In our timeline, through a combination of strategy and fortune, Britain was in a extremely dominant position in 1762. She had taken New France, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Havana, Senegal, French India and Manila. What's more, they had entirely confined both the Spanish and French fleets to be confined in ports without chance of escape.
In this context, William Pitt felt that many other French and Spanish colonies were ripe for the plucking. With unchallenged naval supremacy, he wanted one more year of war to truly crush the Bourbon alliance. But political changes were against him: the new King and his allies were wary about the power that was accruing to Pitt, and decided to quickly make peace on generous terms. The sheer number of territories given back was highly unpopular with the British public, and was criticized even by establishment pragmatists like the Duke of Newcastle. However, eagerness to please the new King meant that parliament voted it through with a large majority. And the British also lost out further because they did not know they had captured Manila at the time of the treaty signing.
But let's assume George II lived a little longer, and Britain found out about the capture of Manila, occupied a few more colonies and forced a tough peace on France, who was on her knees financially. What would the French foreign policy be afterwards?
Would they be looking for a quick turnaround and try to get revenge as soon as possible, via a war over the Corsican crisis or the Falklands crisis? Or would they accept they are in a much weaker position and have to build up their military capacity over five, ten, fifteen years? Would the nobility be willing to accept tax rises to overcome the utter humiliation of it all?
In this context, William Pitt felt that many other French and Spanish colonies were ripe for the plucking. With unchallenged naval supremacy, he wanted one more year of war to truly crush the Bourbon alliance. But political changes were against him: the new King and his allies were wary about the power that was accruing to Pitt, and decided to quickly make peace on generous terms. The sheer number of territories given back was highly unpopular with the British public, and was criticized even by establishment pragmatists like the Duke of Newcastle. However, eagerness to please the new King meant that parliament voted it through with a large majority. And the British also lost out further because they did not know they had captured Manila at the time of the treaty signing.
But let's assume George II lived a little longer, and Britain found out about the capture of Manila, occupied a few more colonies and forced a tough peace on France, who was on her knees financially. What would the French foreign policy be afterwards?
Would they be looking for a quick turnaround and try to get revenge as soon as possible, via a war over the Corsican crisis or the Falklands crisis? Or would they accept they are in a much weaker position and have to build up their military capacity over five, ten, fifteen years? Would the nobility be willing to accept tax rises to overcome the utter humiliation of it all?