Were the Allies "lucky" to win the Dominion War?

[Romulan_spy]

In Sacrifices of Angels, Sisko talks the Prophets into destroying the fleet of Dominion ships coming through the wormhole. if the Dominion fleet had come through, the Allies would probably not have been able to retake DS9. In What We Leave Behind, the Allied fleet seemed to be losing the battle when the Cardassian ships decide to switch sides. And at the end, it certainly seemed like the Allies were going to take very heavy losses attacking Cardassia Prime but Odo successfully convinces the Founder to surrender. These are 3 instances where if events had happened differently, the Allies probably would have lost the war. So, were the Allies "lucky" to win the Dominion War? Now, I know the Allies won because the writers wanted the Federation to come out victorious. But in-universe, could the Allies have won just on sheer military strategy and tactics alone?

 

[The_Baroness]

I think the allies were losing from the start. The romulans entering the war levelled the playing field a bit, but was too little too late.

I think you're right,

 

[david lowbridge]

the allies were very lucky to win the war and i think it is a shame that we never see the cost that victory came at for the allies and cardassia... post war could have been very interesting.

 

[Rom's Sehlat]

So the next show should be about the rebuilding of the Alpha Quadrant after DS9's ending!

And yes, they were lucky. Well, usually those who believe in deities (Prophets in this case) don't say "luck," but we know what you mean. It was heavily dependent on very powerful beings or side-switchers (and one very persuasive shapeshifter).

 

[USS Kongo]

Now, I know the Allies won because the writers wanted the Federation to come out victorious. But in-universe, could the Allies have won just on sheer military strategy and tactics alone?

No, I don't think they would have won without having luck go their way. The Dominion's forces were just too overwhelming. This is no reflection on the Feds, either. Wars have been won and lost in real life because of dumb luck (or lack thereof).

Sean

 

[Solarbaby]

Did the prophets destroy the ships or were they just sent back to the gamma quadrant? They just faded away

 

[Rom's Sehlat]

I think they were removed from our existence. I get the idea that the wormhole was open for Federation and its friendlies to travel, but not the Dominion Gamma-side to Alpha.

Oh, and this brings up a question that has been burning in the back imaging coil of the replicator: did the Dominion happen to try to send any ships to the Alpha quadrant without using the wormhole? The wormhole connects two parts of this reality to each other that otherwise would be very far apart (i.e. 70 years or so by max warp), right?

 

[brian577]

I think they were removed from our existence. I get the idea that the wormhole was open for Federation and its friendlies to travel, but not the Dominion Gamma-side to Alpha.

Oh, and this brings up a question that has been burning in the back imaging coil of the replicator: did the Dominion happen to try to send any ships to the Alpha quadrant without using the wormhole? The wormhole connects two parts of this reality to each other that otherwise would be very far apart (i.e. 70 years or so by max warp), right?

Not sure if this really answers your question but according to writer Robert Hewitt Wolfe they intented to bring this up during the series but never did
"The Dominion knew the Federation was out there long before the wormhole was opened, and they had plans to deal with the Federation when the Federation was projected to enter their space in two hundred years, and they were building slowly towards that, that's why they sent out Odo in the first place. But then the wormhole opens up and suddenly the Federation is in their backyard today and it just throws everything into question for both the Federation and the Dominion."

 

[indolover]

Yes, the Alliance was lucky. Lucky that Sisko had the Prophets' ear, lucky that Sisko tricked the Romulans into the war, and lucky that the Breen weapon had a counter-measure devised.

The fact of the matter IMO is that the Dominion is built on conquest and an almost perpetual war footing, given the Founders' paranoia/hatred of solids. The Federation (and even the Klingons, who obviously never shy away from a fight) couldn't compete with that scale of resource utilisation. This is why, all things being equal, the Dominion should have won easily.

 

[Myasishchev]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. The Allies weren't lucky. The Allies had won before the Dominion ever declared war: the Founders had the plague, the Federation had the cure, and the Founders were already going to have to surrender or die, they just didn't know it yet.

 

[JB2005]

^ The disease wouldn't have stopped the war. If the founders had died, the Jem'Hadar would never have surrendered.

 

[sonak]

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills. The Allies weren't lucky. The Allies had won before the Dominion ever declared war: the Founders had the plague, the Federation had the cure, and the Founders were already going to have to surrender or die, they just didn't know it yet.

There's a third option


what if the Dominion had gained the upper hand in the war, and threatened to carry on the war until the destruction of the Federation unless the leadership of Starfleet contacted Section 31, and made them turn over the cure to the Founders?

 

[JB2005]

^ That's not an option. No one outside DS9's senior staff and the conspiracy knew where the virus came from. If they did know they'd have invaded Earth.

 

[Rom's Sehlat]

Section 31 wouldn't have handed it over, anyway. They would let the Federation get [almost] wiped out while the Founders shrivel away. Eventually they'd find something to work against the Jem'Hadar as well. And without them, the Vorta are no real threat. Heh, with all their weasel-like qualities, they would make very good agents for S31.

 

[sonak]

^ That's not an option. No one outside DS9's senior staff and the conspiracy knew where the virus came from. If they did know they'd have invaded Earth.

I think it's absurd that they wouldn't have eventually guessed where a disease that suddenly sprung up during the war and specifically affected changelings would've come from.

if they hadn't, chalk it up to plot-induced stupidity.




As for section 31 not turning it over, their mission was protecting the Federation. Why would they rather see it destroyed than turn over the cure?

 

[JB2005]

^ Plot induced stupidity