Never Setting Sun (Redux): A "Western British Empire" Timeline
- Thread starter Coyote Knight
- Start date
And Audie Murphy was only a corporal who was short right up until he became the Angel of Death for the Heer.
Should I have bolded the "depending how people want to write TLs." part?
Yeah, you can make Hitler important if you want to, but you don't have to. It isn't necessary. And Hitler is more than likely butterflied away in this TL.
Butterflying people away entirely is the most practical and sensible approach, for sure. Given how the POD is essentially Napoleonic, everyone who was a major player during World War II would be butterflied by different circumstances. In some cases, some people might have the same name, but probably not the same look or personality.
Exactly. It is very unlikely there’d be an Adolf Hitler but a Randolph or a Winston Churchill is still likely as these were recurring family names (the First Duke of Marlborough’s dad was a Winston Churchill)...
They have a pretty strong claim on Texas but I don't know if the British would enforce it without the Americans screaming bloody murder
Especially as the US is already likely to be pissed as hell at them, adding to it.... Hoh boy.They have a pretty strong claim on Texas but I don't know if the British would enforce it without the Americans screaming bloody murder
True, but it's not like this was so massive a POD like a Napoleonic victory would be. It's still a big POD, but it doesn't mean everything changes completely. I'm trying to find the right balance between people we know historically but in different situations, and entirely new people at the helm or chopping block.
The Aftermath: North America
The Aftermath: North America
United States of America:
The USA is arguably the biggest loser from the war. What they had hoped would be a relatively quick war with increased access to the Pacific had resulted in them being utterly cut off from the Pacific. For instigating such a "needless war," America was very much punished. The British pushed for the return of their pre-1818 territories, as well as all land north of the Minnesota River. The upper peninsula of Michigan is taken from America and is attached via a small strip of land to these new territories, which Britain intends to turn into an "Indian Protectorate" as they had promised more than 30 years earlier.
The border dispute at where the Maine and Quebec border lay is resolved in favour of Britain, with "Madawaska" being awarded to New Brunswick. A portion of New York State from the 44th Parallel North was awarded to the British/Canadians, with Watertown's city limits being added as an exception. America held on to a much reduced Texas, with its area being hemmed in between the Red River and the Rio Grande east of 100 degrees W longitude [1].
Worse still, the free and slave states had begun speculating about future states to be acquired from territories they felt almost assured of in the earliest days of the war. It was bitter and sectarian, and made all the worse when only a small portion of what Texas claimed in territory was retained by America. New US President Zachary Taylor and his staunch position and unwillingness to compromise, as well as the heightened tensions between free and slave states, ultimately pushes America to civil war in 1851 [2].
President Zachary Taylor.
Taylor would live to see the advent of the American Civil War.
Commonwealth of Canada:
In the wake of the war with the United States, the Commonwealth of Canada had a surging of pride and a sense of an emerging national identity. Canada itself had acquired some disputed territory, and there was a sense that with good planning, training, troops, and cooperation, then Canada could initially and largely hold off American advances. Though this isn't exactly true, it is the mythos that begins to emerge. The war also served as proof that the colonies were better off united than remaining divided.
With the British holding the San Francisco Bay area as well as areas as far south as Carmel, they recognize their advantageous position and approached Mexico's Santa Anna with a deal. Since Britain helped intervene on Mexico's behalf and Mexico was already indebted to them to begin with, Britain would forgive all of Mexico's debt if it let them hold onto a wedge-shaped portion of northern California (that was already ostensibly under British occupation anyway) for a nominal price. Santa Anna being Santa Anna, agreed to these terms. Britain hoped that the Commonwealth would grow to include the Columbia District and California, providing further wealth and prosperity to the Crown. [3]
The 'Lone Star' flag of California.
This flag was provisionally used as the flag of recently purchased British California in place of the rebellious 'Bear Flag'.
