Franco-American War

Xen

Banned
There was a thread not too long back about American going to war with Britain and France over Canada and Mexico and what the author perceived as a violation of the Monroe Doctrine. This got me thinking, only France truely violated the Monroe Doctrine, so lets use that.

The American Civil War is coming to a close, and President Lincoln celebrates by watching a play at Fords Theater, the night before he had a horrible dream. In his dream a mad man busted in his booth and attempted to shoot him and his wife. In the dream the mad man successfully killed Mrs Lincoln but the gun misfired when he tried to shoot the President.

Feeling the dream was an omen, President Lincoln ordered two Union soldiers to guard the door. When Booth saw the guards he lost his nerve and fled.

In the passing days Lincoln corresponded with Emperor Napoleon III of France over the status of Mexico and France's violation of the Monroe Docrine. Napoleon replied "Mr President during your Civil War I didn't interfere with your business, please do not interfere with mine."

Lincoln was furious upon reading the letter and responded by reminding Napoleon of his attempts to lure Britain and other European nations into the war on the side of the South.

Future correspondance with Napoleon further eroded relations between the two nations resulting in the October 1865 declaration of war.

Lincoln and his administration tried to use the new war as a means to re-unite the country, for the most part successfully. Former Confederate Commander General Robert E. Lee wrote to the news paper's of the southern states, urging their support for the war and restoring some southern pride in the government. He corresponded with Lincoln over the period, eventually being given back his citizenship and granted the rank of Major General, commanding the Armies of the Two Virginia's.

Many southerner's followed Lee's example and joined in arms against the French Empire. Aside from Virginia only Tennessee was the only southern state allowed to raise an Army. North Carolinians who wanted to fight went to either Virginia or Tennessee. The other southerners were placed in a single unit, The Army of Dixie, under the command of General Sheridan.

Other southerners though, such as John W. Boothe, hoped the war with France could be used to renew the Confederate cause.

France found few allies, Spain, the southern German states and the Ottoman's being the only Europeans to support their cause (The Ottomans &Germans gave only moral support). The American's had better luck with friends than the French, Chancellor Bismark of Prussia gave American moral support and sent military advisors, Russia like during the Civil War was the United States closest friend, Italy supported the US as well.

The British and the Dutch declared their neutrality.

The French struck the first blow of the war, believing they was going to have an easy victory over the American's, Napoleon's troops struck the Union at San Antonio. The battle hardened US Army proved to be more than a match for the French. Under the command of General Sherman, the French were pushed back into Mexico in a long and bloody retreat.

Hoping to stir up old Confederate feelings of patriotism, the French invaded the US, promising independence if the southerners join their cause and take up arms against the Union. France's victory at the Battle of New Orleans was greeted with a mixture of jubilee and disgust.

The Imperial tri-color flew over the city for four months, and survived two Union attempts to take the city back. In August of 1866, General Lee and the Army of the Two Virginia's overwhelmed the defender's.

The Americans made initial gains into Imperial Mexico, before finally being halted in a bloody stalemate. For the American public, though war weary, the news of sticking it to a European Power had enormous support. Napoleon faced a quite different situation, his popularity was at an all time low, with the possibility of revolution becoming all the more real.

The Spaniards who had joined the French were forced out of the war in November 1866 with their defeat in Cuba. Queen Isabelle II was forced to vacate her thrown. The Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen candidate was offered the throne in 1867. Napoleon III violently opposed the new development, but could not afford to fight two wars at once.

The Franco-American War ended in July 1867 with the signing of the London Treaty.

His armies exhausted, Napoleon knew it was impossible to send them into war again so soon. The September Revolution ended the Second Empire and restored the Bourbon King. Napoleon III and his family fled to England, the former Emperor died a short time after arriving. The Prince Imperial married Queen Victoria's youngest daughter, much to the objection of her mother and resided with her in a family palace in Scotland.

During the French Revolution Italy claimed the Papa States, uniting the peninsula as a Kingdom.

Maximillion fled with the French Army, but found himself unwelcome in Austria and after Napoleon's exile in France as well. He and his wife settled in the Netherlands.

The United States hailed its victory over the French, and restored the Republic of Mexico, though not without claiming Baja California in return.
 
1865 seems rather early for Bismark to risk an outright open breach with France, and I don't see enough French troops getting involved in Mexico for it to have a huge impact on European diplomacy.
 
Nice one Xen. What happens to Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines? I would imagine that the Philippines remain Spanish (as the war is primarily against France in Mexico and the Caribbean), but that Cuba and Puerto Rico are ceded to the USA by Spain.

I'm not sure if the USA would claim the Baja peninsula from Mexico for restoring the Republican government, but maybe it would be able to purchase Baja at basically "a steal" from the new Mexican government. Does the USA still buy Alaska in 1867?

I also assume that the Austro-Prussian War, 1866, goes on as scheduled...
 
I don't see the French Empire at the point wanting to get into a war with US in North America. Even in 1865 I think the French would be CRUSHED with any realistic scenario. The problem is logistics. France is simply too far away to sustain a war with a major power in the region. Those 5,000 miles + supply lines are a real handicap.
 
Sean Swaby said:
Nice one Xen. What happens to Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines? I would imagine that the Philippines remain Spanish (as the war is primarily against France in Mexico and the Caribbean), but that Cuba and Puerto Rico are ceded to the USA by Spain.

