Map Thread XX
- Thread starter Balkanized U.S.A
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Deleted member 169412
Something I got the idea of doing when I was bored at college:
This is an answer to the question "What if post-war Europe was harsher on Turkey and Bulgaria and decided carving up the Balkans just like Africa was a great idea?"
The players:
Italy: Was given Rhodes and some other Dodecanese islands in exchange for handing over Libya to Greece at *Sevres. Managed to get more land off Yugoslavia than OTL, and is still a democracy as a result. The Fascists are worryingly popular, though, especially given the constant political violence between them and the Communists.
Greece: Is currently dealing with a large Turkish and Arab insurgency. It turns out settler colonialism isn't as easy as Greece thought it was, and one of the biggest problems Greece faces is getting anyone in their right mind to move to Cyrenaica.
Turkey: Ruled by a weak liberal government in Ankara, which is sliding ever closer towards dictatorship in an attempt to deal with Islamism - which draws a lot of support from Turkish refugees from Thrace. Constantinople hasn't yet done the same thing in Smyrna that it did in Thrace, but most people agree that if it does, the swell in support for Islamism will mean the end of the Ankara Republic.
Bulgaria: Currently trying to court Islamists, Ukrainian nationalists, Albanian nationalists, and basically anyone that will help them fight Greece and Romania. For the most part they aren't interested.
Yugoslavia: Run by the Karadjordjevic dynasty, and basically a Greater Serbia in all but name. Yugoslavia has done very well out of its relationship with Italy, and in exchange Belgrade politely ignores Italy's actions in Slovenia and the Dalmatian islands.
Albania: The King of Albania would like to remind you that he is not an Italian puppet and the fact he comes from a cadet branch of the House of Savoy is completely incidental, as are all those gold lire in the Privy Purse.
France: Was given Syria and Lebanon as mandates at *Sevres, and is trying to stop intercommunal riots. It's not going well, and the only reason that a civil war hasn't broken out is because everyone hates the French occupiers more than they hate everyone else.
Britain: Spends millions of pounds on the Middle East every year, and is considering pulling out - there's some point in keeping Cyprus as a base in the region, but "stopping the Saudis from getting it" isn't a good enough reason to lose thousands of National Servicemen's lives every year in Palestine.
Saudi Arabia: The Saudis took over in Jordan after Britain pulled out of there, and an Islamist coup in Egypt put them on the throne there. The EKK (Ethnikoapeleftherotikó Kínima tes Kyrenaikés, National Liberation Movement of Cyrenaica) is not funded by Saudi Arabia in the same way the EOKA is not funded by Greece.
This is an answer to the question "What if post-war Europe was harsher on Turkey and Bulgaria and decided carving up the Balkans just like Africa was a great idea?"
The players:
Italy: Was given Rhodes and some other Dodecanese islands in exchange for handing over Libya to Greece at *Sevres. Managed to get more land off Yugoslavia than OTL, and is still a democracy as a result. The Fascists are worryingly popular, though, especially given the constant political violence between them and the Communists.
Greece: Is currently dealing with a large Turkish and Arab insurgency. It turns out settler colonialism isn't as easy as Greece thought it was, and one of the biggest problems Greece faces is getting anyone in their right mind to move to Cyrenaica.
Turkey: Ruled by a weak liberal government in Ankara, which is sliding ever closer towards dictatorship in an attempt to deal with Islamism - which draws a lot of support from Turkish refugees from Thrace. Constantinople hasn't yet done the same thing in Smyrna that it did in Thrace, but most people agree that if it does, the swell in support for Islamism will mean the end of the Ankara Republic.
Bulgaria: Currently trying to court Islamists, Ukrainian nationalists, Albanian nationalists, and basically anyone that will help them fight Greece and Romania. For the most part they aren't interested.
Yugoslavia: Run by the Karadjordjevic dynasty, and basically a Greater Serbia in all but name. Yugoslavia has done very well out of its relationship with Italy, and in exchange Belgrade politely ignores Italy's actions in Slovenia and the Dalmatian islands.
Albania: The King of Albania would like to remind you that he is not an Italian puppet and the fact he comes from a cadet branch of the House of Savoy is completely incidental, as are all those gold lire in the Privy Purse.
France: Was given Syria and Lebanon as mandates at *Sevres, and is trying to stop intercommunal riots. It's not going well, and the only reason that a civil war hasn't broken out is because everyone hates the French occupiers more than they hate everyone else.