Mexico:
While most Mexicans are angered at the surrendering of a good chunk of territory and the relinquishing of claims on Texas, the anger dissipates and/or is redirected to Santa Anna. The new provisional President Manuel de la Peña y Peña starts a campaign using American propaganda to explain the extent of territory Mexico could have lost without British help in the war. Though this helps, it doesn't stop many Mexicans from feeling that they've lost even though they were on the winning side. As a result, Santa Anna essentially becomes persona non grata in Mexico. Pena's provisional government almost immediately sends settlers (voluntary or forced) to settle the sparsely populated northern, central, and northwestern areas of their remaining northern territories. [4]
Manuel de la Peña y Peña
Following this transitional period, Jose Joaquin de Herrera is elected the new President of Mexico. Britain's California "purchase" (which was essentially trading territory for significant debt reduction), has helped lessen a post-war financial crisis, and many Mexicans find work in the Columbia District and California working in mines or as lumberjacks [5].
Propaganda circulated by Peña in an attempt to show what Mexico could have lost in the war
Mexico also experiences its own gold rush in their part of the Sierra Nevada mountains, helping bring more Mexican citizens into Alta California. Mexico also receives a strange boon in the form of displaced Mormons who were forced to flee what became British California. They desire to create a Mormon state of Deseret that occupies Mexico north of the Colorado River and east of the Muddy River. Needing settlers anyway, Mexico allows their request though they do remain suspicious of their intentions and loyalty [6].
And while Mexico's financial problems appear to be more or less under control, her political and cultural problems are about to come to a historic and violent head.
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[1] This is a very different Texas border, though it retains all the 'important' parts of Texas. It is also technically larger than the Mexicans wanted anyway, so this can be counted as a win for Texas and the USA.
[2] The PODs are no illness (or alleged poisoning attempt) for Taylor, and a lack of acquired territories from Mexico. This makes a 'Compromise of 1850' impossible and therefore results in an earlier civil war.
[3] Since it's the British ITTL that help crush the Bear Flaggers/Americans in Alta California, they see an opportunity to acquire a strategic part of California that they've previously considered as a British imperial aim.
[4] Since Mexico still retains a good chunk of sparsely-populated territory that they lost OTL, they encourage and force settlers into the area. America may have had a Wild West, but Mexico is going to have a Nutty North.
[5] POD - This helps prevent the return of Santa Anna in 1853 following an OTL financial crisis. The mining of gold deposits in the remaining parts of Mexican California also helps lessen the financial strain and helps the economy.
[6] Brigham Young's Mormons were American, and thus the British did not trust them in their easternmost portion of California. A brief conflict kicks them out forcing them to move further south to what would become Provo. This is still a part of Mexico ITTL.
United States of America:
The USA is arguably the biggest loser from the war. What they had hoped would be a relatively quick war with increased access to the Pacific had resulted in them being utterly cut off from the Pacific. For instigating such a "needless war," America was very much punished. The British pushed for the return of their pre-1818 territories, as well as all land north of the Minnesota River. The upper peninsula of Michigan is taken from America and is attached via a small strip of land to these new territories, which Britain intends to turn into an "Indian Protectorate" as they had promised more than 30 years earlier.
The border dispute at where the Maine and Quebec border lay is resolved in favour of Britain, with "Madawaska" being awarded to New Brunswick. A portion of New York State from the 44th Parallel North was awarded to the British/Canadians, with Watertown's city limits being added as an exception. America held on to a much reduced Texas, with its area being hemmed in between the Red River and the Rio Grande east of 100 degrees W longitude [1].
Worse still, the free and slave states had begun speculating about future states to be acquired from territories they felt almost assured of in the earliest days of the war. It was bitter and sectarian, and made all the worse when only a small portion of what Texas claimed in territory was retained by America. New US President Zachary Taylor and his staunch position and unwillingness to compromise, as well as the heightened tensions between free and slave states, ultimately pushes America to civil war in 1851 [2].
President Zachary Taylor.
Taylor would live to see the advent of the American Civil War.
Commonwealth of Canada:
In the wake of the war with the United States, the Commonwealth of Canada had a surging of pride and a sense of an emerging national identity. Canada itself had acquired some disputed territory, and there was a sense that with good planning, training, troops, and cooperation, then Canada could initially and largely hold off American advances. Though this isn't exactly true, it is the mythos that begins to emerge. The war also served as proof that the colonies were better off united than remaining divided.
