A New Balance

[Jim Smitty]

The United States entering the Great War as it had become known created a mess of problems for everyone. Both the Central Powers and Entente had new problems created by the US entering the war. This was namely to how the US had entered the war. The US had only declared war against the British and her Dominions. Roosevelt and the United States had no fight to pick with the rest of the Entente and had no plans to starting wars with them. They simply had enough on their plates as it was with the British and her Dominions. The US Ambassador in Berlin would days after the US entered the war reject a German offer to join the Central Powers as the US anger was focused on the British and too a lesser degree her Dominions.


With the different treaties the British had they only had one defensive treaty prior to the war and that was with the Japanese Empire. The treaty was worded that the Japanese and British would come to the aid of each other in the event of more than one power. Japan had followed the treaty to the letter and waited to enter the war till after the British were at war with two nations. By the treaty Japan was bound to enter the war. The Japan did go to war with the United States on October 5th. Yet outside Japan the British had no one who was treaty bound to enter into the war with the United States that has started. Even Japan wasn’t crazy about entering this war with the United States but did so to honor her treaties. The United States counter the Japanese declaration of war with its own against Japan days later.


For the French, Russians, Italians, pro-Charles Belgians, Serbians, and Montenegrins, none of them were treaty bound to start wars with the United States. There was little for them to gain by starting their own wars with the United States and a lot to lose. Indeed, the United States starting their own war with the United States hurt all of them badly. Both the French and Italians had before the US declaration of war against had been heavily depended on American coal imports. With the US starting a war with the British they simply ceased trading with British allies. They didn’t break diplomatic reasons with any of these nations yet trading with them would help the British which is the last thing they wanted. This did create tension between the US and the British allies who they weren’t at war with. This however wasn’t enough for them to enter the Anglo/Japanese-American War.


The United States however did signal Berlin that they were to work together with the Kaiserliche Marine on some naval issues. But they rejected without question the German offer of a full alliance. The Germans were hoping the US would be open to a full alliance instead of just being co-belligerences with the Central Powers. The main reason they had hoped for this was it would draw French strength away from the Western Front to defend other territories closer to the United States that would have to be defended against from the United States which was on the war path.


It was just after two weeks after the US had started its war with the British, the Americans and Germans signed a naval agreement. This was a basing agreement for German raiders that managed to break out into the Atlantic. These raiders could dock in the United States for resupply along with sending British and Japanese prizes of war back to for prize’s court. The lettering in this agreement was clear that the ships had to be either British or Japanese in origin to be claimed in prize courts in the United States. The US was very clear on that. It also set up American rights to base a submarine squadron in Wilhelmshaven for the length of the war plus a year. Only a dozen American submarines could reach Wilhelmshaven from bases in the United States. Yet the US wanted a way to strike at the British Isles and this was the only way for this to happen.


The agreement also covered other details. Because of the basing of American submarines in Germany both sides exchanged information on their torpedoes to make it sure the US could have working torpedoes for the squadron they were basing in Germany. Germany also agreed to hand over plans to US for the Haber-Bosch Process which would allow the US to make enough explosives without being depended on Chilean Saltpeter. This was done without license fees so long as the United States agreed to remove the cap on loans to Central Power nations that had been put in place the year prior.

 

[cortz#9]

The US may not be a full ally but even as just a belligerent, the US will be a great help to the Central powers.
The foodstuff alone will keep the Central powers in better shape than they were IOTL.

 

[Solomi]

Early Pacific war is gonna be interesting

 

[sloreck]

In reality the Japanese can direct their full attention to the USA, however at this point the Japanese may or not not have taken some of the German Pacific islands, however these are not developed as bases like they were by WWII OTL. This means their ability to attack the USA is limited, at least a significant part if not all of their fleet is still coal fired and this makes forward bases more important. At least for a while just some naval clashes, and Japan being able to attack the PI in 1914/15 is less likely than OTL given the state of the Japanese military and overall technology for amphibious assault.

I assume German submarines will be able to refuel and rearm in the USA. This will be a big boost for the U-Boat war as it makes the entire Atlantic hunting grounds. The USA between subs and surface ships will shut down British shipping in the Caribbean and may have them Marines take Nassau, some other smaller islands (let Jamaica just wither on the vine). With British shipping not allowed through the Panama Canal all the Chilean nitrates will have to shipped around the horn to get to France and the UK. This means much longer transit times and a very long trip being vulnerable to US surface ships/raiders and subs as well as the German ones.

