Ripple Effect

Ripple Effect

Bob Ryan

Dr. David Vorka was sitting in his study, just starting to obsess over some new detail of the Schlieffen plan, when the knock came. He was almost lost in the original plan and hated to be disturbed at any time, but especially times like this. He arose from his chair in a snit and dashed angrily to his door. The knock grew louder with every step he took and he grew far angrier with the impatience of the person intruding on his time.

He pulled open the door and glared at the man in a dark suit, then demanded, "What do you want?"

"Are you Dr. David Vorka?" the man in the suit asked.

He scowled at the man. "Of course I'm Dr. David Vorka. What do you want? I'm busy."

The man remained calm. "My name is Alexander Strahovski. I own Starlight Enterprises, and I need a moment of your time."

Vorka continued to scowl and said, "I don't care who you are. Go away. I'm busy."

He started to slam the door with as much strength as he could muster, but Strahovski's foot kept the door from closing. Strahovski let out a groan from the pain, which caused Vorka to laugh at the man that dared interrupt his work. Vorka pulled the door back and tried to slam it even harder. Strahovski held out his hand to prevent it from happening a second time.

Vorka threw up his hands in disgust. "Fine. You have a minute. Speak fast and go away."

Strahovski had a very serious look on his face. "Could Germany have won the Great War?" he asked.

"Yes," Vorka replied. "Anyone with half a brain knows that. Now go away or I'm calling the police."

Strahovski shook his head. "My minute's not up, Dr. Vorka. How could Germany have won?"

Vorka glared at him. "By not letting that idiot, Moltke, change the Schlieffen Plan."

Strahovski ignored the glare as he asked, "What would have happened had the Schlieffen Plan been implemented without Moltke's changes?"

"Time's up." Vorka started to push the man back. "Go away and leave me alone."

Strahovski did not budge one inch at the force of Vorka's hands. "How much is your time worth?" he asked. "I'll pay you for the answer."

Vorka decided to come up with a ridiculously high number to encourage the man to leave him alone. "Ten thousand dollars."

Strahovski did not show any sign of shock at the amount. "Will a corporate check be satisfactory?" he queried.

Vorka nodded. "What's all this about?"

Strahovski wrote out the check and handed it to him before continuing. "What would have happened had Germany used the Schleiffen Plan?"

Vorka shrugged and placed the check in his pocket. "France falls in six weeks. There are a few pockets of resistance, but no means to carry out any significant battles. England mobilizes, but it won't be soon enough. Calais is the only option for England to send forces, and Germany can leave a small contingent to defend the ports. Russia advances into East Prussia, where they face a heavily defended front. Austria outflanks the Russians, severing their supply lines. The Ottoman's attack the Balkans and splits the Russians into two fronts. Once the west is secure, Germany sends troops from the west to deal with Russia and crushes them quickly. The Ottoman Empire is too weak to survive much longer. The Kaiser puts a white Russian in charge and assists in crushing the revolutionaries. There would be no trench warfare, no lost generation, no Spanish Flu, no rise of Communism, no Hitler, no Second World War." Dr. Vorka paused, then continued. "Without the Soviets, Mao never comes to power and China remains a free country."