With the British holding the San Francisco Bay area as well as areas as far south as Carmel, they recognize their advantageous position and approached Mexico's Santa Anna with a deal. Since Britain helped intervene on Mexico's behalf and Mexico was already indebted to them to begin with, Britain would forgive all of Mexico's debt if it let them hold onto a wedge-shaped portion of northern California (that was already ostensibly under British occupation anyway) for a nominal price. Santa Anna being Santa Anna, agreed to these terms. Britain hoped that the Commonwealth would grow to include the Columbia District and California, providing further wealth and prosperity to the Crown. [3]
The 'Lone Star' flag of California.
This flag was provisionally used as the flag of recently purchased British California in place of the rebellious 'Bear Flag'.
Mexico:
While most Mexicans are angered at the surrendering of a good chunk of territory and the relinquishing of claims on Texas, the anger dissipates and/or is redirected to Santa Anna. The new provisional President Manuel de la Peña y Peña starts a campaign using American propaganda to explain the extent of territory Mexico could have lost without British help in the war. Though this helps, it doesn't stop many Mexicans from feeling that they've lost even though they were on the winning side. As a result, Santa Anna essentially becomes persona non grata in Mexico. Pena's provisional government almost immediately sends settlers (voluntary or forced) to settle the sparsely populated northern, central, and northwestern areas of their remaining northern territories. [4]
Manuel de la Peña y Peña
Propaganda circulated by Peña in an attempt to show what Mexico could have lost in the war
Mexico also experiences its own gold rush in their part of the Sierra Nevada mountains, helping bring more Mexican citizens into Alta California. Mexico also receives a strange boon in the form of displaced Mormons who were forced to flee what became British California. They desire to create a Mormon state of Deseret that occupies Mexico north of the Colorado River and east of the Muddy River. Needing settlers anyway, Mexico allows their request though they do remain suspicious of their intentions and loyalty [6].
And while Mexico's financial problems appear to be more or less under control, her political and cultural problems are about to come to a historic and violent head.
Map of North America after the Pan American War:
----------
[1] This is a very different Texas border, though it retains all the 'important' parts of Texas. It is also technically larger than the Mexicans wanted anyway, so this can be counted as a win for Texas and the USA.
[2] The PODs are no illness (or alleged poisoning attempt) for Taylor, and a lack of acquired territories from Mexico. This makes a 'Compromise of 1850' impossible and therefore results in an earlier civil war.
[3] Since it's the British ITTL that help crush the Bear Flaggers/Americans in Alta California, they see an opportunity to acquire a strategic part of California that they've previously considered as a British imperial aim.
[4] Since Mexico still retains a good chunk of sparsely-populated territory that they lost OTL, they encourage and force settlers into the area. America may have had a Wild West, but Mexico is going to have a Nutty North.
[5] POD - This helps prevent the return of Santa Anna in 1853 following an OTL financial crisis. The mining of gold deposits in the remaining parts of Mexican California also helps lessen the financial strain and helps the economy.
[6] Brigham Young's Mormons were American, and thus the British did not trust them in their easternmost portion of California. A brief conflict kicks them out forcing them to move further south to what would become Provo. This is still a part of Mexico ITTL.
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Vancouver is already one of the warmest bits of Canada. Now that they have the San Francisco bay area and everything in between, Western Canada is likely to become the dominant part in the following century.
Mexico's victory was a bit phyrric, but at least the reduced national debt and gold mines ought to give them much better stability than they had OTL.
With far less industry than OTL, the civil war in this timeline seems more likely to be a southern victory, although probably not to an extent that the slaveholding south would come to dominate the north entirely.
As for the map... Those borders are just... Ugh.
The Stanislaus river is right there. OK, all too many Victorian era Brits would just go 'line on map, whatever' but surely there are Mexican negotiators there who at least know something about the topography of the land they are selling? In terms of the US-Canada border, why cut deep enough to have a border on the Minnesota, but keep the line-on-the-parallel where the Missouri and its longest tributary are a comparatively meagre 65 miles/100 km south of said line?
