Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:58:32-3:02:08

A French Army coup after heavier losses in 1917

A French Army coup in 1917 could divide forces that rejected further offensives but still intended to defend France, while the British Army and talks with Germany complicated ending the war.

1917 French Army MutiniesBattle Of VerdunBritish ArmyCivil Military RelationsFrench ArmyWorld War I
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Question

What happens if the French Army launches an anti-war coup in 1917 after suffering one and a half times its historical losses and losing Verdun?

Short answer

An anti-war coup could divide the French Army and face British support for the existing government. Soldiers who opposed further offensives might still reject surrender to Germany.

Notes

The coup's politics determine whether it opposes an incompetent government, a failed offensive strategy, or the war itself. Once the question specifies an attempt to end the war, the immediate problem becomes the large British Army already in France, which might support the existing French government. The French Army could also split. Historical 1917 mutineers refused further assaults while continuing to defend France, so opposition to the war did not automatically mean willingness to surrender to Germany.