Britain: Spends millions of pounds on the Middle East every year, and is considering pulling out - there's some point in keeping Cyprus as a base in the region, but "stopping the Saudis from getting it" isn't a good enough reason to lose thousands of National Servicemen's lives every year in Palestine.
Saudi Arabia: The Saudis took over in Jordan after Britain pulled out of there, and an Islamist coup in Egypt put them on the throne there. The EKK (Ethnikoapeleftherotikó Kínima tes Kyrenaikés, National Liberation Movement of Cyrenaica) is not funded by Saudi Arabia in the same way the EOKA is not funded by Greece.
Just a tiny map I made while discussing a CSA "victory" TL with a friend, where it is McClellan who loses battle orders, Jump forward a century and a half, and here is the map of the North American Free Trade Agreement (and the CSA, Republic of Georgia and People's Republic of Carolina, represented due to their geographical proximity). The blue borders represent the free passage of people and goods.
The Confederation got its independence in 1863, after a lucky march that got them through DC, Baltimore and Philadelphia. They demanded sovereignity over the Indian Territory, the New Mexico territory, as well as reparations, their only concession being the departure of Virginia from the Delmarva peninsula, the two counties ending up voting to join Delaware. And from then on it only went downhill: French Equatorial Africa and British India supplanted the Confederation as the main cotton producer, and the aristocrats failed to embrace industrialization until it was too late to save the Southern economy. A populist movement swept the South, and in the 1890s the sharecroppers were all in arms to burn down manors, converging with the widespread slave revolts.
But the two had very different goals in mind: the former slaves now wanted freedom and equality, whereas the one thing most populists agreed on was that equality as unacceptable. The "Southern Divorce" of 1897 led to the independence of the Republic of New Africa (bright orange) and the Republic of the Mississipi River. First Texas left the dying Confederation, then Florida did, and finally Virginia and Tennessee asked to be reintegrated in the Union. More radical populists in the edges of the South (especially places that were isolated by the two new African-American states) saw populism become more radical, moving further to the left. (Arkansas has since moved on to a more market-oriented economy, allowing them into NAFTA).
The United States of America & The Peripheral Territories of Anglo-America, in the Year 1800
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Deleted member 169412
D'oh. I thought they got the Dodecanese at Sevres.
Is "Greece's nationalist government asked for the Dodecanese, Italy offered them Libya instead as a way to get rid of a colony they didn't want while keeping a base in the Middle East, and Constantinople said yes due to their Byzantophilia" realistic enough? I know Italian rule in Libya wasn't er.. pleasant and I'd imagine Italy would prefer to "pacify" areas near Italy proper like Slovenia and their islands than a desert colony.
The Fiv per Civilized Tribes still where they were before or did the Georgians cause a couple international incidents by trying to drive them out with no where for them to go? Though come to think of it, it would be interesting to have an Oklahoma equivalence in the Northwest.The United States of America & The Peripheral Territories of Anglo-America, in the Year 1800
Funnily enough Italy got them in the same war they got Libya. Before WWI the territory was officially Turkish though, like how Cyprus was. I think the Italians were officially supposed to withdraw around the time of WWI, though clearly they never did. There is also the issue with Albania, as Italy may like- Wait, the orange stuff is Albania? Looks like they annexed most of Serbia.
Deleted member 169412
D'oh, part 2. I genuinely thought Albania was that far north.
Yeah, this is a massive Greecewank. To be fair, Greece is dealing with a massive insurgency, and those borders are very much on paper. Greece got those borders at Sevres, but isn't in any position to really enforce them, thanks to its government's belief that pissing off everyone apart from Greece by funding groups like the EOKA and treating Turks like second-class citizens, at best, is a brilliant idea.
