Sweden Joins the War

[chris N]

Sweden had had poor relations with Russia since the Napoleonic Wars when the Grand Duchy of Finland was taken from it and given to Russia. During the Crimean War the French and British attempted to get the Swedes actively involved in the war and open up a second front in Finland. The Royal Navy and the French conducted attacks on the Russian positions in Finland but never made any real headway.

With the 20th Century relations between Russia and Sweden remained poor and there were some in the Russian Navy that supported a first strike against the Swedes. Relations between Sweden's Monarch and military grew closer to Germany. Sweden traded with German a great deal.

With the death of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne relations between Russia and that empire grew worst and Germany moved to support its ally. It appeared that a war was well on its way to happening as the nations of Europe Mobilized in the Summer of 1914.
The question was not if war would happen but when. Would the Germans invade Belgium and give the elements within the British Government the excuse to send troops to fight with the French or would Germany remain on the defensive in the West and deal with the Russian Threat.
A Russian Admiral set sail to neutralize the Swedish threat and the Russian Admiralty was horrified that his actions would now expand the war.

The attack on the Peaceful Swedish Navy sent the nation into an uproar. Britain's Ambassador to Sweden tried to stop a war but the unprovoked attack did not allow reasoning. Sweden declared a state of War with Russia and asked Germany for assistance

 

[chris N]

In London the British papers were reporting the unprovoked act of aggression by Russians on Sweden. The old fears of Russia and its threat to the British Crown Jewel of India rose to the surface. The Cabinet voted not to aid France

 

[matzeskatze]

Ouch, the Franco-Russian Entente now has two black marks against them. One the Pan-Slavic Grandstanding of Russia and thus allowing Serbia to think itself imune. And two the Russian unprovoked attack against Sweden. That is even more senseless then the German one on Belgium. The Germans at least had a military reason to do what they did.

Here the Entente could end up isolated by its own actions as they lack, for now at least, the British cloud and access to the sea. Ie. they are unable to blockade Germany in the way the British entry allowed in OTL.

How will the Russians handle another drain on their ressources, as if Germany plays it save, the focus could be on Russia this time and thus spare A-H the trouble of OTL 1914... thus changing the whole course of the War.

 

[chris N]

Germany assured the Belgian Government that it would not cross into Belgian territory as long as France respected its ( Belgium's Borders). The High Seas Fleet began to prepare to deal with the Russian Baltic Fleet and to liberate Swedish territory.

 

[chris N]

The Germans were supplying the Swedish Army with equipment and training to make sure that the Swedish Army was well prepared to fight the Russians. The Germans were trying to make contact with elements in Finland that were willing to help liberate their country
The Russian General Staff was really annoyed with the Russian Imperial Navy. The stupid Admiral had opened another front and had forced the Army to tack troops and move them to Finland to protect St Petersburg. Thus resources were spread over more territory and resources that could have applied more pressure to the Germans and Austro-Hungarians were not there

 

[Panhomo]

Will the Japanese declare war without the British?

 

[chris N]

The German General staff was now applying more pressure to the Russians. The Bulk of the German army was now facing the Russians. German troops were now going on the offensive.. The Kaiser was talking with his brother about the High Seas Fleet sweeping the Russian Baltic fleet from the Seas.

 

[Driftless]

Interesting premise.

 

[FillyofDelphi]

In London the British papers were reporting the unprovoked act of aggression by Russians on Sweden. The old fears of Russia and its threat to the British Crown Jewel of India rose to the surface. The Cabinet voted not to aid France

Not vote in aid for France and Belgium? Especially considering how far things have already slid both diplomatically and in terms of early military movements along the Western front, and the fact the French can't exactly be blamed for the actions of a rouge Russian admiral, I doubt this to be the case. What you likely WOULD see, though, is no war credit/aid getting forwarded to Russia as the British fight more, as Wilson would say, a "co-belligerent" than an Ally, and specifically to the French. Let the Czar stir stew in his own juices and suck up German resources to the benefit of the Liberal Democracies; the weaker they are at war's end and the more German lives and bullets that were sucked up to fight them, leaving French and British boys alive and their budgets closer to balanced, the better. Of course, this means less co-ordination between the Eastern and Western Fronts, who'll be more fighting two parallel wars rather than a single war, reducing overall Entente effectiveness (Especially that of their large, multi-front offensives) and allowing the Germans to leverage their advantages in internal lines of communication, strategic mobility, ect., improving CP war performance.

I fully expect the international press and forums across the world to light up with discussions about neutral rights now, which Britain is going to have to take into account as they craft their war policy. Likely, the proposed blockade on Germany still goes through, but with much looser terms than the "rationing" and strict inspections imposed on the Dutch, Scandinavians, ect. as they did IRL, which results in somewhat better economic terms for Germany via re-export and MUCH better domestic situations in those states as the war goes on. This could also lead to an America slightly more sensative to those rights, and so willing to push any violations on its own commerce somewhat harder. In general, G.B is forced to play a much more complex diplomatic-naval song and dance, rather than brute-forcing her way into a plan economic warfare on Berlin. To the Entente ledger, though, this COULD be enough to butterfly the Turks out of the war (Or at least delay their entry), freeing up British resources for the Western or Balkan fronts and eliminating the wasteful but tempting illusion of a decisive breakthrough "elsewhere".

