AH Challenge: American posession in Europe

With a POD no earlier than July 4, 1776, can anyone find a plausible way for the United States to have a small posession in Europe by the beginning of the 20th century? If not, then by 1935?

I don't want a Yank wank, just a small posession, no bigger than a medium sized state. My goal is to force the USA to pay more attention to Europe overall, especially in the days leading up to the Great War, or failing that, World War II.
 
With a POD no earlier than July 4, 1776, can anyone find a plausible way for the United States to have a small posession in Europe by the beginning of the 20th century? If not, then by 1935?

I don't want a Yank wank, just a small posession, no bigger than a medium sized state. My goal is to force the USA to pay more attention to Europe overall, especially in the days leading up to the Great War, or failing that, World War II.

There's got to be a better way to achieve your goal than that, because it's really unlikely. The only thing that comes to mind is the USA somehow getting Moroco from Spain(if that counts as Europe). Even then, the great powers would probably refuse it.
 
There have been several suggestions [on the Board] about the US getting Sicily, Several others about the US getting a Protectorate or two in post GW Europe.

My Idea is for the US to take some Bases in North Africa during the Barbary Wars.
 
Why on earth would they want North African bases?

Well, specially in early America everyone thought that the trade and influence of the US would be primarily through the Med. but it turned out to be the Pacific which the US spent most of its Imperialist policies in from the late 19th through 20th (Philippines, China Open Door, Hawaii, Micronesia, Marshalls, Japan and etc).
 

Baskilisk

Banned
I can imagine, in a world where the USA and British go to war in the 1880's and the USA wins decisively, and then jumps on Britain again in WWI (assuming it isn't butterflied to an equivalent war), the USA esentially takes the reigns of most of the British Empire, including a partioned Ireland. Highly unlikely, but not completely implausible. Sicily is not possible until after or during WWII, and Barbary bases is ASB in a non-wank world, especially in the face of the British Empire and Napolean's France. Morocco is tricky, but doable around the time of the Scramble for Africa. Iceland is definitely possible, if the USA got greedy. Maybe they want to use it to keep an eye on the British. Under very tricky circumstances they could get Gibraltar too, the problem is that's a lot of hassle for something they don't have a lot of use for.
On the other hand, the European Union hold French Guiyana as part of Europe, it'd be a piece of cake for America to get that.;)
 
Why on earth would they want North African bases?

The US kept a Mediterranean Squadron throughout much of the 19th century, so it would provide a base.

I am a bit depressed in thought today, or else I would remember all the shit I wrote for one of my timelines and flesh out the possibility

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
spain is a good option (something like Gibraltar with POD 1898)
France, almost imposible (something like USA in Napoleonic wars, different Versailles,... too difficult)
Great Britain, never
Germany, another good option, but after WWI or WWII (something like Gibraltar or Guantanamo)
Sicily, too big
Iceland, another good option
 
There have been several suggestions [on the Board] about the US getting Sicily, Several others about the US getting a Protectorate or two in post GW Europe.

What about a Rijeka/Fiume under US administration? Is there any plausible way for doing that?

I can imagine, in a world where the USA and British go to war in the 1880's and the USA wins decisively, and then jumps on Britain again in WWI (assuming it isn't butterflied to an equivalent war), the USA esentially takes the reigns of most of the British Empire, including a partioned Ireland.

Malta, Cyprus?
 
Sicily seems the most obvious, since it's an actual OTL situation that just never panned out, and thus easy to make happen. Otherwise, have them keep Iceland after WW2.
 
Sicily seems the most obvious, since it's an actual OTL situation that just never panned out, and thus easy to make happen. Otherwise, have them keep Iceland after WW2.

Falastur

Problem is this is after WWII, which is to late for the OP conditions.

There is one possible option that sticks out. I think there was a suggestion that America was offered a LoN mandate for Armenia. If it has accepted that then presuming the normal modern definition of Europe as reaching to the Caucasus Mts the condition is met. Going to be an award mandate, with Turkey on one side and the Soviet Union on the other however.

Steve
 
Maybe the US could take Ceuta, Melilla, or the Canaries after the War of 1898. Those aren't geographically European but they're culturally European and they would be strategically important, particularly Ceuta.
 
Actually, there was talk in WWII to make Sicily a state after the capture. I doubt any of it was serious, but an idea.
 

Anaxagoras

Banned
Or DeGaulle's worst nightmare...France as an American vassal...

I do not see how a country with more than 500 kinds of cheese could possibly be an American vassal. As soon as the word "Velveeta" is uttered, the entire country would rise in bloody revolt.
 
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