alternatehistory.com

David T and possibly others have suggested that the introduction of the Kansas-Nebraska act sensitized northern opinion to slavery expansion in a big way, and made the prospective annexation of Cuba politically toxic to northerners. Further, they suggested that at least politically, Pierce and Congressional Democrats could have the political support* to annex Cuba, perhaps over the "Black Warrior Affair", had the Kansas-Nebraska been delayed.

How likely is it that sectional tensions would end up boiling over to the point of Civil War by 1860 anyway? If it does not happen with the election of 1860, is it inevitable by the election of 1864 or 1868?

I think it would be interesting to look into an ACW in which Cuba is already a US territory or state or states when the war breaks out. Maybe Puerto Rico could be thrown in too, or maybe not.




*So that's for political plausibility. Military-naval plausibility is another matter. I think America's Mexican War experience in Veracruz and Mexico city shows the U.S. had the capability to dispatch an adept and well-commanded military force to Caribbean destinations. The main difference here would Spain could possibly have better prospects of intercepting an American invasion force navally. Not sure how the navies compared in 1854ish. Ironically, I think the Spanish had bought their first ironclads from Mexico during or right after the Mexican-American War. Fleets were mainly wooden then anyway.
Top