AHC: More Countries in the Scramble for Africa

Challenge: countries (Minor or major) gets a small or large chunk of Africa, no matter of how implausible it is.

List of Countries to join:

Netherlands
Sweden-Norway
Austria-Hungary
Romania
Greece
USA
Denmark
Russian Empire

And now for the crazier ones:
Qing Dynasty
Japanese Empire
Independent CSA
Empire of Brazil
Argentina
Mexico
Chile
Peru
Surviving Gran Columbia
ETC

Make up a Colony, or Colonies for any of these countries
 
Well the USA is relatively easy, just have them focus more on expanding Liberia. If African American migration to the country is greater you could end up with an American West Africa as a colony. Whether it would eventually become independent like the Philippines or end up a black majority state in the Union is an open question
 
The Netherlands actually had bits of the Gold Coast and it is not impossible that they keep them and expand inland making a small colony akin to German Togoland. IIRC, Denmark also had some coastal stations in West Africa from which they could try a small colonial project (I don't remember when they abandoned them).
Russia also tried (in Sagallo, within OTL Djibouti) to establish a colonial presence in Africa IOTL, the attempt was half-hearted, minor, and quickly abandoned when France protested, but shows that it is quite possible for them to try.
Greece is also half-realistic, IOTL I think it was at least discussed (in Eritrea I think).
Sweden-Norway is just a matter of prestige. If they move early enough, no one would object to them taking over, say, parts of Namibia. What use they could have for such a place is, of course, another matter.
Austria was also in the position to try to get some bit, if only they had any poltical desire whatsoever to do so, which I don't think they ever had in the slightest IOTL (I'd guess North Africa is the most likely target, but also a difficult one).
I can't see Romania even considering such a venture at all.
Brazil is also relatively easy, they may just inherit some portion of the Portuguese colonial empire in Africa (most likely Angola).
I suppose we can contrive a way for Japan to take Madagascar, though it seems a very long shot.
I'd say no other candidates are even remotely realistic in the Scramble period without earlier huge PODs.
 
In Alliance of the Colored Peoples: Ethiopia and Japan Before World War II, Joseph Calvitt Clarke points out that one Japanese law professor wrote a document declaring that the Japanese should get involved in the Scramble of Africa and expand its influence before the Dark Continent fell under complete European control. There were also attempts IOTL to convince Rome to send Japanese observers to accompany Italian forces in the Italo-Ethiopian War of 1895-96, although this failed. It was during World War I that the idea of a Japanese expeditionary force fighting in Tanzania was proposed by that same Japanese law professor (Dr. Tomizu Hirondo) should be sent to fight in Germany's East African colonies and occupy the territories.

If Ethiopia "pulls a Meiji," you might see diplomatic relations being established earlier with Tokyo under an alt-Tewodros or Menelik and this leads to Japan securing some settlement in the East African region but I doubt Japan could sustain such a venture so far away from home - and with China so close to home too. It's more likely you see the Japanese government buying up land in southern Ethiopia to funnel its excess population into and helping Ethiopia in its budding modernization programs, most notably the exploitation of her resources and teaching of technical know-how in industry.

Another possibility is Japan contributing more to the Allied effort in WWI by dispatching an expeditionary force to Tanganyika and gaining some influence there but I don't think Tokyo would be able to gain a mandate/de-facto colony there in the post-war peace talks.
 
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