I'd like to present my very first map! It's based off my current Paradox megacampaign which just finished the Victoria 2 phase. In this world, the Roman empire went through a bunch of dynastic cycles similar to OTL China. The Indian subcontinent was the first region of this world to industrialize, but was not as far ahead of the rest of the world as Europe was OTL. The 20th century has yet to see a major war, but as the world approaches the Atomic age, the stage is set for an immense three-way conflict unlike any seen before. To the Romans, it will be known as the final War to End All Wars... Armageddon.
if Greece nationalist goverment ask for the Dodecanese, Italy will give them two choice:
- they can have it but they must support Italy protectorate in Albania, if they play well they can obtain North Epirus but Italy will also want a treaty port at Smyrne and keep Rhodes (basically the OTL Tittoni-Venizelos agreement)
- if this option is not liked well the situation will remain as before, unless they try the stupid move and opt to use the military option, in that case Athens can say goodbye to his Navy. Honestly Greece has no way to pressure Italy to concede anything if Rome don't want or don't find the deal beneficial
Lybia is out of the question in this negotiation as too much blood has been spent for that even if it need to be pacified...especially to basically obtain nothing; it can be given to France and the UK in exchange of obtaining what promised against A-H and Fiume plus other concession
Utterly fantastic
Genuinely a super interesting world you have there. Be a shame if someone got it into a massive war and destroyed it.
Bifrost-1: Falun is the inner world of Bifrost, tidal locked to Bifrost the dark side is covered by thick glaciers of water, co2 and nitrogen. Smaller than Earth but with 4% higher gravity.
Bifrost-2: Hekla a slightly bigger version of Venus
Bifrost-3: Kimbrien, semi-arid and cold planet slightly smaller than Earth, but with 99% earth gravity, thick atmosphere, 24-hour day, and 450-day long years
Bifrost-3A: Mani, airless moon of Kimbrien with 3% Earth gravity.
Bifrost-4: Storen, hot or lukewarm gas giant with a 1100-day long year
Bifrost-4A: Oppland, Mars sized arid moon with heavy volcanic activity, thin poisonous atmosphere
Bifrost-4B: Tausen, Mars sized ice covered ocean world, thin atmosphere
Bifrost-4C: Nidaros, Earth sized cold ocean world, thick atmosphere, 141-hour day
Bifrost-4D: Hann, the colder cousin of Tausen
The Asteroid Belt splits the inner system from the two gas giants and four ice giants in the outer system.
General information: Bifrost is richer in heavy metal than Sol thanks to the Bifrost being younger. A unique fact which was a major reason for the colonization of the system is the fact that it has nine Jump Points, making it an important hub in the local Nexus. Bifrost lies a 115 jump from Sol in the closest jump line.
Interstellar history: Bifrost was discovered by the Copernicus the fourth Jump Exploration ship in 2102, the claim to the system was sold to Brahe a Danish interstellar colonization company in 2130. There was little interest in the system because of its peripheral geography and lack of easy to terraform worlds. Brahe which had less resources than bigger players, saw an opportunity in the many Jump Points and rich resources. As such it established a research outpost (Uranienborg) in the system in 2136, which grew into a full colony over the next decades. Sadly, for Brahe the peripherical nature of Bifrost meant that few other colonies were established in the region and most which was established were isolationistic. As such Brahe began to focus on other projects and mostly left Bifrost in benign neglect. So, outside the initial settlement of 40.000 Danes, 10.000 Estonians and 10.000 Belarusians the settlement received few settlers over the next several centuries, more or less developing its own culture or cultures. In the 26th century this change as the region began to rapidly change, many of the local early colonies had at that point developed into respectable economies with a renewed interest in contact with the greater galaxy, while the Inner World had begun expanding outward making Bifrost into the important regional hub the leadership of Brahe had imagined.
Of course, with the growing powers of the region and greater contact with the Inner World, Brahe also became a target of wannabe conquerors and pirate. But as Bifrost had kept a strong presence in space thanks to lack of easy settleable planets, it was able to keep these from conquer or raid the system.
Bifrost also lay claim to several system with little human settlement in the local region.
Human Settlements: Uranienborg was the first human habitat in the system, it was placed in the asteroid belt to avoid gravity wells and giving it access to raw material. In the first century most human settlement stayed in the belt, but it was decided early on that planetary colonization was necessary. Kimbrien and Nidaros was the two world which could be terraformed while keeping being settled. While Nidaros with its world ocean and small island continents would be easier to terraform than the dry world of Kimbrien with it limited water sources, Kimbrien had a lot more potential for resource extraction. It was decided to focus on Kimbrien but also start a minor biological seeding project of Nidaros.
By modern day, the terraforming is still an ongoing project. Kimbrien have reached a 7% oxygen atmosphere and the population lives in domed cities and underground. While a dry planet, the large lowland regions are dominated of massive peat swamps, while the highland have large alpine and tundra deserts. In the massive crater Tallinn taiga have begun to spread. Both the flora and fauna are extremely limited. The capital of Bifrost Nyhavn lies on Kimbrien.
