Die Sonne geht im Reich nie unter...

First World War: Points of divergence

 * The Germans are more careful (or lucky) with their submarine warfare. The Lusitania and other ships are never sunk.  The Zimmermann Telegram is never even considered, and therefore the US doesn’t enter the war
 * In mid 1917, Germany offers Russia status quo ante bellum if Russia agrees to peace, and threatens to keep all Russian territory they currently possess, and any territory they may acquire in the future, if Russia refuses their offer. Russia realizes that they have more pressing matters brewing at home (the Revolution of 1917), and accept the treaty on May 15, 1917
 * Germany defeats the British, Canadians, and Belgians in a massive gas attack at the Second Battle of Ypres.
 * Germany agrees to help Irish independence if they attack Britain.
 * December 13, 1917: Britain, seeing that further fighting is futile and not wanting to have their troops in the trenches during the Christmas season, sues for peace, Realizing that the war cannot be won without the help of Britain, France and Belgium follow a few days afterward.

Aftermath of the First World War
Germany, eager to form a colonial empire, agrees to a peace treaty as long as Britain, France, and Belgium agree to give up all territory held in Africa and pay large reparations to Germany. In exchange, Germany will return all territory on the Western Front to prewar boundaries. Despite winning, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire teeter near collapse. German soldiers are sent to reinforce the governments. Troops are especially needed in the newly-annexed regions in the Balkans (Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece) where stiff resistance to German and Austrian occupation leads to the Balkan Genocide of 1918 (3.7 million dead). At the request of the government of Austria and with the popular support of the German residents of the Empire, Austria-Hungary accedes to the German Reich on June 23, 1918. This causes consternation among the non-German peoples of the Empire, but the presence of German and Austrian soldiers on the streets, along with the rumors of the massacre in the Balkans, limits any signs of dissatisfaction. After a few months, the Ottoman government begins seeing their request for German help in maintaining power to be a mistake, but by that time the German military exerts far too much power in the Empire and over the Sultan. German influence slowly grows, until the Ottoman Empire also accedes (under pressure) to the German Empire on November 2, 1920.

The 1920’s and 30’s: The Decades of Expansion
Annexation of the Arabian Peninsula - 1921 Annexation of Persia and Afghanistan - 1924 Italian War - 1927