Came across this on the Wiki and it seems that back in the 1800s Britain almost got itself involved in a dispute with another South American country over some unimportant (by today's standards) island in the South Atlantic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Trinidad
So even though the POD would be in the 1890s, what if any effect would British possession of Trinidade ("South Trinidad" according to the British at the time apparently) have?
If the rest of history wasn't substantially changed (say by butterflying away WWI or WWII or somehow allowing Britain to win WWI overwhelming or have Brazil enter on the side of the Central Powers or something), then what would happen by the time of the military dictatorships in South America in the 1980s?
Would there be a South Trinidad Islands War? A War of the South Atlantic pitting Britain against Brazil and Argentina in an unholy alliance (for the time since Brazil and Argentina were in frequent confrontation and had skirmishes and near-war situations)?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Trinidad
The Principality of Trinidad was declared in 1893[1], when the American James Harden-Hickey claimed the uninhabited island Trindade and Martim Vaz in the South Atlantic and declared himself as James I, Prince of Trinidad.[2][3] According to Harden-Hickey's plans the island would, after being recognized as an independent country, become a military dictatorship under his leadership.[2] He designed postage stamps, a national flag, and a coat of arms; he established a chivalric order, the "Cross of Trinidad;" he bought a schooner to transport colonists; he appointed M. le Comte de la Boissiere as Secretary of State and opened a consular office at 217 West 36th Street in New York, and even issued government bonds to finance construction of infrastructure in the island. Despite his plans his idea was ridiculed or ignored by the world. [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]
In July 1895, the British tried to take possession of this strategic position in the Atlantic, basing their claim on the 1700 visit by English astronomer Edmund Halley.[2] The British planned to use the island as a telegraph cable station.[2] However, Brazilian diplomatic efforts, along with Portuguese support[citation needed], pressed a successful claim to Brazilian sovereignty, based on the island's discovery in 1502 by Portuguese navigators.
In order to clearly demonstrate sovereignty over the island, now part of the State of Espírito Santo, a landmark was built on January 24, 1897. Nowadays, Brazilian presence is marked by a permanent Brazilian Navy base on the main island.
So even though the POD would be in the 1890s, what if any effect would British possession of Trinidade ("South Trinidad" according to the British at the time apparently) have?
If the rest of history wasn't substantially changed (say by butterflying away WWI or WWII or somehow allowing Britain to win WWI overwhelming or have Brazil enter on the side of the Central Powers or something), then what would happen by the time of the military dictatorships in South America in the 1980s?
Would there be a South Trinidad Islands War? A War of the South Atlantic pitting Britain against Brazil and Argentina in an unholy alliance (for the time since Brazil and Argentina were in frequent confrontation and had skirmishes and near-war situations)?