Nidaros on the other hand have shown itself to be a much easier success the large oceans are a carbon sink and the over the centuries the oxygen level have increased to 22%. But at the same time the inland regions of most of the island continent are covered with kilometer thick ice sheets, leaving only coastal areas for human habitation, some coastal temperate forests do exist and a few arctic deserts. Life on Nidaros have a much greater complexity with ocean being incredibly rich in life. Nidaros rich aquaculture is a major export of the planet, though forestry is also major industry even with the limited area for it.
At last, there’s the world Falun. Falun is rich in both metals and volatiles thank to the tidal locking keeping the volatiles from being lost. As such there exist a heavy human presence in the twilight zone where they live in domed or underground habitats and make heavy use of the free energy of Bifrost. While not competitive in the production of spaceship with the Belt, Falun is still the beating industrial heart of the system and to lesser extent local space.
Population:
Bifrost (entire system): 800 million.
Kimbrien: 680 million.
Nidaros: 70 million.
Falun: 40 million
The Belt: 5 million
Other: 5 million
Political system: Bifrost is a semi-feudal hereditable monarchy ruled by a grand duke. The title grand duke is simply an attempt to translate the local title of the monarch and a truer translation would be “Grand Warlord”. While original a corporate free state ruled by the shareholders, the growing population of non-shareholder resulted in the old regime collapsing in the late 22nd century and after two and a half centuries of warring states, the warlord of Uranienborg used the increase external trade to fund his conquest of the system and the establishment of the monarchy. The Grand Duke power comes from his control over the jump points, which both give him control over the import and export of goods from Bifrost and control over the trade flowing through Bifrost. This control over the trade have resulted in the Grand Duke keeping power over the system, through the extinction of one ducal line resulted in a sideline taking over. Beside the Asteroid Belt around 15% of all the settlements of Bifrost is under direct control of the Grand Duke.
Below the Grand Duke the high nobility of the realm are the burgraves, again this title is a loose translation of the local title, whose direct translation would simply be “city lord”. The burgraves rule their settlements like absolute princes. They’re represented in the Council of the Realm, where they have power over taxes being raised on their settlements. There’re other categories of nobility below the burgraves like the lords, but they swear direct fealty to the Grand Duke or burgraves and aren’t represented in the council. The nobility has their own armed forces
Outside the control of the emperor is the guilds, the guilds represent the neutral parties in the warring states who was necessary to keep the terraforming going and infrastructure running. The two major guilds are the Spacefarer and Terraforming Guilds, but several minor guilds also exist. The guilds are represented in the council as their own estate. The guilds are more secular monastic (through non-celibate) order than traditional medieval style guilds.
Nidaros is a disruption in this system, since the terraforming allowed people to live outside the fortified city domes, there have been a rise of small coastal settlements which neither the Grand Duke nor the nobility can keep control over. The lack of the need for complex infrastructure to survive have resulted in the population growing increasing independent minded. A major uprising 40 years ago resulted in the Nidaros being given wide autonomy and its own parliament which swear direct loyalty to the Grand Duke.
Culture and ethnicity: The vast majority of Bifrostian ancestry come from Europe and as such they’re recognizable as being European descendent. The three languages of the settlers still exist, though they have diverged significant and many dialects of these three languages would be seen as distinct languages if they existed elsewhere. The main language is of course Danish descendent, but both Estonian and Belarussian do well and is recognized as co-official languages and sole official languages in many dome cities. On Nidaros and Falun Danish is solely spoken. The Asteroid Belts are distinct in that it has a heavy presence of outsiders as it’s a major trading hub. Half of the three million people of Uranienborg are immigrants and expats. Beside that the capital of Nyborg is home to another million immigrants and expats.
Cultural the Bifrostian have as much in common with their 21st century ancestor as those had with their 11st century ancestors. While their culture borrows heavy from the symbols of their parent culture on Earth, they’re very distinct including from each other as several centuries of civil war radical changed them. There’s also significant difference between the different planets and social classes.
The nobility is militant and feuding culture, low level civil wars between the different noble families often break out, through the Grand Duke limits the collateral damage. But if two families declare a feud on each other open warfare is banned, but assassination are overlooked. Outside feuds the Grand Duke deal harshly with such behavior. But it still creates a paranoid and vicious culture.
