American Australia

How could the USA get control of the Australian continent? (Preferably with New Zealand too.)How would it develop, and what would it's political representation be? How would it change US diplomacy?
 
An alternate WW1 could do it, Australia make look big on a map and it is big and impressive indeed, but think populated and along the coast, with back then little industry.

Suppose Britian annoys the US just a little more during the civil war, possibly recognizing Dixie even if it doesn't directly get involved. And maybe a little annoyance over say Alaska's border and maybe a few disagreements over fishing rights here and there. Maybe they even really take the piss and put a protectorate status over Hawaii. Or block annexation, whatever.

Somehow they push themselves and the US into a kind of cold war, now the US moves closer to Germany and the central powers here.

WWI breaks out, and the US breaks out all it's industrial might and a few supprises. In the final peace the US snags up most of the big white dominions, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

They keep New Zealand and give Australia some sort of Commonwealth like status, meanwhile Canada becomes outright states and New Zealand too eventually.
 
Britain and France try to support the Confederacy. Prussia and Russia in turn help the union. The Union still somehow wins, and the Union becomes more friendlier with the two and eventually joins the side of Germany in an Alt WW1, and takes some British colonies like Canada, New Zeland, and Australia.
 
In a time up to 1900... Pretty impossible really. How would the US be able to project power into the south west Pacific in this era? The scenarios for Great Britain having to hand over Australia and New Zealand to the US are fanciful to say the least. Both countries are a long way away from the US and, unless they were actively in favour of some type of union, I can't see it happening. The British Empire would have to suffer an enormous defeat and up to 1900 it is hard to see where that would come from. If Australia and New Zealand were to resist annexation by the US how could the Americans transport and supply enough soldiers to exercise control over the two countries?
 
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