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  1. MichaelWest

    Could the German Empire "keep" africa if they win WWI?

    Of the three major European imperial powers Germany possessed the smallest and "poorest" cut of the pie yet was the largest and wealthiest of the nations. And I think that has a lot more potential than is given much thought. Frankly both London and Paris have a lot of ground to cover, Germany...
  2. MichaelWest

    A different Cruiser idea at the WNT

    If you wanted to eliminate the "heavy" cruiser that would be the time as the politicians are driving this bus and could dismiss what their navy advisers want. We know both the USN and IJN had in mind an 8-inch armed larger cruiser to overmatch the 6-inch armed in the Pacific. For both they are...
  3. MichaelWest

    A different Cruiser idea at the WNT

    Recall that at the time there were Cruisers, mostly the armored cruiser, and light Cruisers, something only the British and Germans built with a specific fleet battle in mind, everyone else was building just cruisers. Hawkins were up gunned light cruisers, the Germans found the light cruiser a...
  4. MichaelWest

    A different Cruiser idea at the WNT

    I truly wonder if France would go down that path. They originated the Jeune École and seem wedded to making it work with submarines post-war. It must have been a genuine insult to Britain as the largest target by far was once again them! It certainly suggests that beneath the surface...
  5. MichaelWest

    German colonial gains in a Central Powers escenary

    I think London would veto it and can make it stick. Frankly I think Berlin has no stomach to swallow the Congo, in fact they should easily be persuaded to let it go, leave Belgium, pay nothing for the damages done to her, hope to be friends one day. But I do think what hay is to be made if...
  6. MichaelWest

    German colonial gains in a Central Powers escenary

    But exactly how much did the British or French develop the colonies they gained OTL? Admittedly the French badly underinvested in their colonies outside of Algeria or Indochina, and the British invested mostly in plantations or mines where profitable, but I am not seeing the investment relative...
  7. MichaelWest

    German colonial gains in a Central Powers escenary

    They are all stretches, some more plausible and some less possible, but as I discussed in the Poll thread I did, Germany does not need any of this overseas stuff, take it away and you likely do far more good for Germany in the 50 to 100 year future than not. But for the narrative, a restored...
  8. MichaelWest

    German colonial gains in a Central Powers escenary

    Frankly I use a naval accord to parallel the Washington Treaty and ease myself into that paradigm while also letting it form a sort of slow burn towards Anglo-German detente as potentially the AGNA did. But I do think it had a high probability of being a British condition for peace. Aside from...
  9. MichaelWest

    WI: Italy Falls after Caporetto in 1917

    As part of my own thinking on how to end the war as status quo as I can, the fate of Italy plays a role. Overall I think the Austro-Italian front is a place where status quo was achievable. Austria really has no muscle to win and Italy proved that it could not make a real break. Without the USA...
  10. MichaelWest

    German colonial gains in a Central Powers escenary

    I just put up a poll about a week ago, about 50% of the votes were for Germany to get at least some of its colonies back in a "status quo" end to the war. First, I think one must accept that London cannot be forced to accept anything but it certainly has certain vital points to gain in any peace...
  11. MichaelWest

    Would a Freeway/Interstate-Highway-less world be possible and if so, what would it look like?

    Without the Federally built Freeway system you retain the highway system upon which the states likely expand, obviously richer states having more and better miles than poorer states, and more miles that serve state needs first, so LA to Barstow might still get built out as a four-lane divided...
  12. MichaelWest

    A different Cruiser idea at the WNT

    The early conversions like Langley or an Argus should give plenty of great experimental and training usage through the decade. The Casablanca-class ticks all your boxes and the only negative being their speed, and perhaps their relatively unprotected nature. Before them, I think the early...
  13. MichaelWest

    A different Cruiser idea at the WNT

    Are we talking the dreaded hybrid Cruiser-Carrier, converted Cruiser hull, or the better converted merchant hull or a purpose design? The RN has the most obvious requirement for this light auxiliary carrier, so much so that I find the lack of them surprising. Of course the logic might be to...
  14. MichaelWest

    A different Cruiser idea at the WNT

    Although I think Tiger is likely to remain in service, she is unlikely to see any money. And those hulls, Tiger and the older yet BCs are even older and more worn than R&R, less likely to see any modernization so that leaves Hood, a flawed proto-fast BB the Admiralty would likely love to simply...
  15. MichaelWest

    Naval TL suggestions and discussion

    My thinking would be that with Italy the Ottomans are not inclined to join the CPs. They likely still might close the Straits to warships and with Bulgaria Germany could affect a blockade of sorts, Italy and the A-H navies could interdict shipping in the Aegean and that really does beg the...
  16. MichaelWest

    A different Cruiser idea at the WNT

    I think in the post-war era until about 1938 one can argue that a cruiser is the better bet and more likely bet. One of these with some light cruisers should be able to control a lot of ocean, not as much as the mythical "trade protection carrier" but that unicorn just never got built until war...
  17. MichaelWest

    WI: A land value tax replaces property tax in the US?

    Think Milton Keyes as the model suburb, it is a town rather than just sprawling houses, so in the USA I would predict the towns existing grow from their core as opposed to random roads paved, houses built, shopping growing at junctions or off ramps, etc. The historic preference for government...
  18. MichaelWest

    WI: A land value tax replaces property tax in the US?

    I think much of the current property tax scheme in the USA is mixed, there is a value given to the land and a value given for improvements--usually the higher of the two--and both are really just an imaginary value for purposes of imposing the tax since politics has imposed all sorts of rules...
  19. MichaelWest

    A different Cruiser idea at the WNT

    A subject that has taken much of my attention and instilled some certain notions. First, it is my form belief that WNT was all about avoiding another "battleship" race, something the politicians and public had become convinced was a cause of the war, thus it is more about the holiday and...
  20. MichaelWest

    AHC: Big UK Space Program in the 1960s

    Penciling this in a very alternate universe after a different Great War I find the question really is necessity being the mother of invention. And first, does Britain need an independent space program or can it ride another's coattails? Assuming it simply must go it alone, what does it want? If...
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