The Austro-Russo War of 1914

[Campbell1004]

This is a little timeline I worked on because I was bored these last couple of days. I have some ideas on how to continue it, but I'm not really interested. Tell me what you think, I'm posting this for your enjoyment.

Also I wasn't trying to be ultra-realistic. I wrote it this way because this is how I wanted it to happen, not how it would have happened.

 

[Campbell1004]

June 28th, 1914 – Archduke Franz Ferdinand is assassinated by Gavrilo Princip, a Serb nationalist.


July 28th, 1914 – Austria declares war against Serbia.


July 29th, 1914 – Russia mobilizes as Austria invades Serbia.


August 3rd, 1914 – Germany secretly pledges to send German armies into Austria to fight in Galicia against the Russians. Austria agrees.


August 17th, 1914 – A huge Russian offensive takes place in Galicia. Russian forces make minor advances as Austrian and German soldiers hold them back. 130,000 Russian soldiers are killed, wounded or taken prisoner. 60,000 Austro-German soldiers are killed, wounded or taken prisoner.


August 18th, 1914 – France realizes that German troops are fighting on the Eastern Front and requests that Russia declare war on Germany, promising to follow suit. Russia declines, citing the hundreds of Russian soldiers fleeing from the wounded armies in Galicia.


August 19th, 1914 – France turns to Great Britain and requests their entry into the war. Great Britain refuses, claiming they will only enter if Belgium is attacked.


September 9th, 1914 – The Second Russian Offensive into Galicia begins. Russian troops gain ground in select areas but most of the army is thrown back.


September 14th, 1914 – The Second Russian Offensive ends. 205,000 Russian soldiers are killed, wounded or taken prisoner. 95,000 Austro-German soldiers are killed, wounded or taken prisoner.


September 17th, 1914 – An “Austrian,” offensive in Galicia takes back 80% of the territory lost in the initial Russian offensives. The most advance units actual march onto Russian soil.


November 23rd, 1914 – Despite horrific winter conditions the Russians once more sally forth to take Galicia. Armed with fast-firing Krupp guns and 18 machine-guns per regiment the German/Austrian defenders cut the Russians down. 160,000 Russian soldiers are killed, wounded or captured.


December 25, 1914 – At the Royal Christmas Feast in Berlin Kaiser Wilhelm publicly congratulates, “the brave German soldiers fighting in the East,” on their victories. This raises several eyebrows among the international community.

 

[Campbell1004]

January 19th, 1915 – “Austrian” zeppelins bomb Leningrad. 238 are killed.


February 4th, 1915 – The First Austrian Offensive begins in Galicia.


February 21st 1915 – The First Austrian Offensive ends as the Austro-German troops run out of food and ammunition. Russian casualties amount to roughly 70,000. Austro-German casualties amount to 18,340. The towns of Kowel, Lutsk and Dubno have been captured by the forward-most Austro-German forces.


April 27th, 1915 – After two months of “practical inactivity,” the Austro-Germans initiate a huge breakthrough on three fronts. The Ninth Austrian Army marches north towards Warsaw in Russian Poland. First and Fourth armies march towards Minsk. Third and Second armies march for Karasten, a town roughly 200 miles south of Minsk.


May 15th, 1915 – The Ninth Austrian Army begins the Battle for Warsaw, the Second Russian Army is defending.


May 16th, 1915 – The First and Fourth Austrian Armies meet the Fourth and Fifth Russian armies around Pinsk.


May 18th, 1915 - The, “Battle of Pinsk,” is considered a huge Austrian victory with 175,000 Russian casualties and 97,000 Austrian casualties. Russian General Salza commits suicide to avoid capture.


May 21st, 1915 – The Third and Second Austrian Armies meet Brusilov’s Russian Eighth Army outside of Sarny. Although listed in most historical texts as a stalemate Brusilov thoroughly destroyed entire brigades of Austrian soldiers and managed to pin many German soldiers inside the city for the remainder of the war. Estimated Russian casualties; 105,000. Estimated Austro-German casualties; 135,000. Sarny is hereafter a synonym with failure and defeat in the German nations.


May 22nd, 1915 – Five divisions from the Austrian Fourth Army are ordered to turn southwards to reinforce the Third and Second Austrian Armies.


August 8th, 1915 – The Ninth Austrian Army captures Warsaw. Russian casualties; 45,000. Austro-German causlties, 10,500.


September 5th, 1915 – Tsar Nicholas takes command of the Russian armies.


September 9th, 1915 – the First Austrian Army (now under German General Paul von Hindenburg because of the 75 % German population of the army) captures Minsk.


November 23rd, 1915 – Austro-German forces break the last Serbian army defending north of Belgrade. Serbia does not surrender as it is occupied.

