Things we don't know about

[pstall]

I thought the OP was about circa 1971?

[Fiz]

Originally Posted by pstall

I thought the OP was about circa 1971?

meat's gross ignorance has been hidden

[Meat]

Originally Posted by Fiz

meat's gross ignorance has been hidden

That's what he said.

[SmootsDaddy89]

Originally Posted by Meat

America sealed the deal both times. Maybe we didn't get our noses bloodied like the major participants, although Normany and Pearl Harbor survivors would like to argue with you, but we were the decisive force in both world wars. If you want to argue that we should have entered the fray earlier both times, then hand in your peace-loving liberal card as you do so.

We had a huge impact on the course of World War II, but saying we had the same impact in World War I is just...wrong.

[Fiz]

Originally Posted by SmootsDaddy89

We had a huge impact on the course of World War II, but saying we had the same impact in World War I is just...wrong.

meat stopped caring about reality when he grafted himself onto a toxic ideology divorced from reality

[ncbobcat]

Originally Posted by Fiz

i wasn't aware we were role playing

Alright, we are going to have to agree to disagree. Call a win if you want, but I'm not the type to run a 10+ page thread bickering back and forth. If I posted again on my thoughts, you'd dispute it. Likewise with my rebuttle and so forth.

My last point is you don't know what would have happened. You can't re-write history as you can only infer into alter endings of history. That, my friend, makes your opinion just that, your opinion.

If you wish to carry on being contrary, get a wife or spend more time with the one you have.

[Davidson Deac II]

Originally Posted by SmootsDaddy89

It's not so much that it was already over in the literal sense, but the fact is that World War I was almost certainly going to end around the same time it did regardless of our involvement.


Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire all surrendered before Germany did, and they surrendered without a large contingency of American soldiers that, according to other people in this thread, should have been necessary to force their hand. Now maybe just our entry into the war lead to a psychological impact that caused Germany's allies to surrender, but it's debatable.


Either way, the real reason Germany surrendered was because of social and economic problems that sparked a revolution in November 1918 and ousted the Kaiser. With no Kaiser, Germany almost immediately began suing for peace. Whether or not the United States entered World War I, this timeline of events likely would have remained almost unchanged.

But we're such egomaniacs that we really believe that OF COURSE Europe would be speaking German if it weren't for the mighty United States coming in at the end of the war to take all the glory, pissing off the Italians and helping Mussolini come to power!

I think you are simplyfying things a bit. The biggest influence US entry into the war had was fear. Germany knew it was only a matter of time before the US made a big difference in the war. Thats why they rushed into an offensive. Without US entry into the war, they probably could have maintained par with the English and French for a while longer, especially with the Russians out of the war. IMO, if the US does not enter, the war ends in 1919/1920, with both sides returning to prewar borders and the german government remaining in power for a while longer. Basically, the status quo in Europe would be maintained.

[2plankingpanther]

I wonder if the influenza outbreak in 1918 had any influence on ending WW1!

[88 Bronco]

Originally Posted by 2plankingpanther

I wonder if the influenza outbreak in 1918 had any influence on ending WW1!

Not at all. It was going to end without it.

[Davidson Deac II]

Originally Posted by 2plankingpanther

I wonder if the influenza outbreak in 1918 had any influence on ending WW1!

Actually, WWI ending had a effect on the flu outbreak as it was spread by all those soldiers coming home.