Since this is a thing for post-1900 cliches, I thought I would have my personal stab at some cliches in pre-1800 TLs.
- An America TL where the UK ends up as an analogue to Nazi Germany. (Hell, one of the reasons I want my own US TL is to avert that.)
- The Mexican-American War has the US gain even more territory than it did IOTL.
Any additional cliches you have noticed are welcome.
One more popular cliche: Russia being unmitigated looser as a result of the Crimean War.
While this being
partially and formally true, as a direct result of that war Russia got over 600,000 sq.km (231,660 sq. miles) territory, border with China by Amur and
practical access to the Pacific. All the way to the CW Russia was seemingly satisfied with the border defined by the Nerchinsk Treaty of the late XVII but during the CW fears of the British-French attack on the settlements of the Russian Pacific coast and capture of its part by the Brits became a reality. Getting reinforcements to Petropavlovsk, Okhotsk and other places by the existing routes was impossible because ocean was dominated by the enemies and overland “route” to Okhotsk (then capital of the Russian Pacific) was pretty much impassable, especially as far as transporting artillery was involved. As a result, Governor-general of the Eastern Siberia, Muraviev, finally managed to persuade Nicholas I, contrary to the opinion of all ministers, to try sailing by Amur River in a disregard of the perceived Chinese objections. Enterprise provedto be a complete success (and it took only 70 days to get to the coast from Balkan area) which made travel time few months shorter and removed problems related to carrying the heavy stuff), reinforcements allowed to repel allied attack on Petropavlovsk and it became obvious that Chinese simply do not have in a region any force capable to oppose the Russian expansion and with more troops and settlers coming by the river Chinese had been forced to sign the Aigun Treaty.
Without the CW a traditional argument of not messing with the Chinese would keep prevailing for indefinite time and the Brits could quite well establish a foothold in the area (“researchers” already were there) so perhaps Russians should feel some gratitude o the Brits (which AFAIK is not the case). Needless to say that the next expansion (modern border) also happened thanks to the Brits: Russians used the problems caused by the Opium Wars to squeeze China out of Outer Manchuria. Taking into an account that by now the territories which the Brits got for themselves (as a result of a considerable military effort and expenses) are long gone while the Russians (who were neutral and did not spend a dime) are still holding their, isn’t this a classic case of a historical ingratitude?