The cutting off of all US products to the Entente, the elimination of Canadian and Caribbean goods as well in short order, the decrease in the nitrate flow are all going to hit the Entente very hard. The Entente is going to lose the war of logistics sooner rather than later and if the flow of overseas food to the UK is hit hard enough...

 

[Jim Smitty]

Prior to the US declaration of war but after the crisis between the US and the British Empire started things on the American-Canadian border was very tense. Even more so as Federal Reserve units and National Guard units started to reach the border. Canada was very worried as they understood full well they couldn’t defend its border from coast to coast. Their border with the United States was over 5,500 miles long. Further they had I Canadian Corp the largest formation within the Canadian Army overseas defending Calais from a possible German attack. This effort had been to supporting the British effort in the war in Europe. It was a repeat of what the Second Boer War when the Canadians had sent military units to support British efforts in South Africa.


Yet now the best units within the Canadian Army were overseas. In 1911 the year of their last census the Canadian Nation had just over 7.2 million people in its vast nation. I Canadian Corp had just over 115,000 men and four divisions in France. The rest of the Canadian Army in Canada had just over 400,000 men in uniform with 9 divisions to defend the long border. These divisions however were poorly equipped with either weapons brought from Japan or taken out of storage. Artillery was lacking with the most common piece the Ordnance BL 12-pounder cwt which had been designed in the mid-1890s and was already out of service on the western front and only being used in Africa actively in 1916. There was even a shortage of these as many units in Canada had only half of their assigned artillery pieces. There was a total lack of heavy artillery within the Canadian Army in Canada.


In pre-war planning the Canadians had called for a mobilization and holding out from Sault Ste. Marie to the east coast. This was dictated by geology and economics. The bulk of the Canadian population and industry was from Sault Ste. Marie to the Atlantic Coast. If this area of Canada fell to the Americans the war would be lost for Canada. The idea was to holdout in the areas east of Sault Ste. Marie and wait for massive reinforcements from the British Empire.


West of Sault Ste. Marie the Canadians would leave only token forces to keep the area from cavalry units just waltzing in and taking the place, save for two cities. These cities were Thunder Bay the RCN main port on Lake Superior and Vancouver the main port of Canada on the Pacific Coast. These token forces were to allow many train loads of goods from the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains to help feed the population in the east and to help keep the locals happy. However, but against anymore, then a cavalry raid these forces wouldn’t hold up. But Thunder Bay being the main base on the RCN and the US not having a canal system that didn’t cross into the Canadian territory. If they could hold out at Thunder Bay they could deny use to Lake Superior which would hurt American efforts to take Canadian territory. Then there was Vancouver. It was the main port for Canada on the Pacific Coast. It made reinforcements from the Imperial Federation of Australia and New Zealand and possibly Japan. Australia was duty bound to help defend Canada and the British were hoping to bribe Japan with American territories in the Pacific and China to join in any war with the Americans.


That was pre-war however. The ANZAC force which was slated to take part of the defense of Vancouver was in the Middle East prepping for an invasion of Mesopotamian. Japan was busy in the Northern Philippines putting down a rebellion against their rule there. Plus things were happing so fast that it would had been all but impossible to get either force into Vancouver before the shooting the starting. Plus their plans pre-war called for their best units to be in the eastern part of the nation not defending the French from the German attacks.


With everything happening the Canadians decided to abandon the idea of holding out at Vancouver. They decided to make an effort to hold Vancouver Island with the Naval Base at Victoria and wait for reinforcements there. Victoria also had better chances holding without the reinforcements that were being promised by London not being fore coming. Plus it wouldn’t force any reinforcements having to fight through Straits of Juan de Fuca, Haro Straits, and the Salish Sea like any reinforcements to get to Vancouver.


Facing off against the Canadians was the US Army. For the first time ever the US had mobilized every federal reserve and national guard unit they had. With this mobilization and what they had on active duty the US was about to send 30 divisions north to cover its border with the Canadians. Still far short of what the US in pre-war planning had called for to defend the Canadian border with. But the US Army also needed divisions in the Caribbean plus defending the Atlantic and Pacific Seaboards from raiding by the British and the possibly of Japanese on the Pacific Seaboard.