This map is sadly enough believable.
Mexico's victory was a bit phyrric, but at least the reduced national debt and gold mines ought to give them much better stability than they had OTL.
With far less industry than OTL, the civil war in this timeline seems more likely to be a southern victory, although probably not to an extent that the slaveholding south would come to dominate the north entirely.
As for the map... Those borders are just... Ugh.
The Stanislaus river is right there. OK, all too many Victorian era Brits would just go 'line on map, whatever' but surely there are Mexican negotiators there who at least know something about the topography of the land they are selling? In terms of the US-Canada border, why cut deep enough to have a border on the Minnesota, but keep the line-on-the-parallel where the Missouri and its longest tributary are a comparatively meagre 65 miles/100 km south of said line?
This map is sadly enough believable.
Not untrue, but the East still has the infrastructure and political power. The Capital is still going to be Ottawa. However, you are correct in that Western Canada is going to have a lot more power and influence as this TL unfolds. Who knows how that'll turn out.
Ding ding ding! It was pretty much impossible to butterfly Santa Anna and his fuckery away entirely, but I did my best to limit the effects.
Well, you'll just have to wait and see about that. The American Civil War is coming up next.
Yeah, I did try and go "how would a Brit in 1850 try and draw a new map of the region?" when making this map.
However, to address a few things you bring up...The Stanislaus river is a bit too north, since the British have made it as far south as Carmen which is slightly south of Monterey. The San Joaquin as it swings north might be better, though still less than ideal. ITTL, the Brits and Mexicans would have no doubt wanted the biggest share of the mineral-rich Sierra Nevada mountains. A diagonal split of the diagonal mountain range (and central valley) would have been seen as the most 'fair'. Another tricky aspect about where the border would go was the area was barely explored, and in the middle of the Great Basin.
(source I used: Mexican Map of 1847): https://blogs.loc.gov/maps/files/2015/12/9th_mapa-de-los-estados-unidos.jpg
It looks like the Humboldt River hasn't been discovered yet, and Britain would no doubt want a railroad from San Francisco Bay and Sacramento to their newly-acquired Salt Lake City area. This likely could have been a mixture of "that's a nice line" and "I want buffer space for a future railroad and I don't know all of what's in there yet." Don't worry, though. True to history, a headache caused by the British will have to be dealt with by different nations (Mexico and Canada).
1. The area is to be an Indian Protectorate, so the more natural borders the better.
2. Racism still exists, so the less arable land for natives the better.
3. Britain originally had a claim to the area shown on the map as part of Rupert's Land, which was the entire drainage basin of the Hudson Bay. In international proceedings, they could somewhat rightly argue that this territory should be "theirs," but it isn't even theirs since they're making a native protectorate out of it.
4. That was about as far as the campaign in the area could manage. This part of North America is still pretty underpopulated all things considered, and the natives, volunteers, and a handful of British soldiers could only do so much when eastern North America was far more important and relevant.
As to this update.
That's the British laughing at the Americans who ITTL will be a fixed Atlantic power with no Pacific interests whatsoever
The Aftermath: South America
The Aftermath: South America
Brazil:
Brazil is the biggest winner from the war as they establish a hegemony over much of South America, and have broken Argentine hopes for a reunited Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata. Brazil, in being able to successfully invade and effectively blockade Argentina, has done what no European power could successfully do. A renewed if uneasy alliance and respect from the British Empire helps solidify Brazil's place in the world, and earns it the respect of European powers. The war and helping the British has earned them a powerful ally and the status of regional power, and Brazil would be relatively stable and prosperous compared to many of its neighbours. The Empire of Brazil entered into a period of great economic, scientific, and cultural prosperity, lasting from 1850 onward.