I'm not sure if the USA would claim the Baja peninsula from Mexico for restoring the Republican government, but maybe it would be able to purchase Baja at basically "a steal" from the new Mexican government. Does the USA still buy Alaska in 1867?

I also assume that the Austro-Prussian War, 1866, goes on as scheduled...

Well, if Spain sends troops to support France, they are almost certainly going to use colonies as staging areas. If the U.S. enforcing Monroe Doctrine and they are aiding the French, Americans are going to feel justified to take them away.
 
Xen said:
There was a thread not too long back about American going to war with Britain and France over Canada and Mexico and what the author perceived as a violation of the Monroe Doctrine. This got me thinking, only France truely violated the Monroe Doctrine, so lets use that.

The American Civil War is coming to a close, and President Lincoln celebrates by watching a play at Fords Theater, the night before he had a horrible dream. In his dream a mad man busted in his booth and attempted to shoot him and his wife. In the dream the mad man successfully killed Mrs Lincoln but the gun misfired when he tried to shoot the President.

Feeling the dream was an omen, President Lincoln ordered two Union soldiers to guard the door. When Booth saw the guards he lost his nerve and fled.

In the passing days Lincoln corresponded with Emperor Napoleon III of France over the status of Mexico and France's violation of the Monroe Docrine. Napoleon replied "Mr President during your Civil War I didn't interfere with your business, please do not interfere with mine."

Lincoln was furious upon reading the letter and responded by reminding Napoleon of his attempts to lure Britain and other European nations into the war on the side of the South.

Future correspondance with Napoleon further eroded relations between the two nations resulting in the October 1865 declaration of war.

Lincoln and his administration tried to use the new war as a means to re-unite the country, for the most part successfully. Former Confederate Commander General Robert E. Lee wrote to the news paper's of the southern states, urging their support for the war and restoring some southern pride in the government. He corresponded with Lincoln over the period, eventually being given back his citizenship and granted the rank of Major General, commanding the Armies of the Two Virginia's.

Many southerner's followed Lee's example and joined in arms against the French Empire. Aside from Virginia only Tennessee was the only southern state allowed to raise an Army. North Carolinians who wanted to fight went to either Virginia or Tennessee. The other southerners were placed in a single unit, The Army of Dixie, under the command of General Sheridan.

Other southerners though, such as John W. Boothe, hoped the war with France could be used to renew the Confederate cause.

France found few allies, Spain, the southern German states and the Ottoman's being the only Europeans to support their cause (The Ottomans &Germans gave only moral support). The American's had better luck with friends than the French, Chancellor Bismark of Prussia gave American moral support and sent military advisors, Russia like during the Civil War was the United States closest friend, Italy supported the US as well.

The British and the Dutch declared their neutrality.

The French struck the first blow of the war, believing they was going to have an easy victory over the American's, Napoleon's troops struck the Union at San Antonio. The battle hardened US Army proved to be more than a match for the French. Under the command of General Sherman, the French were pushed back into Mexico in a long and bloody retreat.

Hoping to stir up old Confederate feelings of patriotism, the French invaded the US, promising independence if the southerners join their cause and take up arms against the Union. France's victory at the Battle of New Orleans was greeted with a mixture of jubilee and disgust.

The Imperial tri-color flew over the city for four months, and survived two Union attempts to take the city back. In August of 1866, General Lee and the Army of the Two Virginia's overwhelmed the defender's.

The Americans made initial gains into Imperial Mexico, before finally being halted in a bloody stalemate. For the American public, though war weary, the news of sticking it to a European Power had enormous support. Napoleon faced a quite different situation, his popularity was at an all time low, with the possibility of revolution becoming all the more real.

The Spaniards who had joined the French were forced out of the war in November 1866 with their defeat in Cuba. Queen Isabelle II was forced to vacate her thrown. The Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen candidate was offered the throne in 1867. Napoleon III violently opposed the new development, but could not afford to fight two wars at once.

The Franco-American War ended in July 1867 with the signing of the London Treaty.

His armies exhausted, Napoleon knew it was impossible to send them into war again so soon. The September Revolution ended the Second Empire and restored the Bourbon King. Napoleon III and his family fled to England, the former Emperor died a short time after arriving. The Prince Imperial married Queen Victoria's youngest daughter, much to the objection of her mother and resided with her in a family palace in Scotland.

During the French Revolution Italy claimed the Papa States, uniting the peninsula as a Kingdom.

Maximillion fled with the French Army, but found himself unwelcome in Austria and after Napoleon's exile in France as well. He and his wife settled in the Netherlands.

The United States hailed its victory over the French, and restored the Republic of Mexico, though not without claiming Baja California in return.

Good scenario, but consider the fact that American forces now possess the two most powerful small arms in the world. Those would be the Colt revolver and the Winchester repeating rifle. Thet also happen to have the Gattling gun, which proved to be the first practical machine gun ever invented.

On the naval front, Americans were also the first to develop and deploy naval ironclads. That is going to equalize some of the naval conflict.
 
1799 Quasi-War POD

Hey, another Franco-American War scenario- WI the 1799 Quasi-War between the US and France got out of hand ? How would such a conflict have eventuated ?
 
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