The US Army had made major strides since Second Mexico to fully re-equip their forces with up to date gear and making sure they had enough ammo in storage in the event of war. In terms of small arms the US had been able to fully equip regular army units with the M1899 Springfield Rifle[1] and M1909 semi-automatic pistols[2]. The reserve units weren’t as well equipped with newer weapons with many equipped with leftovers from Second Mexico or the Island War. Some were equipped with newer weapons but not all were. Machine guns weren’t as well off as rifles and pistols with older machine guns were still being in used by regular units and Gatling Guns in reserve units. But some of the more elite units were equipped with the new Browning Automatic Rifle which had only been fielded the year prior per request from the Army for a light machine gun. In terms of artillery the US Army was much better equipped with far more modern designs than what the Canadians could even hope to bring into play. Plus they had heavy artillery. Less than what would be found in Europe but given that the Canadians didn’t have any that was better than none.


[1] After getting shot up with German Masuers in 1895, the US basically did the whole M1903 Springfield thing early.

[2] M1911 Pistol.

 

[Cryostorm]

The US should take western Canada as quickly as possible, at least BC and Yukon, to gain full control of the Pacific coast and put pressure on Canada's food supply, then start squeezing from the west and south to end Canada.

 

[Mre64]

No way the Canadian government doesn't request an armistice fast, fighting against those numbers is suicide and they know it.

 

[VoidStalker]

The sleeping giant awakens. Also the US was smart and pulled forces out of the Pacific Islands to concentrate on the mainland. Any occupied islands can be recovered after the war, taking out Canada and defending mainland US takes priority.

Also German raiders are now able to operate out of the US... that is going to hurt the British and force them to send units into the Atlantic. Combined with the US pushing up in the East we can deny them basing opportunities and force them to spend fuel on units to cover the western Atlantic since they would be basing from France and Britain as opposed to Canada and the Caribbean.

 

[sloreck]

I'm not sure if it has been specifically mentioned but it appears here the agreement that demilitarized the Great Lakes has gone by the board. OTL (and am sure ITTL) the USA had significant shipbuilding on the Great Lakes and shipyards on the lakes built both merchant and naval vessels for both wars. No way the USA does not have naval forces on the lakes, including Lake Superior. Duluth/Superior would make a dandy naval base (at least when not iced over) and Lake Michigan has lots of shipbuilding as well as the Chicago area for a major base. Going east you have Buffalo, Cleveland, etc. I expect the Canadian side across from Detroit will be heavily defended but absent the heavy artillery the USA can at least eliminate any threat to Detroit pretty quickly with counter battery (and out ranging) fire. Thunder Bay is vulnerable to attack by US naval forces, and an approach north at the end of Lake Superior then east is not that long a march to the land side. The RCN has undoubtedly been robbed of personnel to man ships of the oceangoing RCN, any lake forces are going to be last priority like the army.

Most of Canada west of Ontario is essentially undefended and can be swept up using NG or reserve troops for the bulk of the forces. On the west coast once they take Vancouver and as much of the BC coast northwards occupied as needful, they can let the Canadians stew on Victoria Island. Between naval gunfire and heavy artillery, the latter firing across the strait, the Canadians on Victoria will not be able to do more than harass US seaborne movements and occasional raids on the mainland. Any reinforcements for them, who will then have to do an amphibious assault across the strait, will have to fight their way across the Pacific to get to Victoria. Other than the Japanese or maybe some troops from India, there are no forces available.

In the east, pushing the Canadians back from the border at least by artillery will remove any significant threat to the USA - again small raids are possible. The USA should push north from Maine to cut off traffic to/from Canada via the St Lawrence. Once eastern Canada is cut off for the breadbasket in the west and from connection with the UK it is all over but the shouting. Moving against the Montreal/Toronto/Ottawa triangle which will be the most heavily defended should be the last resort if the Canadians don't throw in the sponge.

 

[Jim Smitty]

As to the Lakes they aren't the DMZ set out by the Treaty of Washington in 1871. In the early 20th century the US nofitied the British that it was withdrawing from the DMZ parts of Lakes in that treaty and going back to the Terms of the Treaty of Rush-Bagot. Basically that's a total of 10 ships with a limit of 100 tons burden (Not really sure how much that is in modern tonnage) with only one gun of up to 18 pounds.

Both sides have military gunboats on the lakes. They all have the ability to be up gunned in the event of war but generally follow the terms of this treaty. Some may be a few tons over the limit set but other than that they follow the treaty.

 

[sloreck]

The USA has the capacity to build lots of light gunboats/PT type boats for the Lakes, and there are tons of merchant ships that can be turned in to AMCs quickly - especially if some were built with reinforced spots where guns can be mounted quickly. The USA has the industrial infrastructure to do this, Canada really not so much. Very quickly the Great Lakes will only see US flags on it, the only bits the Canadians will have any control over will be any water in range of shore based artillery. I would assume even with the Lakes being a DMZ for 30 years and Rush-Bagot that major US lake ports have coastal artillery fortifications similar to those on the Atlantic & Pacific coasts, and probably some on the Canadian side as well.