The commoners are in general browbeaten into submissiveness, they’re careful, polite, softspoken and obedient. But they’re also deeply care about their word and deal with rulebreakers viciously. Many foolish outsiders have found that out.
The Nidarosians are different from other Bifrostians, they’re clannish, rude, and independent minded, but share the belief in the importance of one’s word and deal harshly with anyone trying to take advantage on them or break the social contract.
The Nyborgians and Uranienborgians are more cosmopolitan, tolerant and easygoing, through they share the general politeness of most Bifrostian. This is large externt caused by the Grand Duke protection of them against the nobility.
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A Weimar America
1917-1935
With greater anti-British sentiment following the Civil War and various border skirmishes throughout the late 19th century. With the blood between Britain and America blackening and greater Irish and German nationalism and migration towards America, the US looked towards the rising German Empire as a European ally in thier struggle against the sneering British Empire and her malignant colonial holds.
The young Reich and the optimistic America- hand in hand went eagerly into the Great War ready to smash down the old order based around London. Instead they came out the other side scarred and broken internally. Germany and America were the perfect combination- America was the greatest industrial behemoth and Germany the greatest military power on Earth. But the dastardly Entente managed to split the two powers in half using the British and French navies. The German warmachine unable to refuel her armies was crushed beneath the Russian and French warmachine. And the American warmachine unable to kickstart her armed forces- especially after the Grey Telegram brought the revanchist Zapatista regime to her southern border was forced to surrender.
November 11th, 1917, Germany was brought to heel and humiliated. On March 6th, 1917, the London Accords were signed and the once "invincible" American nation and her optimism were destroyed. The United States were to-1917-1935
With greater anti-British sentiment following the Civil War and various border skirmishes throughout the late 19th century. With the blood between Britain and America blackening and greater Irish and German nationalism and migration towards America, the US looked towards the rising German Empire as a European ally in thier struggle against the sneering British Empire and her malignant colonial holds.
The young Reich and the optimistic America- hand in hand went eagerly into the Great War ready to smash down the old order based around London. Instead they came out the other side scarred and broken internally. Germany and America were the perfect combination- America was the greatest industrial behemoth and Germany the greatest military power on Earth. But the dastardly Entente managed to split the two powers in half using the British and French navies. The German warmachine unable to refuel her armies was crushed beneath the Russian and French warmachine. And the American warmachine unable to kickstart her armed forces- especially after the Grey Telegram brought the revanchist Zapatista regime to her southern border was forced to surrender.
- Everything above the Columbia River, all above the Red River Basin, the city of Detroit, the states of New York, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts are to be ceded to the Dominion of Canada- along with "Eastern Alaska".
- New York City, the Hudson Delta, and Long Island will become a new "free city/international city". True to American tradition, all races, all creeds, and all will be welcomed here.
- Mexico will be re-ceded Arizona, all of New Mexico west of the Rio Grande, "Vegas", and "Colorado"/Southern California
- America will be forced to pay 60 billion USD in reparations and "war-time" damages
- The Panama Canal will be leased to the British Empire from Panama for 99 years.
- Cuba and Hawaii will be freed of American influence and will be placed under "British protection".
- All American land within the 'Mexican Cession' must be de-militarized along with the remainder of Alaska as to allow "free and safe passage through the Arctic".
The 1920's would be a decade of humiliation as the nation was torn apart by race war, insurrection, and secession. Many people within the US would become disillusioned with the democratic process following Taft's clusterfuck wartime administration. The IWW and Klan would gain fame and popularity following the war, with the Technocrats and Silver Legion following close behind. Everyone and everything would try and find someone to blame. For the Klan it was the "Negro race", for the IWW it was the "Redcoat bourgeoise", the Silver Legion claimed that the US wasn't patriotic enough. And the Technocrats even had thier own boogieman, claiming that breaking isolation was what led to the US's downfall.
The 20's would see the most insurrection and disobedience since the Civil War. The Klan and socialists would battle across most of the Eastern US- the biggest and worst of them across Indiana in which 2,567 people in total would be killed. 10,548 were wounded. The Legion would march across California- known simply as the "Silver Trail", from San Francisco to Sacramento. Even though Pelley was arrested at Sacramento he and a dozen other Legionarres were let free following publicly outrage. Parts of Texas and Utah would attempt to secede as the insurrection leaders claimed "its better to leave somewhat pristine than to stay with this rotting Union".