 

[Campbell1004]

June 16th, 1916 – After 10 months of an unofficial truce, during which only minor skirmishes take place – the Russians open up with a new offensive to take Warsaw and Minsk back from the Austro-Germans. The Third and Eighth Armies under Ruzski and Brusilov attacked at Minsk, Brusilov is in command. The Fourth and Fifth under Plehve and Rennenkampf attack Warsaw with the Ninth under Borodkin being held in reserve.


July 3rd, 1916 – Stalemate around Warsaw. 87,000 Russian casualties so far. 12,000 Austro-German casualties. Region-Commander Ivanov orders the Ninth Army to attack Warsaw from the West.


July 12th, 1916 – The German Eight Army under Maximilian von Prittwitz (under the pretense of being the Austrian Thirteenth Army) slams into the Russian Ninth Army and completes shatters them. Russian Casualties are estimated around 200,000.


August 20th, 1916 – The Fourth and Fifth Russian Armies retreat from Warsaw and take up a defensive line near Lomjo and Bialyslok. They are no longer strong enough or well equipped to launch any attacks.


September 14th, 1916 – 50 miles east of Minsk Brusilov’s army conducts a massive push towards the city.


September 18th, 1916 – The lead elements of Brusilov’s army are stopped within sight of the outskirts of Minsk.


September 19th, 1916 – Within an 18 hour period Austrian reinforcements arrive and help the, “Thirteenth Austrian Army,” break Brusilov’s Eighth and Third Armies. Casualties estimated around 250,000.


September 20th, 1916 – The Third Russian Offensive has ended in disaster. The Austro-German lines come to rest around Kovno, Vilna, Minsk and Mazyr. Russian casualties are in the millions. Protestors amass in the thousands in Petrograd and Moscow.


September 22nd, 1916 – Tsar Nicholas approaches Britain to act as a mediator for peace.


December 13th, 1916 – Tsar Nicholas meets with Kaiser Karl I in London. The Treaty of London is signed by both parties. The tenants of the Treaty are as follows;
- Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Ukraine, Belarus and Poland will gain their independence from Russia.
- Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland will all fall under German protection.
- Ukraine and Serbia will fall under Austrian protection.
- Russia will only be able to field 25 % of their pre-war strength in the form of either an army or a navy.
- Russia will not be allowed to field an airforce of any kind.
- Russia will pay 10 % of their tax revenue to Austria every year for the next 15 years.
- Russia will not be allowed to formalize any treaties without Austrian approval.


December 17th, 1916 – In defiance of the Treaty of London France attempts to sign a Treaty of Mutual Defense with Russia. Austria denies their right. French boycotting of German, Austrian and British products begins.


December 19th, 1916 – The Austro-Russian War of 1914 officially ends as Tsar Nicholas returns to Petrograd. The final casualties of the war are estimated at 2.35M Russian and 1.1M Austro-German.

 

[Germaniac]

As a quick note for my post the use of German is in terms of Nationality not ethnicity, Damn you Ethnic Nationalism.

A) If Germany mobilizes her armies Russia will be forced to go to war with them, there's no way around that you can't just secretly send your army to another country.

B)What about the German people, they wont really be happy with their sons and fathers going to fight for Austria, theres no national will behind the war if theres no declaration of war.

C) You can't just disguise German troops as Austrians, who is going to command them, the German High Command won't be too keen on sending German Soldiers to die under Austrian Commanders, and Austrian Commanders wont be too happy to take orders from German commanders if there not even actually in the war.

D) The Germans will not stay out of the war as Austrian (even if they are German soldiers) troops conquer poland. The Germans will have no official say in the peace treaty as they were technically a non-belligerant power, they cant demand territories from Russia.

E) France will not hold back from taking the opportunity to kick Germany swiftly in the ass. The second the German peacetime (since I have to assume Germany didn't mobilize) moves to Galacia the French will launch an offensive into the heart of the Rhineland and will likely win.

F) Great Britain will not be too keen on allowing the Balance of Power to shift so dramatically, If there is a war between Austria and Russia expect a congress to convene, hell they did it over Bulgaria, damn right thell do it over most of European Russia

G) Lastly, Who is providing all the war materials? Austrian Economy simply cannot support campaigns of this size, they dont have the industrial capacity to do this. Germany won't supply it cause it is technically at Peace and wont go into a war time footing or else the people will go nuts (war time footing in times of peace dont go well)

If a war is going to break out between Russia and Austria alone it will be the Russians throwing countless men up against the austrians untill they reach the Capathians and the Austrian can finally put up a decent defense. The Russians who will be constrained by having to keep armies to the north (as they can only mobilize the entire army), both sides will eventually tire from the endless carnage and will end the conflict with Austria likely loosing everything up to the Carpathians.

 

[Campbell1004]

A) If Germany mobilizes her armies Russia will be forced to go to war with them, there's no way around that you can't just secretly send your army to another country.

why not? Probably isnt the whole army, anyway.

