What if the French Army went into full revolt in 1916?
Short answerA true revolt against the government could collapse the front, force Britain off the continent, and turn France toward civil war, unlike a narrower refusal to attack.
NotesA refusal to advance would differ sharply from a full revolt against the French government. If the army simply stopped offensive operations, the front might continue to exist even as Allied strategy changed. If soldiers rejected central authority, the European front could disintegrate and the British Expeditionary Force might have to withdraw. Germany would then face the choice of advancing into a country already entering civil conflict rather than exploiting a simple open road. With so much of the electorate under arms, the crisis would also expose how difficult civilian control becomes when the army and the political nation overlap.