Finally in 1932 came the Business Plot- the saving grace of a falling and dying America. Several hundred thousand men of all creeds, occupations, and positions (right of center) marched on DC and remade the Union from a failing democratic mess into a new and powerful empire of republicanism. "The Free American Republics". Under President Butler's guidance, the Republics shall remake, rebuild, and rekindle the American spirit. And through Butler, we shall finally claim our Manifest Destiny!
The 20's would see the most insurrection and disobedience since the Civil War. The Klan and socialists would battle across most of the Eastern US- the biggest and worst of them across Indiana in which 2,567 people in total would be killed. 10,548 were wounded. The Legion would march across California- known simply as the "Silver Trail", from San Francisco to Sacramento. Even though Pelley was arrested at Sacramento he and a dozen other Legionarres were let free following publicly outrage. Parts of Texas and Utah would attempt to secede as the insurrection leaders claimed "its better to leave somewhat pristine than to stay with this rotting Union".
Finally in 1932 came the Business Plot- the saving grace of a falling and dying America. Several hundred thousand men of all creeds, occupations, and positions (right of center) marched on DC and remade the Union from a failing democratic mess into a new and powerful empire of republicanism. "The Free American Republics". Under President Butler's guidance, the Republics shall remake, rebuild, and rekindle the American spirit. And through Butler, we shall finally claim our Manifest Destiny!
Fun fact: in 1921, Canada's population was ~8.8 million, and the 1920 population of the regions you've given Canada from the US was probably more like 14 million (I'm too lazy to track down the county-by-county numbers in the West there).
"...The 1920s is known as one of the darkest times in human history, with the end of the Great War in 1919 there came the collapse of great empires such as the German, Austrian, French and Nicholasite Russia really the only real 'victors' was the British but even then the economic and moral toll was high for all nations. One nation that was originally thought to be better off was the neutral United States but as we know this wasn't even close to the harsh reality of America before, during, and after the Great War and all these combined lead to the second Civil War and the rise of the United Socialist States of America we know in the modern era..."
- Americana Socialism: A New History of the USSA by Antony Beevor
I got an idea, the good 'ol USSA! I might do more things involving this concept but I need to do more research on stuff.
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Cross-posting from MotF 244:
The Gulf Stream mixes with the Labrador current in the shallow waters off Newfoundland Island to create some of the richest fishing waters in the world. The Grand Banks are host to an almost limitless number of Cod, Haddock, Swordfish, and Turbot. Known to European explorers almost as soon as the Americas were discovered (and possibly, as some scholars argue, before the “official” discovery), the rich waters of the Grand Banks (and the lands bordering those waters) were immediately coveted by European powers – particularly the United Kingdom and France. By the middle of the 18th century, the British had firmly established themselves on Newfoundland Island and the Nova Scotia peninsula, while the French held smaller islands and the Gaspe peninsula (which was governed as part of Quebec).
When the Seven Years War broke out between the United Kingdom and France in 1754, the Maritimes become one of the theatres of conflict. The British sought to capture French Acadia to clear the way by sea to Quebec City, the capital of New France. To that end, the British made a number of attempts to capture Louisbourg, the capital of Isle Royale, and the largest city in French Acadia - including a particularly protracted effort in 1758 – but all of these attempts ended in failure. The fortress-city had earned its moniker as the “Gibraltar of the Americas”. Despite this setback, militiamen and colonial soldiers from British America managed to secure an overland route to New France, capturing Montreal and Quebec City in the closing months of the Seven Years War. In the resulting peace, France was expelled from the mainland of North America, clinging only to Ile Royale, Ile Saint-Jean, the Magdalen Islands, and St. Pierre & Miquelon.
Two decades later, the British would find themselves almost entirely expelled from North America, clinging only to Rupert’s Land and Newfoundland, after the fifteen colonies successfully revolted with French and Spanish assistance. The British maintained an anchorage at St. Johns, but significantly scaled back its involvement in North America (the United States would eventually purchase Rupert’s Land). One exception to this draw down came during the French Revolutionary Wars, when the British occupied French Acadia (in collaboration with Acadia’s governor who was a closet royalist) to prevent the colony from falling into the hands of Napoleon. After the war, the British retained ownership of Acadia, but governed it as a separate colony from Newfoundland (efforts to consolidate the colonies into a Maritime Union were consistently rebuffed due to linguistic differences between the Anglophone Newfoundland and Francophone Acadia).