The trans-Canada railroad is barely inches away from the US border in many places, and while ITTL could have built a little further away for strategic reasons, economic and engineering reality put it where it was. The USA should have no trouble cutting it here. As the USA expands in Canada west of the Lakes, the trans-Canada and its connections to the US system make a dandy supply line. Sure it is susceptible to sabotage but in the absence of any real Canadian military presence this is an annoyance and can be dealt with by protecting the most vulnerable areas. Given the lack of military resources I don't expect the Canadians could do enough damage even retreating that the USA couldn't fix in short order.

 

[Jim Smitty]

Can anyone tell me how to make a Map using Google Earthmap screen shots using MSPaint? This way can show the up coming push and give you guys a general idea where these thrust are going to land.

 

[Jim Smitty]

War had come late in the year for the United States and Canada. Fall was just setting in across North America and each side would only have a short time before winter would set in forcing a halt to any major military action as neither side wanted to try major military actions in the freezing colds that would be setting up across the vast new front. Yet for the United States there were a few cities that they had to push the front back from. These cities were Detroit and Buffalo were the main ones but the whole border had a number of important cities that couldn’t be allowed to fall. These cities were heavily industrized and were right on the border with Canada. Further the Old Northwest, New York, and New England were all heavily industrized and were in spitting distance of Canada. This couldn’t be allowed to go on and the Canadians had to be pushed back in these areas before winter.


In Pre-war planning the US could read the map just as well as the Canadians. They knew the war would be decided in the Eastern Theater. Of the 30 divisions they had on the Canadian border they had 24 of those divisions east of the Mississippi River. Of those 24 divisions, 9 of them were regular active duty divisions, which was under half the regular standing army force the US maintained pre-war. It was these active duty units which be the hammer force to the anvil of the Federal Reserve and National Guard units.


Following the passage of the declaration of war which was signed by President Roosevelt V Corp out of Detroit and VII Corp out of Buffalo started in artillery barrage against Canadian positions on the other side of the border. Even through since President Roosevelt had asked for the declaration of war there had been a number of small skirmishes along the whole of the Eastern Theater the artillery barrage started by V and VII Corp market the start of major combat operations. One needs to note that even through relations between Washington and London and by extension Ottawa were poor even before the crisis that sparked war between the US and the British Empire neither side built the massive border forts that were all so common within Europe.


There was a reason for this. It was only in 1902 even through relations between London and Washington had been strained prior to this year it was the year the US formally withdrew from the Treaty of Washington (1871) and returned to the rules of Rush-Bagot which had been signed in the aftermath of the War of 1812. Prior to 1902 Canada only kept a small army meant to garrison the vast western frontier she had with a larger militia force kept to boost this regular force. Yet as it became clear that the US was moving from a friendly to a hostile nation this would have to change. Canada started work on building up its army which could defend at least the eastern part of the nation till help from the mother nation could reach them. This prompted a vast increase in defense spending in the Canadian Budget for an army that was in need of just about everything.


In the span of 14 years the Canadians had done a fairly good job of expanding the its army. Yet it was still critically short in a number of areas the fact by 1916 they had when to not having any larger than a regimental size unit in 1902 to having a corp size[1] force being used in Europe and a further nine divisions and two independent brigades by 1916. Yet they were still having teething issues. There were still short falls in senior officers and NCOs and middle level officers and NCOs needed further seasoning. Artillery was always lacking. There were never enough modern small arms to go around. And no amount of money could make up the small pool of manpower Canada had to draw from.


It wasn’t till 1914 that the Canadian Parliament passed a fortress act to start building forts along the American-Canadian border at key natural choke points east of Sault Ste. Marie to the Atlantic Coast. Yet in 1915 work had only started on these forts when war started in Europe. With the belief, this would be a short war many of the funds set aside for these forts were retasked to help equipped I Canadian Corp which was being shipped to Europe to take part in the fighting there. Many of the Canadian Forts facing American troops were only partly done and lacking armaments.


On the American side of the border the US had started building up its forts again on the northern border starting in 1909. But once Second Mexico funding was shifted to fighting that war. Following Second Mexico the US under when a major rethink of its doctrine. It wasn’t till 1915 that work had restarted on forts on the US side of the border to a redesign fort system that would in time become known as the Stimson System after Deputy Secretary of War Henry Stimson who headed the committee to study the lessons from Second Mexico.


