Dominion of Uruguay and the Falkland Conflict

For the sake of this thread assume that Britain gained control and annexed what would become Uruguay in the late 1700s or early 1800s. Over time it sees a fair amount of immigration, gains responsible government, becomes a dominion with Statute of Westminster 1931 and in the early 1950s institutes its own citizenship. To all intents and purposes it's like Canada nowadays. Considering its small size even if there was this nation sitting across the River Plate from Buenos Aires I don't think it would probably dissuade the junta from invading, but you never know so what do other people think? Even with shared links Uruguay could well decide to just stay silent on the issue and keep out of things in view of regional diplomatic and economic relations.
 
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Hate to be that guy but...butterflies.

Given any POD for the British to colonise the area of OTL Uruguay will bring Britain into conflict with Spain, or Brazil/Portugal, or Argentina depending on when it all begins, the geopolitical situation by the ATL 1980s might be so drastically different than our own that:

a) Britain might not even have the Falklands.
b) Argentina might be a British ally, if it exists at all.
c) There might never be a 'junta'.
d) There might never be a Statute of Westminster, or dominion government in any form.

A POD back in the 18th/19th Centuries is going to have major ramifications.
 
With the early POD, the Falklands might be an integral part of Uruguay. So if Argentina wanted the islands, it would have to invade Uruguay, triggering a quick response from the UK, Canada and Australia and probably the U.S. (assuming these entities exist in such a time line).
 
With the early POD, the Falklands might be an integral part of Uruguay. So if Argentina wanted the islands, it would have to invade Uruguay, triggering a quick response from the UK, Canada and Australia and probably the U.S. (assuming these entities exist in such a time line).

This would be my guess as well. Britain is far more likely to incorporate the Falklands into Uruguay and have basing rights etc there than to keep it as an Overseas Territory
 
This would be my guess as well. Britain is far more likely to incorporate the Falklands into Uruguay and have basing rights etc there than to keep it as an Overseas Territory

Although, Bermuda never got incorporated into Canada despite Bermuda being less than 1000 miles away from Nova Scotia, Canada.
 
Although, Bermuda never got incorporated into Canada despite Bermuda being less than 1000 miles away from Nova Scotia, Canada.

It was however considered, just like pretty much everything the British (used to) own in the remainder of North America and the Caribbean. Most prominently the Turks and Caicos Islands (which have a special history with Bermuda and Canada), Barbados and Jamaica were considered.

So it is certainly plausible of London considering to give *Uruguay control over the Falklands.
 
It was however considered, just like pretty much everything the British (used to) own in the remainder of North America and the Caribbean. Most prominently the Turks and Caicos Islands (which have a special history with Bermuda and Canada), Barbados and Jamaica were considered.

So it is certainly plausible of London considering to give *Uruguay control over the Falklands.
Given how damn near every speck of land that flew the British flag in the Pacific wound up flying a New Zealand or Australian flag, and quite a few specks of land in the Atlantic and Southern Oceans wound up flying a South African flag, I'm going to guess that the Falkland Islands belong to the Dominion of *Uruguay.

Besides, British aims for conquest in the region called for the entire River Plate basin, including Buenos Aires. That means no Argentina as we know it... though ironically, British *Buenos Aires would probably be in charge of the *Falklands.
 
1807 British attack on Buenos Aires as POD

I've been thinking, maybe in the aftermath of a British victory in Buenos Aires in 1807, it could possibly be Uruguay that could have become a British colony. After all, it was OTL taken over by the Brits for five months and, at least in Montevideo and at other points along the Banda Oriental coast, the Spanish/local opposition to the Brits was not as ferocious as in the city of Buenos Aires. Uruguay could go on to receive a lot of British settlers, and it would be bilingual English and Spanish.

At the same time, Buenos Aires and the rest of that side of the Rio de la Plata could become independent under a British protectorate, and proceed to develop more or less like OTL.

I see the Banda Oriental being the OTL Argentina to Puerto Rico's Cuba (the latter two places in terms of the US takeovers there following the Spanish-American War). Puerto Rico has remained a US possession ever since, while Cuba became independent under US protection, with the Americans retaining Guantanamo Bay as a military base.
 
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