futurist
Banned
Banned
Posts: 837 
Likes: 12
|
Post by futurist on Jun 29, 2018 23:49:23 GMT
What if the Entente/Allies would have made a German overthrow of the Bolsheviks in Russia a precondition to peace in October or November 1918?
Basically, in this scenario, the Allies are going to be far-sighted enough to see that the Bolsheviks are going to be a huge pain in the ass for them for decades and that thus Germany should take them out before Germany surrenders.
Anyway, any thoughts on what exactly would happen afterwards in this scenario?
|
|
lordroel
Administrator
Posts: 64,823
Likes: 45,963
|
Post by lordroel on Jun 30, 2018 10:02:25 GMT
What if the Entente/Allies would have made a German overthrow of the Bolsheviks in Russia a precondition to peace in October or November 1918? Basically, in this scenario, the Allies are going to be far-sighted enough to see that the Bolsheviks are going to be a huge pain in the ass for them for decades and that thus Germany should take them out before Germany surrenders. Anyway, any thoughts on what exactly would happen afterwards in this scenario? How are the Germans going to fight the Bolsheviks in Russia, are they allowed to move the German forces deployed in the Western Front to Russia ore are they going to have to fight like Finland during the Lapland War, which for the Germans would mean to demobilize while at the same time fighting the Bolsheviks in Russia. |
|
stevep
Fleet admiral
Posts: 23,426
Likes: 12,037
|
Post by stevep on Jun 30, 2018 10:44:02 GMT
What if the Entente/Allies would have made a German overthrow of the Bolsheviks in Russia a precondition to peace in October or November 1918? Basically, in this scenario, the Allies are going to be far-sighted enough to see that the Bolsheviks are going to be a huge pain in the ass for them for decades and that thus Germany should take them out before Germany surrenders. Anyway, any thoughts on what exactly would happen afterwards in this scenario? How are the Germans going to fight the Bolsheviks in Russia, are they allowed to move the German forces deployed in the Western Front to Russia ore are they going to have to fight like Finland during the Lapland War, which for the Germans would mean to demobilize while at the same time fighting the Bolsheviks in Russia.
That would be the problem. Imperial German is staggering from huge losses and growing discontent. The bulk of the population wants peace, hence the armistice terms the Germans were willing to agree to. I doubt the army could be sent east in any sort of order and your likely to see a lot of pro-revolutionary unrest in it and in the population as a whole.
Furthermore this implies that some state of war, even if with am armistice, continues between Germany and the allies. Does that mean lifting the blockade? If so your basically asking Germany, which already occupies huge areas of the former Russian empire [albeit probably not very effectively in places] to march into further areas while allowing them to rebuild their economy and war capacity. If they win you might see a need to take down an even larger German empire which has gained a 2nd wind, albeit a weak one, while the western allies have probably largely disarmed. Alternatively the Russians react badly for the German invasion and the Bolsheviks get even more support.
If you don't lift the blockade then Germany is almost certainly to quickly collapse.
Furthermore it wasn't yet realised what a danger to Europe Soviet Russia would be and with the serious opposition it was facing I suspect most people, especially in a war weary Europe would expect it to be crushed by its opponents. [Which they probably should have done, if not for the chaotic infighting and lack of co-operation and the limited support from the west].
|
|
kyng
Consul General
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 843
|
Post by kyng on Jul 9, 2018 0:13:19 GMT
I can see this backfiring in the Allies' faces. It's unrealistic to expect a Germany that was on the brink of defeat to attack the Bolsheviks (in direct violation of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk), without the resources to be able to effectively win that war.
First of all, even if Germany succeeds, they can't expect to keep control of the new Russian government once the Bolsheviks are gone. Whatever new government forms in Russia is going to hate Germany (due to the breaking of that peace treaty), and they'll strike back at Germany at the first convenient opportunity.
Secondly, Britain and France would have had war-weary populations of their own. If their governments drag this war out any longer, they could find themselves overthrown by their own nasty communists or fascists.
|
|
