Anybody remember 'For Want of a Nail'?

Your opinion on FWoAN?


  • Total voters
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For those of you who may not know:

It was one of the first alt-hist stories out there, and it was released by Robert Sobel in..............1973. That's right folks, 1973. Nixon was president, Lynyrd Skynyrd, America and other bands were on the airwaves, muscle cars were still making rounds, and the hippie movement was making way for blaxploitation movies and disco.

Anyway, the PoD was in 1777, and apparently the Revolutionaries lost the war, and several of what would have been America's founders are executed for high treason.............there are some Americans, however, who decide to leave. And guess where they end up? Mexico..............aka, 'New Spain'.

Starting in what is basically Texas{parts of N.M., Oklahoma, and Louisiana, too} in OTL, named 'Jefferson' in honor of the Founder, and then slowly working, one by one, eventually taking over all of Mexico, and renaming it............yep, you guessed it, the 'United States of Mexico', meanwhile, the Confederation of North America is born, as an appeasement to the people........basically.

I won't spoil anymore, though, so I'll just send you this link for a brief overview of the full timeline:

https://www.alternatehistory.com/gateway/analyses/FWOAN-timeline.html

http://www.kebe.com/for-all-nails/

So, what do you think...............? :D ;) {And for those of you who remember, you have any memories of this?}
 
i loved it. One of the first AH books i ever read. I would like to see a follow up on the book some day.
 
Guys

Some interesting ideas but a few I found too ASB. Like

a) That the Mexican state, despite being outnumbered 3-1, even without possible British support for their colonies, managed to win the war for possession of Texas and control of the west. It might happen once although unlikely but given the vastly superior resources of the northern giant it would almost certainly try again later. Or possibly intervene when Mexico goes on one of its other conquest sprees. [Since it reached Alaska, possibly even into Siberia, a long time since I read the book, and I believe took over Grande Columbia].

b) That slavery was ended so easily in both nations.

c) That despite massive wars in the old world that sees Germany defeat Russia then [somehow despite logistics] conquer India from Britain, Britain never even asks for assistance from BNA or the latter offers it. [Similarly that despite that Britain stays not only independent but becomes the 2nd nuclear power.

d) The corporate take-over of the super Mexico by a shadowy organisation and the way that is so efficient, despite all the historical examples. [Also I remember something of an anti-Latin element in the final stages where the success of the corporation basically counters all the faults displayed by the predominantly Latino political leadership].

Steve
 
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