Longest possible civil war or war of independence in the New World

How could you get the longest possible civil war or war of independence in the New World?

It doesn't have to be constant, but if there are periods of peace they must be fairly short, or if not, they aren't completely peaceful and there are small skirmishes or something.
 
How could you get the longest possible civil war or war of independence in the New World?

It doesn't have to be constant, but if there are periods of peace they must be fairly short, or if not, they aren't completely peaceful and there are small skirmishes or something.

That's an interesting question. How about a war in South America, with guerilla warfare in the Andes lasting years, fighting against the colonial power?Something like the Jamaican Maroons. I don't know enough to get into specifics, unfortunately.

Cheers,
Ganesha
 
Idea?:

Perhaps Napoleon succeeds in reconquering Haiti. But there is yet another revolt. Then yet another attempted reconquest. Then another revolt. Then France gives up.

But soon after Haiti acquires its independence and is at peace, it invades Santo Domingo. Or Spain invades Haiti in its weakened state. This war lasts for several years. And in its aftermath there are further revolts by either Haiti or the Dominican Republic, depending on whether Haiti or Spain is the invader.

Meanwhile, slave revolts of a caliber unreached in OTL occur in the Southern United States. Significant territories are actually acquired by the rebelling slaves. But the revolt is put down. However, abolitionists are mad at the cruelty with which the Southerners exterminate the revolt, while slavery supporters are angry due to abolitionist support for the rebelling slaves.

At this point in Haiti, a cruel dictator rules. Haiti, possibly consisting of the whole island of Hispaniola, breaks out into civil war as several factions try to overthrow him and take over. He is killed, but now said factions fight amongst each other.

While this is happening, an early civil war occurs in the US due to the extra tension caused by the 'slave war'. Because it is early, the Confederates actually have an advantage. Not only that but they are supported by Britain and France due to their cotton exports. However due to a string of Northern victories, the war ends up dragging on for eight or so years.

The newly independent Confederacy dabbles in Caribbean imperialism, and various filibusters take over states of Mexico and the Central American states (or maybe they're united). The Confederates then decide to invade Haiti and enslave the populace.

The Haitians do not take kindly to this and another war results. It takes two years for the Confederates to conquer most of Haiti, but then, due to their interference with Mexico, Mexico declares war on them.

The Confederates then have to fight Mexico and Haiti at the same time. Subsequently, the southern blacks revolt.

Mexico ends up conquering Texas at the least and Haiti pushes out the racist invaders. The Confederates then are at peace with their neighbors, but are now fighting a civil war on their own turf, as the rebelling slaves have formed several free states.

This goes on for a few years, until the US invades to restore the Union and free the slaves. After a bit less than a year the Confederate government has collapsed. The slaveowners go to Brazil, where slavery is still legal. While now it's a war between the US and the free black states, who now don't want anything to do with any 'States of America', whether United or Confederate.

That war drags on for several years. But the US, with superior industry and more people, ends up victorious.

By this point it's probably the 1870s or so. A war that started in Haiti in 1791 has now ended, almost a century later.
 
Bolivian's understand their war of independence lasted from 1808 to 1826. Chile didn't overcome the last royalist bastion until 1826. Uruguay was at war, first with royalists and then with the Portuguese/Brazilians from 1810 until 1828. Argentina's civil war lasted, intermittently, from around 1820 until 1862 with uprisings until 1880.
All this conflicts can be extended in time - the South American Independence War can be extended by butterflying away the Spanish 1820 revolution. That way, 20,000 (IIRC) Spanish soldiers would sail to Venezuela to try to turn the tables in the war.
I'd say, however, that the real challenge is to get shorter (significant) conflicts. OTL wars were already long.
 
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