While governed separately, Acadia and Newfoundland colonies would share the fisheries of the Grand Banks for the next hundred years. When Acadia and Newfoundland were granted self-government as dominions of the British Empire in 1897, the two dominions agreed to continue to share the fisheries – and coordinated the construction of additional lighthouses to make fishing safer in the often-foggy waters. While there was a de jure conception that the waters west of the Cabot Straight and the waters of the St. Pierre Bank “belonged” to Acadia, while the rest of the Grand Banks “belonged” to Newfoundland, this distinction was largely ignored by Newfoundlander and Acadian fishermen. Additionally, American fisherman paid no heed to the maritime claims of their small northern neighbors. As the fishing stocks of the Grand Banks appeared to remain limitless, these violations were brushed aside and ignored. However, the situation would begin to change in the mid-20th century.
Starting in the 1950s, technological increases in fishing enabled fish production from the Grand Banks to skyrocket. Newfoundland and Acadia, whose economies were dependent on fishing, became worried that what once seemed like a limitless supply of fish could become exhausted if overfishing continued without interruption – particularly if American fishers were allowed to continue using the waters of the Grand Banks without regulation. The two tiny insular nations were well aware that they lacked the clout to directly coerce the United States to respect their claims to fishing waters. Accordingly, the two countries closely-coordinated a legal campaign to utilize diplomacy and international law to secure their claims. Newfoundland and Acadia were among the most active participants of the First International Conference on the Law of the Sea and brought suit against the United States in the International Court of Justice to press their claims.
At times, Newfoundland and Acadia employed extra-diplomatic actions, fighting the United States in a series of bloodless conflicts designed to put additional pressure on their larger neighbor to acknowledge their claims to an “exclusive economic zone.” These conflicts came to be known as the “Turbot Wars” (named after a type of Halibut that American fishers were particularly responsible for overfishing). The primary tactic employed by Newfoundland and Acadia was to use fast trawler craft to cut the fishing nets of American fishing vessels (though ramming and boarding tactics were employed less frequently as well). During the 1977-1978 fishing season, the “Turbot Wars” reached their peak, when the United States deployed a squadron of Navy vessels to protect American fishermen from Newfoundlander and Acadian sabotage. Ultimately the conflict was resolved when the United States faced domestic pressure to discontinue the costly Navy supervision effort and because Newfoundland and Acadia had been threatening to revoke NATO basing rights if the USA did not compromise.
Today, Newfoundland and Acadia hold an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) over the bulk of the Grand Banks fisheries, and the two counties continue to jointly regulate the fisheries to prevent depletion. In 1992, Newfoundland and Acadia formally demarcated a boundary between their EEZs, though a few active disputes in the Grand Banks area remain. Acadia and the United States currently dispute a section of EEZ near Sable Island. Acadia (backed by Newfoundland) argues that the uninhabited Sable Island should not count towards the demarcation of the mid-point line dividing the American and Acadian EEZ, while the United States maintains that it should (to its benefit). Elsewhere, Newfoundland, despite the backing of Acadia, has thus far unsuccessfully secured international recognition for its continental shelf extension claim over the remainder of the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap.
The Turbot Wars:
The Gulf Stream mixes with the Labrador current in the shallow waters off Newfoundland Island to create some of the richest fishing waters in the world. The Grand Banks are host to an almost limitless number of Cod, Haddock, Swordfish, and Turbot. Known to European explorers almost as soon as the Americas were discovered (and possibly, as some scholars argue, before the “official” discovery), the rich waters of the Grand Banks (and the lands bordering those waters) were immediately coveted by European powers – particularly the United Kingdom and France. By the middle of the 18th century, the British had firmly established themselves on Newfoundland Island and the Nova Scotia peninsula, while the French held smaller islands and the Gaspe peninsula (which was governed as part of Quebec).