On the direct Swedish-Russian conflict... I'll be back on that. I want to do a little research first.

 

[Driftless]

If the British blockade of Germany (what about Sweden's North Sea coastline?) has more holes, does that reduce the likelihood of unrestricted submarine warfare and it's resultant impact on relations with the US?

 

[I want to learn]

In London the British papers were reporting the unprovoked act of aggression by Russians on Sweden. The old fears of Russia and its threat to the British Crown Jewel of India rose to the surface. The Cabinet voted not to aid France

Idk what your POD is, but the British declared war on Germany before the date of Essen's intended attack on the Swedes IOTL.

 

[chris N]

Japan had been trying to decide what course of action would be in its best interest. So far it had remained out of the European conflict.
As of now Sweden, Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were at war with Russia. France and Russia were at war with Germany. Serbia was at War with Austria-Hungary. Bulgaria was tilting toward declaring war on Serbia and Italy a member of the Central Power
was considering honoring its alliance and declaring war on France

 

[chris N]

Germany had not invaded Belgium thus the cabinet did not vote to support France. Britain had thus not done anything to blockade Germany or Sweden. Thus it is unlikely that there will be submarine warfare.

 

[chris N]

While retaining enough of the High Sea Fleet in the North Sea to protect Germany the bulk of it moved quickly to crush the Russian Baltic Fleet and assure that the Baltic was securely if German hands. The goal being to swiftly crush the Russian Army, recover Swedish territory and apply enough pressure to knock Russia out of the war.

 

[Shinsu]

What is your time table and what all are you changing in this? Just from the readings so far are you saying that the Germans have forgone their invasion of France and have sent the majority of their men to face the Russians? That in itself causes problems if they were already deployed for movements against the French, is Britian in the war with Germany or is it a three way war?

 

[chris N]

The German war plans had changed from what they had been prior to mobilization. A decision was made to stay on the defensive in the west due to the fact that there would be no invasion of Belgium. The King of the Belgians reassured the German Government that he would resist any attempt to violate his country's borders. If the French crossed the border his army would fight them. German intelligence was able to present the Kaiser with intelligence that if Germany did not invade Belgium the British Government would not support a war with Germany. France would be on her own. Lord Grey was voted down his proposal to aid the French. Thus Germany is fighting a two front war but with the advantage of not having to fight the British or face a naval blockade. Thus the German Army in the West is depending upon fortifications to hold the French in check while 2/3rd of the Army deals with the Russians.
The German goal is to help the Swedes recover the island seized by Russia and drive the Russians out of Poland. In addition a Swedish -German Army would land in Finland and move to take Helsinki. All in all the hope is to deal a series of defeats to the Russian Imperial Army and to force the Russians to sue for peace in 1915.
The Germans are hoping to encourage the Italians to live up to the alliance and thus add pressure to France with a southern Front.

 

[sloreck]

Having the French take the offensive against Germany to recover Alsace-Lorraine per their original plans would be a colossal disaster for France. here the Germans have prepared fortifications, and as bad as French tactics were in 1917 they were worse in 1914 - "attaque a l'outrance!" Huge casualty lists for the French, relatively small for the Germans on the western front, and limited gains on the ground at best for France before things settle down to trench warfare. Absent the RN, imports from overseas to Germany are essentially unimpeded. I can't see the Marine national being crazy enough to try and stop American ships from sailing to Germany or Sweden, and in any case the MN has to have most of its forces in the Med to protect against Italy joining in. Very few Finns will be enthusiastic about supporting staying in the Russian Empire, and as long as the Swedes come as liberators and not merely changing one foreign ruler for another...

 

[chris N]

The Austro-Hungarian Army is facing a two front war.One front is against Serbia and its ally Montenegro and the other is against Russia Unfortunately, the Russians are facing a massive German Army which is taking the pressure off of Austria. Soon there will be another front in Finland stretching the Imperial Russian Army and its resources even further.

 

[chris N]

The Swedish Government had now thrown its support fully behind the military. Sweden knew that its days of Empire were long pasted but it would like to see the Russians taught a lesson and turning the Duchy into an independent country would be nice. Liberation was the goal not conquest. The Germans on the other hand did hope that a German Prince might be seated on the Finnish throne.

 

[DrakonFin]

Sweden taking Åland in 1914 is doable, as the islands were essentially undefended by the Russians in the early month of war, but there is a very narrow window of opportunity for a major landing on the Finnish mainland if the Swedes and Germans want to do it before the winter sets in. There is a lot of preparations to make, if just with drawing the joint plans and putting together the required sea lift capacity.

Eevn if a German-Swedish army manages to land into southern Finland by winter, the sea icing up would mean major problems for their logistics, dependent on shipping stuff across the frozen Baltic Sea as it would be. The Russians of course have a direct (and short) rail line to St. Petersburg.

If I was making the plans, I'd be conservative and schedule the landings into early summer 1915, soon after the Baltic ice clears away. Having all summer for the campaign in Finland would reduce the risks considerably.