what happens to British-French-Russian relations after this, and strategic interactions between Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and the Ottoman Empire in the decade after the British stiff arm the Serbian protege of their erstwhile Russian Entente partner?
It might not be immediately apparent those two things were at odds, or what Britain might have done that might have angered Entente powers but prevented the outbreak of general war.
So I'll spell it out for everyone: When Austria-Hungary delivers its ultimatum to Serbia and communicates this, Britain copies the wording and issues an identically worded ultimatum to Serbia as well, clearly indicating its support for Austrian redress, and, much more importantly non-support for Russian mobilization over the Austro-Serb issue.
Knowing Britain is on the opposite side of the Austria-Serbia issue, and completely unreliable in the event this escalates into a wider war, over this issue, Russia declines to mobilize or threaten war against Austria-Hungary.
Germany has no reason/motivation/excuse to mobilize, declare, war and attack its neighbors.
Instead of WWI in 1914, we have an Austro-Serbian war that year or "third Balkan war", whose most likely additional participant, if any, isn't another great power, but Bulgaria, as a scavenger when Serbia gets ground down.
Stepping back from the Balkans, what happens to British-French-Russian relations after this, and strategic interactions between Britain, France, Russia, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and the Ottoman Empire in the decade after the British stiff arm the Serbian protege of their erstwhile Russian Entente partner?