Venezuela and Guyana:
Venezuela, home to just over 1.25 million people, saw two somewhat unforeseen events occur over the course of the war: a rebellion led by former leader Jose Antonio Páez against the actions and rule of his own chosen successor, Jose Tadeo Monagas, and Brazilian military aid to Britain. This was unexpected and poorly handled by Monagas. The costly war to reinstate Páez as president would ultimately make Venezuela a de facto British puppet state. Venezuela was forced to relinquish all claims on disputed territory in British Guyana, and the British themselves helped steer Venezuelan politics by helping Páez hold on to power in exchange for more trade and British preference for goods and services. [1]
Flag of Venezuela, 1850
Guayaquil and Ecuador:
Guayaquil saw relatively little fighting or destruction once Peru got involved in the war against Ecuador. The war had had the effect of justifying the militaristic mindset present at the time in Guayaquil; "Everyone wants to annex us, so we need to constantly be ready." Thanks to its protectorate status however, Guayaquil was an island of relative stability, growth, and progress, and began to come into its own as the "Pearl of the Pacific." Unlike the more conservative Ecuador, liberalism began to flourish in Guayaquil whereas conservatism became entrenched in Ecuador. [2]
Ecuador, annoyed and surprised by Peru's involvement, begins to foster even more intimate relations with the United States and Colombia. They now know that Peru may intervene and they would not have the capability to fight the Guayaquileños, Peruvians, and British should they ally again in the future. Though these ideas and fears persist into the future, the failure of the war forces a rebellion that sees Flores flee into exile.
Peru and Chile:
In aiding the British, Peru helped secure some respect and favours from the British which were seen as necessary given Peru's relations and territorial disputes with neighbours. Peru's involvement in the Pan American War was as much about pragmatism as it was about settling territorial disputes with Ecuador.
Chile on the other hand, while not exactly militarily involved, did allow the British to use their ports and coaling stations. The Chileans helped supply British forces, especially those in Guayaquil. Chile had found that their interests often overlapped with British interests and so sought to associate themselves with the eminent world power. This would come to be Chile's advantage in the future. Unfortunately for Chile at that moment, there was an attempted revolution in 1851 that came about as a Liberal challenge to suspect election results. Santiago was seized, causing the conservative government to focus on restoring order. [3]
José María de la Cruz
Opposition presidential candidate and leader of the 1851 revolution
Argentina:
Following Argentine defeat in the Platine/Pan American War, the San Nicolas Agreement was signed. It was meant to comply with the constitutional mandate of the Federal pact that presided over the Argentine Confederation, convening a Constitutional Assembly to meet in Santa Fe. This agreement was not accepted by the province of Buenos Aires, since it reduced its influence and power over the other provinces. Buenos Aires thereupon seceded from the confederation. Thus was Argentina divided into two rival, independent states which fought to establish dominance. On the one side were the Federalists of the Argentine Confederation, led by Justo José de Urquiza. On the other, the Autonomists of Buenos Aires led by Bartolome Mitre.
Uruguay:
With its long and costly civil war that captured the world's imagination at an end, Uruguay came firmly under the sphere of Brazil and Great Britain. Britain would endeavour to have a stabilizing influence, as well as having a base of operations in the strategically important area. As such, the British continued to help supply their preferred Uruguayan faction in order to prevent further conflicts such as the Pan American War from happening again. [4]
Venancio Flores, post-war President of Uruguay
Paraguay:
Paraguay, having gotten involved when Brazil mobilized to invade Argentina, came out of the war with Argentine territory north of the Bermejo River. With the opening of the Platine rivers, Paraguay now found it possible to contract with European technicians and Brazilian specialists to aid in its development. Unhindered access to the outside world also enabled it to import more advanced military technology.
During the greater part of the 1850s however, the dictator Carlos López harassed Brazilian vessels attempting to freely navigate the Paraguay River. López feared that the province of Mato Grosso might become a base from which an invasion from Brazil could be launched. This dispute was also leverage with the Imperial government of Brazil for acceptance of his territorial demands in the region. Strangely enough, Paraguay became one of the biggest winners of the Pan American War.
----------
[1] In OTL, Monagas won out and would remain president of an unstable Venezuela. Though Paez has returned ITTL, he has somewhat traded stability and power for being a puppet state of Britain. This will however be to Venezuela's benefit in the future. This also butterflies away (or severely reduces the impacts of) the Federalist War. This also means a more conservative Venezuela for some time.
