Schlieffen Plan Successful

[Musketeer513]

WI, the Schlieffen Plan was successful. The war ends before Christmas. What would the new borders be? What were the original territorial objectives of Germany and Austria-Hungary?

 

[Magyarország]

Schlieffen was impossible and it's been debated to death. It was simply a logistical impossibility with the technology and doctrine of the day.

German territorial goals in the west, I believe, were minor in 1914. Likely some adjustments with the Franco-German border and more significant gains in Belgium (either territorial or economic). In the east, either the Polish Border strip is annexed or/and 'independence' of Congress Poland and Lithuania as buffer states.

Austria-Hungary had no territorial goals as was agreed with the Austrian and Hungarian governments to gain the latter's support for the war (which was blatantly disregarded by some Austrian policymakers as the war went on). Neutering Serbia is obviously a goal and likely attempts to push Archduke Karl Stefan onto Poland's throne as per OTL.

 

[Carl Schwamberger]

I've never seen a coherent description of territorial objectives for either. The accounts I did read listed a bunch of political goals, but nothing about territory, other than Gasthaus talk over steins of Pilsner.

Really can't see the Austrians wanting a bunch of pissed off Serbs as citizens.

 

[Escape Zeppelin]

Assuming for whatever reason the war ends that early there probably won't be a much territory exchanged in western Europe. In the east maybe Germany nibbles some of Poland. Germany is likely to try for some French colonies though. The First World War was originally meant to be a very 19th century war, really the Franco-Prussian war part II. From what I've read many of the territorial goals were established as the war dragged on and too much blood and treasure had been spent to not claim something physical in victory.

 

[Gudestein]

I know nothing of AH, but the principle goal of Germany was to prevent the squeeze of Russia, France and Germany at Sea.
So, they go to war in a kind of aggressive self-defense (which is obviously not very peacefull). Accordingly, the objective after a Victory would be to fight the next war on
safer terms. Probably would need to take some of Frances mining and industrial regions closest to the border or get some disarmament concessions.
With Russia, the baltic states as German puppet kingdoms was mentioned "to cover the left flank in the NeXT war". That logic is the same here.
Now, this might not have been realized when the war started, but this is something they could have come up with if asked for terms.

 

[Aphrodite]

The Germans can win the War in the West in the opening six weeks. It takes a lot to go their way but they do have several opportunities- the French 5th almost suffers a Tannenberg level defeat, the British almost get trapped in Maubege and Castlenau nearly abandons Nancy. Any one of which opens the door to a collapse Alternately, panic could set in among the French troops while they retreat leading to a collapse

As to what the terms will be that is hard to say. No one entered the war with territorial gains in mind but having won, the defeated are going to pay a high price. The German September program called for about 31,000,000,000 marks in an indemnity plus assumption of debt. France will be crippled so it can never wage war on Germany again- expect the Fortresses to be occupied

As for actual annexations in the West- doubt if the Germans really wanted much. Some border adjustments like the Iron fields but other than that, not much

French colonies and the French navy would be what the Germans would really want