Busy reading Barbara Tuchman’s “The Zimmermann Telegram”.
According to Tuchman, there were a few troublespots in the Americas. Germany was trying their level best to entice Mexico into a full-blown war with US.
The Mexican president (at tat time – sort of) was Carranza, who was surely interested in the lost territories (Texas, California, etc). Was he really pro-German? Hard to tell.
Mr. Villa was raiding a few border towns and playing hide-and-seek with Pershing.
The US Army may not have been very impressive, but even Carranza must have realised that a war with US would not be a winning proposition in itself.
Germany was also trying to get Japan in on the act.
Without declaring war could Carranza make enough of a nuisance of himself where Wilson simply had to intervene? Not a Vera Cruz invasion, but more of an extended Pershing? Combine this with Villa and the border region is not safe.
The goal for Caranza would be to achieve some concessions – somehow (maybe not territories?).
Japan might see an opportunity to achieve something without risking anything.
If Japan should get basing rights in Northern Mexico (Pacific side) there is no risk to Japan and the concession to go home would be Pacific Islands (and by extension) some parts of British empire in that part.
Could Wilson be so tied up in Latin America that he would lose interest in anything else? Wilson’s ability to listen to other opinions was not greatly developed.
Let us just assume that the Zimmermann telegram does not get picked up and does not get published etc. The submarine war starts out 1 February 2017 as per OTL.
Now, the questions are:
1) IF Wilson gets bugged down in Mexico and trying to fend off Japan, will US ever enter the war?
2) If US delays entry or not at all, how much longer can WWI really carry on?
3) Does it end up in a British/French disaster? German defeat? Or just a fizzle?
According to Tuchman, there were a few troublespots in the Americas. Germany was trying their level best to entice Mexico into a full-blown war with US.
The Mexican president (at tat time – sort of) was Carranza, who was surely interested in the lost territories (Texas, California, etc). Was he really pro-German? Hard to tell.
Mr. Villa was raiding a few border towns and playing hide-and-seek with Pershing.
The US Army may not have been very impressive, but even Carranza must have realised that a war with US would not be a winning proposition in itself.
Germany was also trying to get Japan in on the act.
Without declaring war could Carranza make enough of a nuisance of himself where Wilson simply had to intervene? Not a Vera Cruz invasion, but more of an extended Pershing? Combine this with Villa and the border region is not safe.
The goal for Caranza would be to achieve some concessions – somehow (maybe not territories?).
Japan might see an opportunity to achieve something without risking anything.
If Japan should get basing rights in Northern Mexico (Pacific side) there is no risk to Japan and the concession to go home would be Pacific Islands (and by extension) some parts of British empire in that part.
Could Wilson be so tied up in Latin America that he would lose interest in anything else? Wilson’s ability to listen to other opinions was not greatly developed.
Let us just assume that the Zimmermann telegram does not get picked up and does not get published etc. The submarine war starts out 1 February 2017 as per OTL.
Now, the questions are:
1) IF Wilson gets bugged down in Mexico and trying to fend off Japan, will US ever enter the war?
2) If US delays entry or not at all, how much longer can WWI really carry on?
3) Does it end up in a British/French disaster? German defeat? Or just a fizzle?