How could the USA join the Central Powers in WWI?
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Anaxagoras
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Before German U-boats starting sinking ships with civilians on board, there was a good deal of disquiet in the United States regarding the British blockade of Germany. Start from there.
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jointing the CP as a active combatant or as a passive supporter?
as anaxagoras said, there was a lot of discontent about the blockade and the results for trade (real or imagined).
No unlimiited sub warfare and no zimmerman telegram could make a huge difference. If the germans pre=war actually were able to see the us as a potential ally and diplomatically start acting that way you could get quite a result.
as anaxagoras said, there was a lot of discontent about the blockade and the results for trade (real or imagined).
No unlimiited sub warfare and no zimmerman telegram could make a huge difference. If the germans pre=war actually were able to see the us as a potential ally and diplomatically start acting that way you could get quite a result.
What effects would the existence of a neutral Russia, presumably willing to trade with Germany, have on the effectiveness of a British blockade anyway?
Turtledove found a way for the US to join the CP. Seriously though, I've often wondered what the sentiment was like in 1914 in states like Wisconsin, which had a majority German population. It would have been different in 1939; since Hitler and the Nazis were seen as evil, but that was not the case with the German govt. in the first war.
President Kane
Hearst wins the 1906 race for governor of NY then goes on to become the Democratic nominee for President in 1912 and gets elected. He was something of an Anglophobe and would challenge the British blockade. Even then it is more likely he would force concessions rather than find a causus belli.
Another more obscure possibility is that the Spanish wanted to use Miquelon and St. Pierre to coal some cruisers to raid off the US East Coast during the SA War. This did not materialize OTL but if it did and the US found out about the French role it might create lingering resentment against France.
Hearst wins the 1906 race for governor of NY then goes on to become the Democratic nominee for President in 1912 and gets elected. He was something of an Anglophobe and would challenge the British blockade. Even then it is more likely he would force concessions rather than find a causus belli.
Another more obscure possibility is that the Spanish wanted to use Miquelon and St. Pierre to coal some cruisers to raid off the US East Coast during the SA War. This did not materialize OTL but if it did and the US found out about the French role it might create lingering resentment against France.
With an outbreak in August 1914? That war's likely to be over very quickly, if it even happens at all.
A passive supporter at first, but it become an active combatant by 1916 at least.
Anaxagoras
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Is that really a good marker, though? After all, Turtledove also found a way to have Earth invaded by stupid aliens at the height of WWII.
Bryan was against the war as a whole, if anything he'd try to disassociate the US from it entirely, as in no arms or money transfer: in his own words money is the worst of all contrabands because it commands everything else.
What part of Africa does e conflict start and are the Italians on any given side? The Americans would not exactly be rushing for freedom for African lands outside of Liberia and I doubt that the Germans would have held out long enough there to keep more than part of one colony. Still, not needing to invade Russia means a lot more men available for France. Maybe the Americans just decide to go with a winner or there is some roads passed by the French or British limiting trade in their colonial empires to themselves and the dominions?
A crisis in South Africa involving Boer rebels raises tensions between Britain and Germany, and both sides formally go to war after both the Germans and the French invade the Belgian Congo.
The Germans were ill suited to invade the Kongo and the French already had a treaty stating that if Belgium could no longer run it or did not want to the land would go to France.
The 1914 map made it look like the Germans claimed part of the Congo, but I probably should have checked my sources, then. Any other ideas on how a world war between an Anglo=French alliance and a Germany-Austria-USA alliance in the 1910s would start and not be immediately over?
Not really, the Germans had been far more hostile to the Americans in supporting anti-American interests and forces in the Carribbean than the British or French, not to mention shipping over terrorists.
But with a 1905 POD, can anything be changed? Like if the British try to pressure the Americans into joining their side like they did during 1812?
Japhy
Banned
Bryan didn't resign as Secretary of State because he was Pro-German (The opposite really), but because he was hardline Pro-Neutrality.
An American alliance with the Central Powers requires a POD at least before the Progressive Era began because there are practically no leaders of that movement that could even be moved to the Pro-German camp in that era, its either the Allies or Peace. You need an old Bourbon or Laissez-Faire type leading the US to be able to even start to move towards supporting the Kaiser.
Having the Germans stop trying to get an economic empire in an American pond?