Proposals and War Aims That Didn't Happen Map Thread

Over 2 years ago, I posted this map.

I've since found that u/girthynarwhal on the MapPorn subreddit recreated it using a modern and accurate basemap.
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Some of the colony/district/whatever-they-planned-to-call-them names on this proposal are pretty intriguing...
 
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1956: aka The Year Britain Decided Not To Annex Something For Once.

Following World War II and during Decolonization, the UK was under pressure to let go of Malta and there were mixed opinions about it. While it cost a lot of money to maintain, it was also in a strategically advantageous position inside the Mediterranean. In 1950, Maltese nationalist Enrico Mizzi was elected Prime Minister...and then died just 3 months later (to date the only one to die while in office). He was succeeded by Minister for Public Works and Reconstruction and Minister of Education Giorgio Borg Olivier, also of the nationalist party, who wanted Malta's independence.

During his time in office, Malta experienced severe economic downturn as a result of Olivier's attempts at shifting the country to a mixed economy, favoring corporatist polices for tourism and construction, which lead to him both asking for money from the UK and also demanding more autonomy for Malta. This didn't make him very popular.

Fast forward to 1955, where Dom Mintoff was elected new Prime Minister and he proposed a new direction: make Malta into a part of the UK. The idea wasn't just to keep Malta, but to fully integrate it as a constituent nation, creating the United Kingdom of Great Britain, Northern Ireland, and Malta. This would come with local representation and membership in parliament. The UK was very happy about this, as it meant they got to keep their colonies and neither the U.S. or USSR could complain because it was voted for by the people. Mintoff was happy because it could help repair Malta's financial woes thanks to British social programs and a small voice in defense spending on the island.

In 1956, a referendum was held on the matter, with "yes" winning with 77% of the vote on a 60% turnout. Of course, it didn't happen for several reasons:

1. Malta's membership in the UK required limiting spending and limiting the government to only a small budget deficit. Mintoff was not pleased by this.
2. Many in the British government felt this would set a new precedent where former colonies would now start asking for formal annexation as a way to finally have a voice in British politics.
3. Britain's defense needs rapidly changed during the 50's, especially after the Suez Crisis, and Malta's strategic importance diminished.

In the end, the UK didn't absorb Malta and the island gained independence in 1964.
They should have done it.
 
Yeah... as I recall, the use of the Disturnell Map in the treaty negotiations for Guadalupe-Hidalgo caused all sorts of fits in determining the boundary between the Rio Grande and the Gila River back in 1848...
I'm also reminded of the Toledo War caused by the Mitchell Map.

Some of the colony/district/whatever-they-planned-to-call-them names on this proposal are pretty intriguing...
Which ones in particular?

From the original book that the map was for, they would have been states as part of the British Confederacy, in which Great Britain (not yet united with Ireland) would have been first among equals.
 
I'm also reminded of the Toledo War caused by the Mitchell Map.


Which ones in particular?

From the original book that the map was for, they would have been states as part of the British Confederacy, in which Great Britain (not yet united with Ireland) would have been first among equals.
Well, I get that most of the names for the "new states" are based on Indian Tribes, and on natural features (esp lakes and rivers), but there's a couple that are throwing me... "Wauwautania" and "Puania" for example :)
Generations of schoolchildren who have difficulty in spelling are grateful that this proposal never came to pass! :D
 
Well, I get that most of the names for the "new states" are based on Indian Tribes, and on natural features (esp lakes and rivers), but there's a couple that are throwing me... "Wauwautania" and "Puania" for example :)
Generations of schoolchildren who have difficulty in spelling are grateful that this proposal never came to pass! :D
As you've now got me started looking them up:
  • Tadousacaia after Tadousac, now Tadoussac in Quebec
  • Gaspesia after the Gaspe Peninsula
  • Sagadahock after an old name for the Kennebec River
  • Champlainia after Lake Champlain
  • Catarakua after the Cataraqui River
  • Senekania after the Seneca
  • Erieland after Lake Erie
  • Huronia after Lake Huron
  • Mensisipia after the Mensisipi River
  • Camanestigonia after the Kaministiquia River
  • Missisagania after Lake Mississagaigun, an old name for Mille Lacs Lake
  • Puania after the Puans, an old name for the Winnebago or Ho-Chunk
  • Mascoutenia after the Mascouten
  • Miamisia after the Miami
  • Wauwautania after one of many different spellings for the tribe now known as the Wea.
  • Chicasawria after the Chickasaw
  • Chactawria after the Choctaw
 
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In 1867, not long after the purchase of Alaska from Russia, Secretary of State William H. Seward considered the possibility of annexing both Greenland and Iceland, which he called an idea "worthy of serious consideration". Seward commissioned a report, called, creatively, A Report on the Resources of Iceland and Greenland, but ultimately made no offer to Denmark.
 
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In 1867, not long after the purchase of Alaska from Russia, Secretary of State William H. Seward considered the possibility of annexing both Greenland and Iceland, which he called an idea "worthy of serious consideration". Seward commissioned a report, called, creatively, A Report on the Resources of Iceland and Greenland, but ultimately made no offer to Denmark.

What was it with Seward and remote, snowy places?
 
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In 1867, not long after the purchase of Alaska from Russia, Secretary of State William H. Seward considered the possibility of annexing both Greenland and Iceland, which he called an idea "worthy of serious consideration". Seward commissioned a report, called, creatively, A Report on the Resources of Iceland and Greenland, but ultimately made no offer to Denmark.


I think the idea was to surround British North America in the hopes of one day annexing it.

Yes, if somehow that went through (assume 1869-1870) I would imagine it would supercharge the confederation process in British North America and we MIGHT have seen Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland join sooner than they did in OTL.
 
Yes, if somehow that went through (assume 1869-1870) I would imagine it would supercharge the confederation process in British North America and we MIGHT have seen Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland join sooner than they did in OTL.
That may well happen. On the other hand, Greenland was really still a ways away, especially in that era. The areas of Canada closest to Greenland were either HBC or unclaimed.
 
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In 1867, not long after the purchase of Alaska from Russia, Secretary of State William H. Seward considered the possibility of annexing both Greenland and Iceland, which he called an idea "worthy of serious consideration". Seward commissioned a report, called, creatively, A Report on the Resources of Iceland and Greenland, but ultimately made no offer to Denmark.

"What if we did the Alaska purchase, but like, again"
-William H. Seward 1867
 
Proposed state boundaries in South Africa after the end of Apartheid
It looks like (a) Bosbokrand to Mpamalanga, (c) Groblersdal to Northern Province, (e) Umzimkulu to KwaZulu/Natal were the ones that actually happened.

I'm a little surprised that the border for (h) doesn't use the Orange River, which was the historic border between British Cape Colony and British Bechuanaland, but I suppose that it probably takes into account towns that have grown up along the river.
 
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TIL that Spanish colonial authorities in Quito (Ecuador) once claimed territory going all the way to the Atlantic through the Amazon
 
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