I haven't actually read/seen that scenario, either. I think there are a number of ways it could actually go. I think Wilhelm might see himself as a new Holy Roman Emperor, but I'm not sure his ministers would go along with it. Considering the land grab in Africa just before the Great War, I suspect that Germany would have annexed a number of the more profitable French, English and Belgian colonies. They might well over-reach themselves there if they didn't keep their hands off the long-established and heavily settled ones. In fact, I could see the Canadians asking for US help, and that country finally fulfilling its long-held ambition to take over at least the Anglophone parts of that Dominion
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Yes, I can definitely see Germany taking the choicest (i.e. most easily manageable and richest in raw materials) colonies of the defeated powers, but as you say, that might stretch their capabilities. Perhaps this is what would push them into peace with the USSR
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If the US stayed out of the war, the German-speaking element of the population might have retained closer ties with the old country - there used to be numerous German language newspapers etc. which ended around the time of WW1.
CheckboutvSaki "When William came". Also Niall Ferguson "the pity of war " has osome discussion about how much better history would have been if Britain had stayed out of the war and just let Germany win it. Neuromancer
Cool. Sorry for cryptic note; I was on my phone. Neither of the ones i mentioned address anything like your scenario; I just mentioned them as "Germany won WWI" counterfactuals. "When William came", as I expect you know, was written before the war even started; as I understand it, he reckoned Britain's defence policy was too weak and wrote a novel about us losing a war with Germany to draw attention to his cause. Also, if you think the Guardian is anti-semitic (I don't, usually), this'll blow your socks off and not in a good way
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It was all about power politics. The Germans had been establishing colonies in Africa and building a huge Navy, both stepping on British interests. In the circumstances, once the Germans were in there was no way we were staying out...
What's happening in Central Europe? Have any states been able to break away from the old Russian Empire? If so, which, and with what borders? Have the Germans grabbed any land in the East, or are there now buffer states between them and the USSR?
How are minorities being treated, and how are they behaving? if, for example, Poland is still being ruled by the Germans, Austrians and Soviets then are they accepting of this or is there simmering resentment which could lead to anything from street protests or occasional acts of terror to outright rebellion. Or this could have happened in the past and been repressed?
Also, is Germany a nationalistic state, or have they moved back to the older Prussian model?
Incidentally, it could be interesting to read "When William Came" by Saki- written before WW1 it imagines Britain under German occupation and makes for a very interesting read, not least for the manner in which many parts of the population get on surprisingly well with their occupiers.
I imagine that the peace between Germany and the new USSR is secured by a similar treaty to Brest-Litovsk, with a buffer zone of neutral states between the two - although the buffer would be rather closer to Moscow than to Berlin I think.
I wonder if one reason this scenario is less common is that, since no Versailles, and presumably, no Hitler (at least as an important political figure) would probably mean no Holocaust and no Israel, hence less tension in the Middle East, and a large prosperous Jewish population in Germany helping to rebuild Europe instead...
A 20th century where Germany won WWI might look quite attractive from some perspectives, and clearly from a British/French/Russian point of view that's a bit of a disturbing thought.
Without the US, I'm a bit surprised that Britain managed to hang on as long as 1934, but maybe the 'flu epidemic of 1918-1919 hit both sides and delayed the German advance? I imagine it would have severely impacted the war effort, and given how many people it killed as it was, I imagine the impact would have been even worse if they'd tried to fight through it.
The flu epidemic is a good point. Also, I wonder if an Imperialist Germany would open up new theatres in Africa in order to annex the colonies, accepting the stalemate on the western front.
might be interesting on Wilhelm's personal views towards the British, although of course these might be quite different by 1934. That's assuming of course that Wilhelm survived the war and so did the German monarchy...
If the British royal family has buggered off to Canada, Wilhelm might press a claim to the British throne - had the new succession laws currently going through Parliament been in operation in 1900, Wilhelm would have become King of Great Britain on the death of his mother, who would have succeeded Queen Victoria and reigned as (presumably) Queen Victoria II for a few months in 1901.
Have you read A Peace to End All Peace by David Fromkin? It's a fascinating account of how wide-ranging the effects of the Versailles Treaty were; it might help you figure out what the effects of the outcome of WWI would be in your timeline. Especially recommended if you want to explore what happens in your version of the Middle East.
(Here via Andrew D as well) Seconding the Fromkin book, it's probably the best single volume on post-Versailles geopolitics. I have huge issues with Niall Ferguson. His earlier work is excellent especially on financial history, but goes rapidly downhill when he starts talking about World War One. His work is still useful in that it makes you look at events from a different perspective, but his conclusions are dubious at best and to me, disingenuous to say the least.
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How are minorities being treated, and how are they behaving? if, for example, Poland is still being ruled by the Germans, Austrians and Soviets then are they accepting of this or is there simmering resentment which could lead to anything from street protests or occasional acts of terror to outright rebellion. Or this could have happened in the past and been repressed?
Also, is Germany a nationalistic state, or have they moved back to the older Prussian model?
Incidentally, it could be interesting to read "When William Came" by Saki- written before WW1 it imagines Britain under German occupation and makes for a very interesting read, not least for the manner in which many parts of the population get on surprisingly well with their occupiers.
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A 20th century where Germany won WWI might look quite attractive from some perspectives, and clearly from a British/French/Russian point of view that's a bit of a disturbing thought.
Without the US, I'm a bit surprised that Britain managed to hang on as long as 1934, but maybe the 'flu epidemic of 1918-1919 hit both sides and delayed the German advance? I imagine it would have severely impacted the war effort, and given how many people it killed as it was, I imagine the impact would have been even worse if they'd tried to fight through it.
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might be interesting on Wilhelm's personal views towards the British, although of course these might be quite different by 1934. That's assuming of course that Wilhelm survived the war and so did the German monarchy...
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(Here via Andrew Ducker.)
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Seconding the Fromkin book, it's probably the best single volume on post-Versailles geopolitics. I have huge issues with Niall Ferguson. His earlier work is excellent especially on financial history, but goes rapidly downhill when he starts talking about World War One. His work is still useful in that it makes you look at events from a different perspective, but his conclusions are dubious at best and to me, disingenuous to say the least.
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