B)What about the German people, they wont really be happy with their sons and fathers going to fight for Austria, theres no national will behind the war if theres no declaration of war.

who says so? I am the writer, they do what I say.

C) You can't just disguise German troops as Austrians,

why not? i did it right there. I wrote it, and it happened in the story. done.

who is going to command them, the German High Command won't be too keen on sending German Soldiers to die under Austrian Commanders, and Austrian Commanders wont be too happy to take orders from German commanders if there not even actually in the war.

Well, Im sure there was lots of bickering. But in the end they realised they have a common goal and a heart-filled moment occured with Austrian and German commanders silently agreeing to work together.

D) The Germans will not stay out of the war as Austrian (even if they are German soldiers) troops conquer poland. The Germans will have no official say in the peace treaty as they were technically a non-belligerant power, they cant demand territories from Russia.

Germany will have a say, because it is supplying the war materials to Austria. It is supplying the war materials to Austria because it saved up for the last twenty years because the Kaiser never dismissed Bismarck. And I just made that up.

E) France will not hold back from taking the opportunity to kick Germany swiftly in the ass. The second the German peacetime (since I have to assume Germany didn't mobilize) moves to Galacia the French will launch an offensive into the heart of the Rhineland and will likely win.

Not the whole army. And the guys that are there can hold the forts while the French kill themselves assaulting them.

F) Great Britain will not be too keen on allowing the Balance of Power to shift so dramatically, If there is a war between Austria and Russia expect a congress to convene, hell they did it over Bulgaria, damn right thell do it over most of European Russia

They suddenly decided lunch was more important. A three year lunch.

G) Lastly, Who is providing all the war materials? Austrian Economy simply cannot support campaigns of this size, they dont have the industrial capacity to do this. Germany won't supply it cause it is technically at Peace and wont go into a war time footing or else the people will go nuts (war time footing in times of peace dont go well)

Germany does. It does this because I wrote it.

If a war is going to break out between Russia and Austria alone it will be the Russians throwing countless men up against the austrians untill they reach the Capathians and the Austrian can finally put up a decent defense. The Russians who will be constrained by having to keep armies to the north (as they can only mobilize the entire army), both sides will eventually tire from the endless carnage and will end the conflict with Austria likely loosing everything up to the Carpathians.

Yea, except this is a fiction-story, not a study on what would actually happen. Im sure that if I wanted to make something historical your points would all be valid and very effective.

 

[The Admiral Hook]

Jeeez........

 

[The Vulture]

It does this because I wrote it.

Unacceptable.

 

[David S Poepoe]

January 19th, 1915 – “Austrian” zeppelins bomb Leningrad. 238 are killed.

Read this and laughed. There is no town or city called Leningrad in 1915 - unless you are from an alternative universe.

Most of the ATL is a terrible mess, particularly the German troops fighting under Austrian colours. The Russians will declare war upon Germany in such a situation - since the Germans are already at war with it.

 

[David S Poepoe]

Yea, except this is a fiction-story, not a study on what would actually happen. Im sure that if I wanted to make something historical your points would all be valid and very effective.

A poor excuse, but a valid one. It is one because I wrote it.

 

[Albidoom]

I am the writer, they do what I say.
[...]
Yea, except this is a fiction-story, not a study on what would actually happen.

And this is a discussion forum, so if your story has some (or lots of) plot holes you have to expect others to take note of it.

And Russia not declaring war? Well, since Germany already has committed substantial troops in Galicia, they are technically already at war anyways, just without a formal declaration.
And while Britain might remain neutral, you'd almost need Draka-level stupidity for France to stay out of it (and that somewhat not too secret troop deployment could also be enough for Italy to weasel it's way out of the Dreibund))

 

[Meadow]

If you don't want comments, put this in Finished Timelines and Scenarios where it belongs and let it rot there, out of sight and out of mind of people with such pathetic foibles as 'an interest in history'.

You want to write a fictional, off-the-wall TL where things happen because they say you do, but you do want comments on it, take this to the Alien Space Bats and Other Magic forum. That's exactly what that forum is for - posting something here implies a degree of historical interest and attempts at accuracy, and invites people to assess it.

 

[Campbell1004]

If you don't want comments, put this in Finished Timelines and Scenarios where it belongs and let it rot there, out of sight and out of mind of people with such pathetic foibles as 'an interest in history'.

You want to write a fictional, off-the-wall TL where things happen because they say you do, but you do want comments on it, take this to the Alien Space Bats and Other Magic forum. That's exactly what that forum is for - posting something here implies a degree of historical interest and attempts at accuracy, and invites people to assess it.

Yea, you're right.

I should have read the text under the forum labels. I humbly apologize for my mistake.

Still.... it's a thousand word story meant to make you see these things in your head, not a thousand word analysis that is suppose to make you scream, "NO," whenever you read something that you do not agree with.

But I accept that I have posted this in the wrong forum.