Alternate History (WWI)

Austro-Hungarian Heir Apparent, Franz Ferdinand. Nephew to Emperor Franz Joseph is assassinated along with his wife Sophie in Sarajevo by Serbian Nationalists. This leads to the Austro-Hungarian Empire sending the Serbians an ultimatum of annexation or war.

It is rejected on the single point of annexation and thus Austro-Hungary, Germany and the Otttoman Empires prepare for the inevitable war with Serbia, Russia, France and subsequently Great Britain.

Austro-Hungary seeks German support in war against Serbia if Russia intervenes. Germany agrees.

Austria-Hungary sends ultimatum to Serbia. Serbian response deemed unsatisfactory.

Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia following the Ultimatum. Russia begins mobilizing its forces in preparation of a war in support of Austria.

Immediately following the declaration of war against Serbia by Austria-Hungary the Netherlands declares its Neutrality in the war.

In response to war with Russia, Germany secures a secret alliance wit the Ottoman Empire in the growing conflict, promising the Balkans and parts of Russia to the Ottomans if victorious.

After failing to cease their hostility towards Austria-Hungary, Germany declares war upon Russia in support of their ally.

Following Germany's declaration of war against Russia and Serbia, along with the tumultuous situation coming from the growing conflict, Italy breaks its treaty with Austria-Hungary and Germany instead declaring its neutrality in the conflict sighting their former treaty as defensive only.

Knowing France would uphold their treaty with Russia. Germany invades the neutral state of Luxembourg to secure a better invasion point against France when the time comes.

In response to wanting a war with France and the French not breaking their treaty with Russia, Germany preemptively declares war upon France and begins preparations to invade Belgium to secure a route into Northern France.

German military operations in Belgium were intended to bring the 1st, 2nd and 3rd armies into positions in Belgium, from which they could invade France, which led to sieges of Belgian fortresses along the Meuse river at Namur, after the fall of Liège on August 7 and the surrender of the last forts on 16–17 August. The government abandoned the capital, Brussels, on August 17 and after fighting on the Gete river, the Belgian field army withdrew westwards, to the National Redoubt at Antwerp on August 19. Brussels was occupied the next day and Namur was besieged on August 21.

After the battles of Mons and Charleroi, the bulk of the German armies marched south into France, leaving small forces to garrison Brussels and the Belgian railways. The III Reserve Corps advanced to the fortified zone around Antwerp and a division of the IV Reserve Corps took over in Brussels. The Belgian field army made several sorties from Antwerp in late August and September, to harass German communications and to assist the French and the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), by keeping German troops in Belgium. German troop withdrawals to reinforce the main armies in France, were postponed to repulse a Belgian sortie from 9–13 September and a corps in transit was retained in Belgium for several days. Belgian resistance and German fear of francs-tireurs, led the Germans to implement a policy of schrecklichkeit ("frightfulness") against Belgian civilians soon after the invasion, in which massacres, executions, hostage taking and the burning of towns and villages took place and became known as the Rape of Belgium.

Bound by a treaty to support Belgian independence, the United Kingdom declares war upon Germany for invading Belgium.

Knowing this war would become worse and grow into a true world conflict, the United States declares its neutrality.

In support of Serbia and bolstered by Russia the tiny state of Montenegro in the Balkans declares war against the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Finally prepared the Austro-Hungarian Empire declares war against Russia.

Supported by Russia the Serbian Nation declares war upon Germany.

Supported by Russian and Serbia the state of Montenegro declares war upon Germany.

Austria-Hungary comes to the aid of Germany by declaring war upon France.

Following the A-H declaration of war on France the UK declares war against the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The Battle of the Frontiers:

The Battle of the Frontiers was a series of battles fought along the eastern frontier of France and in southern Belgium shortly after the outbreak of World War I. The battles resolved the military strategies of the French Chief of Staff General Joseph Joffre with Plan XVII and an offensive interpretation of the German Aufmarsch II deployment plan by Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The German concentration on the right (northern) flank, to wheel through Belgium and attack the French in the rear, was delayed by the movement of General Charles Lanrezac's Fifth Army towards the north-west to intercept them and the presence of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) on his left flank. The Franco-British were driven back by the Germans, who were able to invade northern France. French and British rearguard actions delayed the German advance, allowing the French time to transfer their forces to the west to defend Paris, resulting in the First Battle of the Marne.

The First Battle of the Tannenberg had seen the German 8th Field Army under the command of General Paul von Hindenburg be moved from a reserve support role for the invasion of France, across the German Empire to halt the Russian invasion of Eastern Prussia.

Following several battles Hindenburg and the 8th Field Army were successful in pushing the Russians back and halting their invasion of German East Prussia.

Russia begins an invasion of Germany in East Prussia.

Austria-Hungary declares war upon Belgium.

Seizing the opportunity to take German Possessions in the Pacific region, the Empire of Japan declares war upon Germany.

The Great Retreat, also known as the Retreat from Mons, is the name given to the long withdrawal to the River Marne, in August and September 1914, by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army, Allied forces on the Western Front in World War I, after their defeat by the Imperial German armies at the Battle of Charleroi (21 August) and the Battle of Mons (23 August). A counter-offensive by the Fifth Army, with some assistance from the BEF at the First Battle of Guise (Battle of St. Quentin 29–30 August), failed to end the German advance and the Franco-British retreat continued to and beyond the Marne. From 5–12 September, the First Battle of the Marne ended the Allied retreat and forced the German armies to retire towards the Aisne river and fight the First Battle of the Aisne (13–28 September). Reciprocal attempts to outflank the opposing armies to the north followed, known as the Race to the Sea (17 September – 17 October).

Japan declares war upon Austria-Hungary.

The Great Retreat, also known as the Retreat from Mons, is the name given to the long withdrawal to the River Marne, in August and September 1914, by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army, Allied forces on the Western Front in World War I, after their defeat by the Imperial German armies at the Battle of Charleroi (21 August) and the Battle of Mons (23 August). A counter-offensive by the Fifth Army, with some assistance from the BEF at the First Battle of Guise (Battle of St. Quentin 29–30 August), failed to end the German advance and the Franco-British retreat continued to and beyond the Marne. From 5–12 September, the First Battle of the Marne ended the Allied retreat and forced the German armies to retire towards the Aisne river and fight the First Battle of the Aisne (13–28 September). Reciprocal attempts to outflank the opposing armies to the north followed, known as the Race to the Sea (17 September – 17 October).

Russia declare war upon the Ottoman Empire.

Montenegro as an ally of Russia declares war upon the Ottoman Empire.

The United Kingdom and France simultaneously declare war upon the Ottoman Empire.

Sultan Mehmed V of the Ottoman Empire declares Jihad against all Allied Nations. All enemies of the Austro-Hungarian and German Empires become Islamic Religious Targets and enemies of the Ottoman Empire.