Was there any way for WWI to not be The Great War? Certainly

>>2457822
Yes. If Germany basically let Austria and the Turks duke it out with Russi, instead of getting involved which brought in France and the UK

>>2458513
But that would have resulted in AH being crushed and partitioned into several Russian client kingdoms. Why would Germany agree with that?

>>2458544
Without the UK and France entering the war the turks would have focused their forces on the Russians. So it may not have ended like that.

>>2458645
Why would Turkey had entered the war though? They'd waited for half a year IRL and entered only after Germany had defeated Russia in East Prussia.
> the turks would have focused their forces on the Russians
They did it IRL and they failed spectacularly.

>>2458666
No miracle at the Marne, France gets kicked out of the war by 1915 and the Germans make reasonable demands (Alsace, maybe a demilitarised zone; whether this is plausible is another question).

Despite Tannenburg, the eastern-front is largely ebb-and-flow until Gorlice-Tarnow, so assuming Serbia gets its shit kicked in early on, Russia fights a defensive war and makes minor concessions in mid 1915. Britain and the Central Powers white peace.

A quick victory in 1915 gives credibility to a Habsurg monarchy that desperately needs it. Austria-Hungary reforms into a federalised United States of Greater Austria. The young Turks continue their reforms, and a constitutional monarchy is established in the Ottoman Empire. They continue their decline and shed a bunch of territory.

Neutral Italy probably has a Spanish-style civil war between nationalists and some kind of socialist/syndicalist/fascist front.

Tsar Nicholas II continues the piecewise liberalisation of Russia. No Bolshevik revolution and no Russian civil war. Russia is a constitutional monarchy. Some concessions are made to the more moderate socialists in the Duma, courting popular support away from the radical elements.

All the other major powers are still largely in tact. A disastrous world war is averted for several decades until either syndicalists or revanchists take over France and begin re-arming for another war. The powder-keg for the inevitable great power showdown is probably a multi-faction civil war in the Balkans.

>>2458673
> Alsace, maybe a demilitarised zone
They'd had Alsace since 1871 tho. A good analysis otherwise tho.

>>2458676
>They'd had Alsace since 1871 tho. A good analysis otherwise tho.
Woops, you're right, not sure what I was thinking. In that case, France gives up their claim on Alsace, a demilitarised zone in Alsace-Lorraine, and perhaps French sub-sahara + Belgian Congo to Germany. This would put Germany in more direct competition with the British.

If England stays out, like they almost did, the Great War of four years becomes the Great Continental War of one year at the most and more likely 3 - 6 months.

I'd even allow English funding to France and Russia, but they have to keep their troops out of the Western Front to make the war quick

>>2457822
If Germany sided with Russia instead of AH, t they could have given it the Polish treatment, then if France gets involved it is in a much worse position.
Also not invading Belgium and not making a war that will make England their enemy due to being aggressive in a war to make a hegemony of Europe.
The war was destined to become the great war because Germany made itself into a big boogy man.

>>2458645
Turkey was a competitor with AH.

>>2458513
Germany was not in the position where they could afford losing their only ally on the continent.

>>2458731
>England

>>2457822

>Just another war

What the fuck?