[2] Guayaquil's independence is ensured for now, causing massive butterflies in this area of South America.
[3] In OTL's aborted revolution, the coup in Santiago fails and a major opposition general died in the process, throwing the rest of the attempt into chaos. ITTL, he survives and the attempt goes better for them, resulting in at least an occupied capital. The revolution will still largely be a failure, though.
[4] Relatively massive POD. This additional British involvement would butterfly away the Uruguayan War, as well as the associated Paraguayan War.
Brazil:
Brazil is the biggest winner from the war as they establish a hegemony over much of South America, and have broken Argentine hopes for a reunited Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata. Brazil, in being able to successfully invade and effectively blockade Argentina, has done what no European power could successfully do. A renewed if uneasy alliance and respect from the British Empire helps solidify Brazil's place in the world, and earns it the respect of European powers. The war and helping the British has earned them a powerful ally and the status of regional power, and Brazil would be relatively stable and prosperous compared to many of its neighbours. The Empire of Brazil entered into a period of great economic, scientific, and cultural prosperity, lasting from 1850 onward.
Venezuela and Guyana:
Venezuela, home to just over 1.25 million people, saw two somewhat unforeseen events occur over the course of the war: a rebellion led by former leader Jose Antonio Páez against the actions and rule of his own chosen successor, Jose Tadeo Monagas, and Brazilian military aid to Britain. This was unexpected and poorly handled by Monagas. The costly war to reinstate Páez as president would ultimately make Venezuela a de facto British puppet state. Venezuela was forced to relinquish all claims on disputed territory in British Guyana, and the British themselves helped steer Venezuelan politics by helping Páez hold on to power in exchange for more trade and British preference for goods and services. [1]
Flag of Venezuela, 1850
Guayaquil and Ecuador:
Guayaquil saw relatively little fighting or destruction once Peru got involved in the war against Ecuador. The war had had the effect of justifying the militaristic mindset present at the time in Guayaquil; "Everyone wants to annex us, so we need to constantly be ready." Thanks to its protectorate status however, Guayaquil was an island of relative stability, growth, and progress, and began to come into its own as the "Pearl of the Pacific." Unlike the more conservative Ecuador, liberalism began to flourish in Guayaquil whereas conservatism became entrenched in Ecuador. [2]
Ecuador, annoyed and surprised by Peru's involvement, begins to foster even more intimate relations with the United States and Colombia. They now know that Peru may intervene and they would not have the capability to fight the Guayaquileños, Peruvians, and British should they ally again in the future. Though these ideas and fears persist into the future, the failure of the war forces a rebellion that sees Flores flee into exile.
Peru and Chile:
In aiding the British, Peru helped secure some respect and favours from the British which were seen as necessary given Peru's relations and territorial disputes with neighbours. Peru's involvement in the Pan American War was as much about pragmatism as it was about settling territorial disputes with Ecuador.
Chile on the other hand, while not exactly militarily involved, did allow the British to use their ports and coaling stations. The Chileans helped supply British forces, especially those in Guayaquil. Chile had found that their interests often overlapped with British interests and so sought to associate themselves with the eminent world power. This would come to be Chile's advantage in the future. Unfortunately for Chile at that moment, there was an attempted revolution in 1851 that came about as a Liberal challenge to suspect election results. Santiago was seized, causing the conservative government to focus on restoring order. [3]
José María de la Cruz
Opposition presidential candidate and leader of the 1851 revolution
Argentina:
Following Argentine defeat in the Platine/Pan American War, the San Nicolas Agreement was signed. It was meant to comply with the constitutional mandate of the Federal pact that presided over the Argentine Confederation, convening a Constitutional Assembly to meet in Santa Fe. This agreement was not accepted by the province of Buenos Aires, since it reduced its influence and power over the other provinces. Buenos Aires thereupon seceded from the confederation. Thus was Argentina divided into two rival, independent states which fought to establish dominance. On the one side were the Federalists of the Argentine Confederation, led by Justo José de Urquiza. On the other, the Autonomists of Buenos Aires led by Bartolome Mitre.
