alternatehistory.com

Germany takes a colony off of France, which the French had brought up. Germany takes just one colony- not as a replacement for Alsace-Lorraine as the French were hoping, but rather in return for a partial reduction in the indemnity or a retrocession of a few small villages/districts/towns in Lorraine.
Bismarck (or Germany's) key principle is they will take something, but nothing that is too close for comfort for Britain or the United States (ruling out Caribbean islands, enclaves in India, the African bulge or the African horn).

So let's say it's the French colony of Gabon.

How do things go from there?

a) Germany loses control, unable to suppress a local rebellion that occurs during power transition

b) France takes it back through a colonial/naval war or intrigue over the next decade

c) Germany successfully takes over the French position

d) This gives Germany a sufficient start to claim a German Congo land bridge to East Africa

e) No German Congo; Gabon substitutes for another OTL African colony (Namibia?)

f) No German Congo; Gabon is just one small addition to OTL's acquisitions
Top