You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
alternatehistory.com
Okay so, this had been asked a hundred times on this forum (I have read/skimmed half those threads). So to start off with this: I know Wilhelm is a bit of an unreasonable figure and he wanted his big navy and a place in the sun, but I will have dealt with these things at this point.
To give you some feeling for the changes ITTL (I haven’t finalised my POD):
Maybe no Tirpitz but no second german naval law for sure! So a navy of roughly 19 BS, 12 LC and 30 SC is what we are looking at.
Germany still takes Tsingtao but no standoff in Manila and no backing of a different candidate in Samoa either. So better relations with the US and by default better relations with Britain (over Samoa) too.
I might make some minor changes to the second Boer War; Britain not seizing the Bundesrath, Herzog and General; and maybe no Krüger Depesche (not so minor)
Germany and Britain keep on feeling each other out between Chamberlains 1st and 2nd attempt at an alliance.
Depending on british public mood Chamberlain won't say:"a new Triple Alliance between the Teutonic race” maybe something more reserved.
The bigger problems with this treaty (for me at least) seem to be public perception and political establishments. To name a few things:
I might deal with the Krüger Depesche (see above) but the german public will still be outraged at Britain (and maybe vice versa). Do you think German politicians will be open for such an agreement during the ongoing Boer War?
Britain at this point still feels most threatened by Russia and France so when threatened in their colonies Britain wants Germany to strong arm them in line in Europe. Germany doesn’t want to fight Britain's wars for almost no gains (Seven Years War). But Germany is interested in benevolent British Neutrality in case of any war since in my TL they will have realized that they can never defend their colonies from Britain. I feel points B) 1 - 4 deal with this quite nicely but please tell me what you think.
This treaty doesn’t stop Britain from forming the Entente like OTL. Do you think this will still happen? And do you think Britain will “betray” (this could also mean renegotiating several clauses) Germany at a later point when its differences with France and Russia have lessened ?
Is Germany's Naval restriction enough? I kinda felt it was agreeable with the two power standard. Before the advent of the Dreadnought 19 BS are not even close to 50% of the RN....or? Couldn't find numbers pre Dreadnought.
So most of you will probably recognize which OTL treaty I copied. The names and stuff like 9) will be changed in the final version but please critic everything else about the language as well.
Setting: This is happening at the same time as the OTL Tripartite Convention
A) COLONIAL AGREEMENT 1) Germany will renounce their claims to Samoa. And transfer of all of the German rights in the Tonga group including that of establishing a naval and coaling station, and the right of extraterritoriality to Britain.
2)Britain will give control over the Solomon Islands Protectorate to Germany in exchange.
3) Germany will hand over the Mariana Islands to the USA. With whom Britain will resolve the situation on the Samoan Islands
4) Britain and Germany will split New Guinea along its watershed from the 141st meridian east to its easternmost point. Island, belonging to the Territory of Papua, lying north of this point will be ceded to Germany.
B)SECURITY AGREEMENT 1)The Contracting parties, mutually recognize the status quo concerning their colonial and european interests and possessions. They declare themselves to be entirely uninfluenced by aggressive tendencies toward each other. The Contracting parties recognize that it may be indispensable to take measures in order to safeguard those interests and possessions if threatened either by the aggressive action of any other Power, or by disturbances arising inside their colonial interest zones, necessitating the intervention of either of the Contracting parties for the protection of the lives and properties of its subjects.
2)Declaration of neutrality if either signatory becomes involved in war through 1).
3)Promise of support if either signatory becomes involved in war with more than one Power through 1).
4)Signatories promise not to enter into separate agreements with other Powers which could lead to war between the Contracting parties without either of them acting aggressively.
5)The signatories promise to communicate frankly and fully with each other when any of their common colonial interests are affected.
6) Both countries will promote the peace in Europe and the World and the peaceful resolution of disputes
C) NAVAL AGREEMENT 1)Germany restricts itself to having: under 50% of the number of RN battleships, under 60% of the number of the combined RN ships
2)Ships with displacement below 2000 t will not be counted towards 1)