It was the Stimson System that saw the creation of the 1st Mobile Coastal Artillery Regiment. In 1916 the regiment had just finished its training after being created two years prior and having to write the book as they when. This regiment had the largest mobile artillery units within the army which were naval guns mounted on to railway cars. Each battery was either equipped with 12/50s or 14/45s naval cannons that were on USN Battleships. Under the plan crafted by Stimson called for six more of these regiments, yet only one was ready in 1916. Because of this the regiment was divided up and each battery was generally assigned as a corp level asset.


As V and VII Corps attacked out of Detroit and Buffalo it was hoped by the US that these attacks would draw the bulk of the Canadian Army to points west of Lake Simcoe then launch IV and XI Corps out of upstate New York to cut the Canadian Army and destroy it. Yet Canadian wasn’t about to fall into that trap. The Canadian Army knew all too well that the Sword of Damocles was hanging above its head and any mistakes would likely be its last. They had to wait till either they had to fight or had a chance at a victory.


By October 9th V Corp had reached the outskirts of London, Ontario and VII Corp had just taken Hamilton and there was no signs of the Canadians committing its army to check this offensive via aircraft recon. At this point only a few weeks were left for offensive operations and it was decided to launch IV and XI Corps in a general offensive to the north.


[1] I Canadian Corp is four infantry divisions and one cavalry brigade strong

 

[Jim Smitty]

Sorry for the poor drawing skills I have never done this before and this is how the US offensive was roughly planned to go.
The black lines are for V and VII corp launch the first offensive. Blue is for IV and XI Corp launch their offensive to pocket the Canadians. The Orange is the holding line and jumpping off point in the spring, but this was how things were planned to work to give a general idea.

 

[VoidStalker]

So Canada wrote off Toronto, which makes three of the Great Lakes into American Ponds. In the midwest if the US can take Winnipeg that likely cuts any rails in two, and on the west, take Vancouver and lay siege to Victoria.

Really though Canada should just give in, their best troops are in Europe and the British likely have bigger fish to fry.

 

[Jim Smitty]

Ok remember this is roughly where the front line is, google map wasn't nice and I really had to work this one hard. Also remember the borders show are modern not 1914 ones. Black is the German Front, Blue is French, Red is British and Dominions. Luxembourg is stripped because its German Occupied.

 

[Jim Smitty]

So Canada wrote off Toronto, which makes three of the Great Lakes into American Ponds. In the midwest if the US can take Winnipeg that likely cuts any rails in two, and on the west, take Vancouver and lay siege to Victoria.

Really though Canada should just give in, their best troops are in Europe and the British likely have bigger fish to fry.

The Map is how the US Plan was to work. The Next update will come with another map showing what happened.

 

[Kaiser Chris]

Yes!!! Now the good ol USA will enter the war on the righteous side of the Central Powers and finally bring the downfall of the British Empire. Really looking forward to how this goes, especially with the war against Japan. In terms of the war against Canada, the Canadians are going to get really screwed as they will be overrrun by the American eagle in a blitzkrieg that will be thirty years early. No matter what happens in the peace, America should definitely want to have full control over the fate of Canada in order to eliminate British influence in the Americas. Personally I would suggest that America liberate Quebec and add the territory of Newfoundland and Labrador to it in order to gain a trusted ally to the north. I would then add everything else in the country to it with British Columbia becoming a state immediately as it was U.S territory in the Oregon territory, while the rest becomes military districts or territories that will eventually be pulled in. British Columbia is the most important as that will serve as complete control of the Pacific and a land link to Alaska. The other route you can go is just annex British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island to the U.S while the rest of Canada becomes a protectorate as the Republic of Canada, with eventual annexation decades down the line.

By the way will we have an eventual posting of the 1916 Presidential Elections soon? I know Teddy wins but I'm curious as to how much and whether it would be possible to get a unanimous win in the electoral college. Also will the revelations of Wilson's "treachery" and the Democrat's presumably poor presidential performance like OTL kill the party with splintering into the Progressives or a Dixiecrat party? Or will they just be weakened for several years until an eventual resurgence?

 

[Grimbald]

Kaiser-

I agree about an independent Quebec but giving them Newfoundland is too much. Also the US- RQ border should be the St Lawrence. Quebecers on the south side of the river can move or become Americans.

