The Confederates have about as much of a chance as building a colonial empire as any Latin American country does, which amounts to a few islands empty of anything but guano.
True, but the numbers the Brits could send would be extremely limited. Maybe 50,000 trained troops, after that it is grass green troops that would be little more effective than the troops at Shiloh.
Seeing as how the CSA could barely achieve power-projection into New Mexico (to say nothing of the overwhelming Unionist sentiment in California), I don't see Hell having a cold enough day to give the Confederacy California.
I prefer to go by the record rather than pie in the sky revisionism, but that's just me.How very calvinist of you....
I prefer to go by the record rather than pie in the sky revisionism, but that's just me.
There is more to alternate history than drooling wankery.Then perhaps a counterfactual history forum isn't your forte....
The British Army of the period had on the order of 300,000 trained troops in the regular army and reserves, exclusive of Indian commitments. With their various reserves, colonial militias and the navy the British Empire kept about one million men under arms in peacetime.
The notion that well trained regulars without battle experience will little better than the ill trained militiamen that fought at Shiloh isn't one I'd want to bet on. The Prussian Army of 1870 were prettymuch "green as grass" in that respect, yet performed superbly.
The British Army of the period had on the order of 300,000 trained troops in the regular army and reserves, exclusive of Indian commitments. With their various reserves, colonial militias and the navy the British Empire kept about one million men under arms in peacetime.
The notion that well trained regulars without battle experience will little better than the ill trained militiamen that fought at Shiloh isn't one I'd want to bet on. The Prussian Army of 1870 were prettymuch "green as grass" in that respect, yet performed superbly.
Then perhaps a counterfactual history forum isn't your forte....
Let's say the Crimean War makes me think you GREATLY exagerate the poweress of the average British soldier.
Yeah, remember those 7,500 weakling Brits who repelled 50,000 Russians? Or those 3 divisions of weaklings who ascended the heights over the Alma against a much hotter fire than the Union experienced at Fredericksburg?
Sigh.
Nope.Would, or could, the CSA be involved in the Scramble for Africa?
Yeah, nope. The best case scenario for a Spanish-Confederate war is involves the Spanish shelling New Orleans just for the hell of it.Would the Spanish-American war of OTL become the Spanish-Confederate war, and would the Philippines end up in Confederate hands?
Not even in CSA-apologists wettest dreams.Is any of this possible?
The Mexican army would kick the CSA's ass before it got half way through Tamaulipas. Then it would descend into a feeble slap-fighting stalemate until someone else intervened, or the CSA ground itself into dust.Them trying to nibble off bits of Mexico is more doable, although Mexico might be too much for them to handle. Maybe if they make some devil's bargain with Maximillian, to maintain him in power once the French leave?
No, we've been saying that for years. Hell an attempt to take Cuba could probably tear the CSA asunder, given factional disputes.You heard it here first, folks, thinking the Confederacy won't take over northern Mexico, Cuba, and the Philippines is wishful thinking.
Japan, Thailand, Ethiopia, the Afghans, the Mapuche, et cetera.For who can hope to stand in the way of the White Man's Inexorable March to Glory?
I'm not sure the Russians in the Crimean War were so fearsome a foe as the Rebs the Yankees were going up against. If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the Russian army of the time horribly backwards and in shambles? That said, if the British intervened in the middle of the war I'm sure they'd have success with much of the Union Army being diverted against the South. But it wouldn't be a steamroll by any measure, even if most of them are militia at least they've seen action, which is more important than how well they can parade around the drill yard.
Back on topic, I can't really see any Confederate colonies being possible. Confederate expansion at all is a long-shot that'll bite them in the ass, actual overseas colonies at that point are more an insane pipe-dream of the crazier elite planters. I can't recall ever hearing about them being concerned with spreading their ideals, they may have been distasteful but they weren't Nazis. And even if that was true it wasn't like anyone was going to let them. Britain wouldn't exactly tolerate letting a slave state take parts of Africa. The Americans wouldn't exactly tolerate Confederates giving aid to the Mexican Empire in exchange for territory, and the Republicans wouldn't give anything up I don't think, not when they've got the USA on their side. And Confederate society, even the government, is far from being monolithic. The crazy, raving nutjobs from before the war who were all obsessed with creating an empire in Latin America like the vaunted William Walker weren't a majority of society even before the war, and after all that bloodshed the ones who are still alive won't exactly be popular folks.