What would cause Britain to mediate the US civil war and force a ceasefire? Would the Union be willing to accept a ceasefire?
What would cause Britain to mediate the US civil war and force a ceasefire?
Would the Union be willing to accept a ceasefire?
What would cause Britain to mediate the US civil war and force a ceasefire? Would the Union be willing to accept a ceasefire?
The most the CSA could get is recogniton which wouldn't mean a thing (As Palmerston pointed out) unless GB was willing to go to war with the US by breaking the blockade by force. Even the most pro-CSA members of the cabinet weren't willing to do that.
But we know in retrospect that diplomatic recognition would have automatically meant war between the USA and Britain, even if they made no attempt to break the blockade by force. Lincoln was not going to back down on this, although it is possible that British thought he was.