40 Days in the West

>>3384967

Based on what I've read, I believe it could have been done, but only if the German generals made perfect tactical decisions the entire way through. They would need to have perfect knowledge of French army movements, which is only possible with the benefit of hindsight.

>>3384977
It was an extremely tight timetable.
Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe Von Moltke wanted to start the war before 1913 because he feared the plan would not work if France kept militarizing but his plans were sidelined by the Navy which felt they were not ready.

Utter fucking autism, I wonder if Russia and France even would had declared war over Serbia, but there's no doubt UK wouldn't have

Doing it alone would have required literally perfect execution of plans at every level of the German military. And the only member of the Triple Alliance who could have helped was Italy and they weren't interested in joining in the latest G*rmanic chimpout

>>3384967
By 1914, no. Even without the adjustments made to make punching through Belgium easier, the Schlieffen Plan was made to defeat France in 1906. After the insane military spending blitz of the 1910s, the French army was WAY too huge for a fancy flanking maneuver to engulf and bottle up, and an attritional slog was inevitable.

Said attritional slog was, even from the beginning, one the Central Powers couldn't win without the power to import food. Almost from the start, WW1 was a game of seeing how badly Germany would lose.

>>3384989

France was modernizing, yes, but the real monster was Russia, and the General Staff deeply feared what Russia would be capable of if it were allowed to complete its own modernization program. The biggest advantage that Germany held over Russia was the speed at which it could mobilize its forces thanks to Germany's modern and highly efficient rail system. However, Russia was laying down tons of new rails every year. It was only a matter of time before Russia would have their own highly-efficient rail system. At the same time, Russia was undergoing a massive army expansion program that was geared towards expanding the Russia's already-massive army by 40%. The fear of living next to an unstoppable juggernaut was perhaps the single biggest motivator for the General Staff in 1914.

>>3384967
Yes, it was completely plausible and these are the reasons why

1. Even with the imperfect execution, German forces reached within 30km of Paris. This means that only a small increase in gains would be required to reach this city.
2. The 'inwardly swinging door' that should have swung into Germany could have done with fewer divisions. More were added at the start for fears they wouldn't hold.
3. Continuing from above, German forces did not pull back but instead advanced for reasons such as unexpected success, etc

You can add in extra things such as increased supplies, better preparation for taking down Belgium etc, but these form the core of how success may have been possible.

>>3384994
>Austria attacks Serbia
>Russia mobilizes
>Germany knows they're just bluffing so they don't engage
>Austria conquers Serbia
>war over
>everyone chugs on like before

>>3385043
Suicide for Germany

>>3385047
If Russia doesn't actually do anything other than mobilize it's not suicide

>>3385041

>German forces reached within 30km of Paris

Paris was not undefended, and the Germans would fighting with their supply lines stretched incredibly thin.

>>3385055
>if he just aims his gun at you and doesn't fire, you won't get shot.

You might think I'm exaggerating, but that's the exact equivalent.

>>3385056
It's not a guarantee, but it's possible.

>>3385047
Why suicide? Germans attacked Russia not because of the mobilization, they attacked them because they thought it's a good opportunity to take them out before they fully industrialize. Both Russians and the Germans knew the Russian army is shit.

>>3385062
It's more like if your friend beats up the retarded kid at lunch another equally retarded but stronger kid threatens to beat up your friend. But you tell him to fuck off and he does.

>>3385062

I don't think that Nicky would have taken advantage of the situation, but that's me taking advantage of the hindsight of being aware of Nicky's indecisive nature. He simply was not somebody who made snap decisions. It often seems like he couldn't be coaxed into any action at all unless somebody was practically begging him to get it done.

>>3385062
Russia wasn't aiming the gun at Germany.

>>3385070

Germany's big advantage was simply the fact that it could mobilize faster. If Germany allows Russia to safely mobilize without interruption, then that critical advantage is gone if it comes to war. At one point near the beginning of the war, Wilhelm asked Moltke if it was possible to delay mobilization to allow more time for diplomacy and Moltke responded that if they did that, they would be giving up any chance of winning the war.

>>3385071
>>3385070
>>3385077
Mobilisation is the nation-state equivalent of drawing your gun.

In this case, the German government has two decisions

A) let our giant neighbour fully mobilise and see whether he attacks us or not, giving up our main advantage in the process
B) utilise our main advantage of speed to neutralise this emerging threat before they're at fully power

Maybe Russia wouldn't have attacked, but Germany would have been seen as twice the fool if they'd been invaded.

>Both Russians and the Germans knew the Russian army is shit.
False

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>>3385047
>When you are at the peace conference and have 50+ autistic plans to invade the whole world at once

Hey here's an easier step, how about Russia doesn't mobilise

>>3385088
There are some amazing photoshop skills

>>3385095
How about Russia never signs the Anglo-Russian Entente?

>>3385077

It's a prisoner's dilemma type of situation. If you give the other side your trust, and you get backstabbed, then the consequences are devastating. As a result, both sides decide to screw each other over because they're scared of the possible consequences if they don't.

>>3385086
Was Russia gonna mobilize the world's largest navy and modern artillery? Central powers lost Italy and turned UK against them by declaring an aggressive war over some military exercises

>>3385105

Mobilization is not an exercise.

>>3385116
>what is partial mobilization :^)

>>3385122
You're not worth talking to

>>3385086
>Mobilisation is the nation-state equivalent of drawing your gun.
Yes, but NOT AT GERMANY.

>>3385086
>Russian draws its gun
>Invade Belgium
G*rman logic

>>3385136
Didn't Russia mobilize across the entire front? IIRC they had things set up in such a way that a mobilization to threaten the entire Austro-Hungarian border would also present a major threat to Germany

>>3385136
>so we're going to mobilise along this border, including your border
>but we won't do anything, we swear! :^)

>>3384967

It could have worked if the Austrians participated in the invasion of France.

But they were too busy getting BTFO by Serbia and being general useless allies as ever.

Germany had a better chance in the beginning of WW1 then they ever did through the entirety of WW2.

>>3385077
Mobilizing your troops on the German border, destroying local infrastructure, refusing to demobilize, delaying negotiations, and setting up fortifications is aiming the gun at Germany.

>>3385151
>what is Austria

>>3385151
They could not do a partial mobilization, it was either total or none at all

>>3385201
That's not the discussion

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>>3385105
The UK was not going to sit back and let Germany takr over Europe, they were economic rivals struggling for the same markets, military rivals engaged in the Dreadnought Race, and political rivals in terms of their government forms.

Not to mention that for over 200 years Britain has mantained the same core foreign policy aim as dictated by her interest: No state must be allowed to become hegemonic on the European continent and the channel ports must remain open at all costs.

>>3385099
Firstly Russia mobilising was the trigger for the entire war so had they not done so there wouldnt have been a war

Secondly the Russo French Alliance was formed in 1894.

>>3385182

>what is Austria

Germany's most important ally.

>>3384967

>WW2
>Do it again
>wtf it actually worked this time

>>3384967
they got a bit too cocky after 1871