Uruguay:
With its long and costly civil war that captured the world's imagination at an end, Uruguay came firmly under the sphere of Brazil and Great Britain. Britain would endeavour to have a stabilizing influence, as well as having a base of operations in the strategically important area. As such, the British continued to help supply their preferred Uruguayan faction in order to prevent further conflicts such as the Pan American War from happening again. [4]
Venancio Flores, post-war President of Uruguay
Paraguay:
Paraguay, having gotten involved when Brazil mobilized to invade Argentina, came out of the war with Argentine territory north of the Bermejo River. With the opening of the Platine rivers, Paraguay now found it possible to contract with European technicians and Brazilian specialists to aid in its development. Unhindered access to the outside world also enabled it to import more advanced military technology.
During the greater part of the 1850s however, the dictator Carlos López harassed Brazilian vessels attempting to freely navigate the Paraguay River. López feared that the province of Mato Grosso might become a base from which an invasion from Brazil could be launched. This dispute was also leverage with the Imperial government of Brazil for acceptance of his territorial demands in the region. Strangely enough, Paraguay became one of the biggest winners of the Pan American War.
Map of South America after the Pan American War:
----------
[1] In OTL, Monagas won out and would remain president of an unstable Venezuela. Though Paez has returned ITTL, he has somewhat traded stability and power for being a puppet state of Britain. This will however be to Venezuela's benefit in the future. This also butterflies away (or severely reduces the impacts of) the Federalist War. This also means a more conservative Venezuela for some time.
[2] Guayaquil's independence is ensured for now, causing massive butterflies in this area of South America.
[3] In OTL's aborted revolution, the coup in Santiago fails and a major opposition general died in the process, throwing the rest of the attempt into chaos. ITTL, he survives and the attempt goes better for them, resulting in at least an occupied capital. The revolution will still largely be a failure, though.
[4] Relatively massive POD. This additional British involvement would butterfly away the Uruguayan War, as well as the associated Paraguayan War.
As to this update.
I mean, that's fair, but let's think about this logically... Now that Britain's been in a massive and costly war, what does that spell for their future? What major events did the British get involved with/had happen in the 1850s OTL?
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Instead of the USA being the undisputed top dog of the Americas, it looks like even if the civil war goes similarly to OTL's war, the continent would have three comparable powers. The title and premise of this story means that Canada will continue its ascent and end up more or less on par with the US in the 20th century, but events thus far mean that the relationship will be far worse. Brazil has far more prestige and while it will still have to pay attention to what the rest of South America is doing, it will be a power that can act as a major global player in the future, as long as there is no republican farce in this timeline and Pedro II has a capable heir.
With major divergences this far back, the unnatural Anglo-French alliance is likely not to survive Napoleon III's fall from power. World War I would have a drastically different set of major participants and likely a theatre in the Americas.
With major divergences this far back, the unnatural Anglo-French alliance is likely not to survive Napoleon III's fall from power. World War I would have a drastically different set of major participants and likely a theatre in the Americas.
How? Mexico is still a semi-mess, Canada (or what will be Canada) is geographically vast but still has a tiny population compared to the USA. The USA still has, by far, the manpower, arable land, industry, and economy. America is not and likely will not be as overpowered as OTL, but it's not exactly off-course from being the Brazil of North America (biggest economy, most populous, a major destination for tourism and business, and wields a lot of power and influence in its respective continent).
How? Why? Even at this point, it's pretty much impossible for Canada to catch up to US population and industrial output. Why would the relations be worse? OTL, Canada was invaded by the US twice, they turned a blind eye to the Fenian Raids, war was almost risked over the Oregon Country and US Civil War, and yet we STILL came out of that horseshit with improving relations that led to the relationship we enjoy today.
It's not hard to give Pedro II an heir. Just have at least one of his sons survive OTL's bullshit.
What? Again, why? How?
Part of why Britain blockaded Argentina with the French was to help build the Entente Cordial. The entente survived N3's fall OTL, even though there were spats over Africa. Containing the rise of Germany was seen as more important. Why would this aspect of history, especially as it relates to the rise of Germany, suddenly change?