What are the possibilities of the US getting that strip of land from Canada (losing the latter's access to the Pacific) to connect Alaska to the rest of America?
How will this affect history?
How will this affect history?
WI: Alaska corridor
- Thread starter Tredecimus
- Start date
Quite real. The US had the advantage of being right next to home ground and simply flooding the area with immigrants while the British Canadians can't. Needless to say, this cripples US-British relations for some time, neither of whom would find it desirable as such. Ultimately, this isn't a territory worth going to war for, and splitting the entire disputed territory along the parallel was the best outcome for both by far.
jahenders
Banned
While the US could theoretically flood the area, I don't see it as likely. The British had lots of settlers, and some government, in the area before the US ever even thought of buying Alaska. Further, the US and UK had agreed to a 49th parallel dividing line as far back as 1818 and the Oregon Treaty in 1846 (acknowledging US rights to OR/WA) re-affirmed the 49th parallel dividing line.
Would there be any value to the British in a situation where they can keep the Vancouver area up to the outlet of the Squamish River while the US gets the islands?
No, because then the Americans would control the Straights.
What if Russia plants a small colony in either Vancouver or what later became British Columbia? It would expand Russian Alaska dramatically and keep the British of the coast. Rather than lose it to the British the Russians decide to sell it to the Americans perhaps a decade or two earlier.