When the Seven Years War broke out between the United Kingdom and France in 1754, the Maritimes become one of the theatres of conflict. The British sought to capture French Acadia to clear the way by sea to Quebec City, the capital of New France. To that end, the British made a number of attempts to capture Louisbourg, the capital of Isle Royale, and the largest city in French Acadia - including a particularly protracted effort in 1758 – but all of these attempts ended in failure. The fortress-city had earned its moniker as the “Gibraltar of the Americas”. Despite this setback, militiamen and colonial soldiers from British America managed to secure an overland route to New France, capturing Montreal and Quebec City in the closing months of the Seven Years War. In the resulting peace, France was expelled from the mainland of North America, clinging only to Ile Royale, Ile Saint-Jean, the Magdalen Islands, and St. Pierre & Miquelon.
Two decades later, the British would find themselves almost entirely expelled from North America, clinging only to Rupert’s Land and Newfoundland, after the fifteen colonies successfully revolted with French and Spanish assistance. The British maintained an anchorage at St. Johns, but significantly scaled back its involvement in North America (the United States would eventually purchase Rupert’s Land). One exception to this draw down came during the French Revolutionary Wars, when the British occupied French Acadia (in collaboration with Acadia’s governor who was a closet royalist) to prevent the colony from falling into the hands of Napoleon. After the war, the British retained ownership of Acadia, but governed it as a separate colony from Newfoundland (efforts to consolidate the colonies into a Maritime Union were consistently rebuffed due to linguistic differences between the Anglophone Newfoundland and Francophone Acadia).
While governed separately, Acadia and Newfoundland colonies would share the fisheries of the Grand Banks for the next hundred years. When Acadia and Newfoundland were granted self-government as dominions of the British Empire in 1897, the two dominions agreed to continue to share the fisheries – and coordinated the construction of additional lighthouses to make fishing safer in the often-foggy waters. While there was a de jure conception that the waters west of the Cabot Straight and the waters of the St. Pierre Bank “belonged” to Acadia, while the rest of the Grand Banks “belonged” to Newfoundland, this distinction was largely ignored by Newfoundlander and Acadian fishermen. Additionally, American fisherman paid no heed to the maritime claims of their small northern neighbors. As the fishing stocks of the Grand Banks appeared to remain limitless, these violations were brushed aside and ignored. However, the situation would begin to change in the mid-20th century.
Starting in the 1950s, technological increases in fishing enabled fish production from the Grand Banks to skyrocket. Newfoundland and Acadia, whose economies were dependent on fishing, became worried that what once seemed like a limitless supply of fish could become exhausted if overfishing continued without interruption – particularly if American fishers were allowed to continue using the waters of the Grand Banks without regulation. The two tiny insular nations were well aware that they lacked the clout to directly coerce the United States to respect their claims to fishing waters. Accordingly, the two countries closely-coordinated a legal campaign to utilize diplomacy and international law to secure their claims. Newfoundland and Acadia were among the most active participants of the First International Conference on the Law of the Sea and brought suit against the United States in the International Court of Justice to press their claims.
At times, Newfoundland and Acadia employed extra-diplomatic actions, fighting the United States in a series of bloodless conflicts designed to put additional pressure on their larger neighbor to acknowledge their claims to an “exclusive economic zone.” These conflicts came to be known as the “Turbot Wars” (named after a type of Halibut that American fishers were particularly responsible for overfishing). The primary tactic employed by Newfoundland and Acadia was to use fast trawler craft to cut the fishing nets of American fishing vessels (though ramming and boarding tactics were employed less frequently as well). During the 1977-1978 fishing season, the “Turbot Wars” reached their peak, when the United States deployed a squadron of Navy vessels to protect American fishermen from Newfoundlander and Acadian sabotage. Ultimately the conflict was resolved when the United States faced domestic pressure to discontinue the costly Navy supervision effort and because Newfoundland and Acadia had been threatening to revoke NATO basing rights if the USA did not compromise.
Today, Newfoundland and Acadia hold an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) over the bulk of the Grand Banks fisheries, and the two counties continue to jointly regulate the fisheries to prevent depletion. In 1992, Newfoundland and Acadia formally demarcated a boundary between their EEZs, though a few active disputes in the Grand Banks area remain. Acadia and the United States currently dispute a section of EEZ near Sable Island. Acadia (backed by Newfoundland) argues that the uninhabited Sable Island should not count towards the demarcation of the mid-point line dividing the American and Acadian EEZ, while the United States maintains that it should (to its benefit). Elsewhere, Newfoundland, despite the backing of Acadia, has thus far unsuccessfully secured international recognition for its continental shelf extension claim over the remainder of the Grand Banks and Flemish Cap.
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