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This is my first timeline and its a speculative timeline of events that might have happened in Great Depression America if tensions with Great Britain over economic rights in the region became hot. In TTL Britain has managed to stave off the worst effects of Depression by depending on its Empire and establishing fairly successful inter-empire trade links especially on new plantations in the Caribbean. FDR has for health reasons been unable to run in the elections, leaving Hoover in power after having shown the ability to mount some economic success using private industries. Due to a military policy of economic and military intervention for American assets in the region Hoover is authorizing the construction of a Caribbean battle group. Having never signed the Washington Naval Treaty this alarms the British.

Unable to fight a naval war America decides to hold one of Britain's more successful colonies hostage. Thus activating War Plan Red

(See article for details http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Plan_Red)

This is my first TL so comments are openly welcome and encouraged.


Anglo - American War


America suffering from the great depression in 1937 was currently headed by Herbert Hoover who had managed to squeak by in his election after one of his volunteer efforts in mining (headed by a major industrial firm and using quite brutal methods) shows promise. Many workers are cautious but sign up for jobs as Hoover tries to cut government spending and force issues.
In the Caribbean Hoover sees his chance to use the islands as a base for economic recovery. His backing of the Cuban dictator Batista leads to some moderate economic gains and Hoover decides that the production of dummy companies into public coffers would increasingly benefit him. They made several economic and immigration policies that would prevent British workers or settlers into areas under their influence in 1936 and began plans on constructing a larger Caribbean fleet.


This alarmed the Royal Navy as they felt themselves to be the dominant power in the world. No such treaties had been signed with them regarding a larger naval build up. Coupled with economic strains as the Great Depression hit home relations between the two nations largely, worsened. The deployment of an American Battle Group to the Caribbean was a serious dent in their relationship. However, items came to a head with the American occupation of Haiti.

The American military intervened in Haiti after American corporate interests were threatened by the rise of a radical socialist element in the government began to nationalize some businesses on the island. During the intervention there were British plantations that were ‘repossessed’ by American troops. There was national outrage in Britain as British citizens were killed in these incidents. There were terse words exchanged and a British Battle Group steamed into the Caribbean. A tense stand off ensued as the British demanded compensation for the loss of property and the death of its workers. The Hoover administration refused. The British responded with a punitive airstrike on an American base in Haiti. Three US soldiers were killed.
There was outrage as many American clamored for revenge and retribution. Hoover, fearful of taking on the Royal Navy in open water in the Caribbean, decided on a more overland route. British Imperial Trade policies had been fairly successful thus far at staving off massive economic burden and much of that had come from raw materials in Canada. Hoover saw an advantage. Hold the economically valuable Canada hostage in exchange for British co-operation in the Caribbean. This was seen by the Chiefs of Staff as an acceptable plan. Canada had no significant military bases or a very large military and more importantly unlike the Dominican Republic (a client state of Britain now after a British Intervention in 1923) no significant military garrison.
Quoting old words from the War of 1812 Hoover declared that taking Canada “would only be a matter of marching.” Military planners had long ago made plans for this under War Plan Red in which several avenues of attack were to be considered.


What the US hadn’t counted on was the pluckiness of the Canadians defending their homeland at the time.
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