 

[Jim Smitty]

The Bermuda Archipelago in size was small, just over 20 square miles in total size located in the Atlantic Ocean, just under 1,100 miles from Cape Hatteras. The islands were uninhibited till settled by the English in 1609. By 1916 just under 20,000 people lived on the islands that was an economic backwater within the massive British Empire. Yet in 1916 this small island group came to massive importance overnight. This was because Bermuda was a major hub for the Royal Navy in the Atlantic and in the War of 1812 the British had planned the attacks led to the burning of Washington DC. For the United States this small archipelago was a day one objective to take. As to allow it to remain in British hands meant the British could threaten the whole of the Eastern Seaboard from it.


In the years leading up to 1916 the British understood the importance of Bermuda as well. With the improving of relations with the US in 1870s they had slowly started to withdraw its military from Bermuda to other areas of their empire where they were needed more than Bermuda. Yet as relations with the Americans worsen this was slowed than stopped all together. In 1902 following the United States withdrawing from the Treaty of Washington (1871) had caused the British to start putting more money into its defensives. They started work on an improve fort to defend the islands along with deeping the channel to allow the latest ships of the Royal Navy to be stationed at Bermuda.


When the Great War started the British didn’t withdraw any of the troops stationed on Bermuda to fight in Europe or the colonies. They had also just finished work on series of forts on the island that gave them a big improvement on firepower over what had been on the island prior to these upgrades. These included a half dozen BL 12 Inch Mk X battleship guns which had been modified for use as coastal artillery along with a host of lesser artillery. Yet because of the demands of the Home Islands the British could only base 5th Battle Squadron at Bermuda. The 5th Battle Squadron was made up of six of the London Class Pre-Colossus Battleships[1]. Yet in the face of the USN Atlantic Fleet’s 10 Colossus Battleships this force was totally out matched.


The same day that President Roosevelt when before Congress the Atlantic Fleet sortied from their base at Norfolk with sealed orders under the command of Vice Admiral Coontz. Roosevelt wasn’t about to risk the Eastern Seaboard to be raided by the British from Bermuda. The force Coontz had had all 10 Colossus Battleships of the Atlantic Fleet, along with three armored cruisers, 11 light cruisers, a seaplane aircraft carrier, and lesser ships. On land no one outside handful of people knew where Coontz had when with the bulk of the Atlantic Fleet. Rumors ran wild in the press. Some had Coontz sailing north to blockade Halifax. Others had him going south to take Nassau. Others had it right that he was going to Bermuda through.


An hour after President Roosevelt signed the declaration of war against the British Empire Coontz was handed a radio message. It was a simple one line, Cross the Potomac. President Roosevelt himself picked the coded message that was to be use. It was a reference to the Battle of Bladensburg, the greatest disgrace every stuffed by American Arms in her history. With that coded message Coontz started his fleet to Bermuda.


Coontz reached Bermuda on the 2nd of October. The Battle of Bermuda was on. Leading the charge was two of the three strong Arizona Class[2] which were the latest battleships to enter the fleet. Along with the two Arizona Class Battleships were the other two 24 knotters in the fleet along with half of the light cruiser force that Coontz had sailed yet. The other half of his fleet had spilt off and sailed around to the other side of the islands waiting to bat clean up on any ships that tried to make a run for it.


However 5th Battle Squadron wasn’t at home. They had sailed north the day prior to pray on American merchant shipping. That made it easier for Coontz who didn’t have to deal with the Royal Navy at this battle. Yet he still had four forts he had to deal with but he out ranged the 12 inch guns on the island with the 14/45 guns of his battleships. With the naval threat gone four hastily modified merchant ships loaded with marines charged in to land on the island as the battleships engaged the forts in a gunnery duel.


The commander of Fort Victoria however knew Coontz’s battleships couldn’t take the island, but those merchant ships which were moving at a fast clip could possibly take the island. He focused his 9.2 inch guns on those merchant ships and scored enough hits to sink the USS Mount Vernon and take 700 Marines and sailors to the bottom with her. The other three ships did get to the islands and beached themselves.


Fighting on the islands themselves was bloody. It wasn’t till the 5th that the last Union Jack was haul down and the Stars and Strips flew above the whole island group. But the Marines that had taken part in the assault had paid a high price. Of the 3,500 Marines committed to take Bermuda 1,604 were now dead. Many did die when the Mount Vernon had when down but many more died during the fighting. Wounded mounted of a total of 1,402 of the Marines, some being wounded more than twice in the three days of fighting. But the US had control of this all important archipelago.


[1] The OTL Formidable Class is a good idea what the ITL Londons can do.

[2] Think OTL Pennsylvania Class but tops out at 24 knots.