WI: Successful Ostend Manifesto (USA buys Cuba)

Actually Cuba was not so white in the 1850s-1860s as today, but yeah, not really different from the Deep South.

According to wiki Cuba was 57% White and and 43% black in 1861, so probably around 52-54% in 1854, more black than it is now, but still majority white.


But here we are assumed that the annexation takes place during the Reconstruction, when the influence of the South is at its nadir. And there was a considerable pro-US opinion in DR during the 19th century. The annexation treaty failed in the US Senate, not because DR opposed it.

Their was support by President Baez (who also tried to get DR annexed to France and Spain), who I'd point out was deposed multiple times.
Whether or not the majority of Dominicans supported annexation or not I don't know.


The annexation is happening because of peaceful agreement, not conquest, so this concern is ASB for 19th century American public opinion.

Those reasons were raised by American politicians IOTL.
 

Eurofed

Banned
As I said above, their would be those in America who would oppose it on the principal that it would be wrong to annex the only majority black Republic or because they believed that it would end up being exploited.

As I said, the annexation is occurring by peaceful agreement, so those concerns may only belong to a fringe in 19th century America. The vast majority would be offended by the thought that voluntary union with the "best government on Earth" would in any way diminish the DR. Besides, they weren't the only majority black Republic. There is still Haiti.

Their's also the fact that most Dominicans would likely oppose it as well.
(Their was a referendum IOTL, but given the president at the time it was very likely rigged.)

There were any major revolts to oppose the annexation or upturn the outcome of the plebiscite ? If not, given the circumstances, there is no reason to assume most Dominicans would actively oppose it.

All in all I'm not saying it's impossible, but rather that if Cuba got America then the U.S. would automatically try to annex everything else.

Not necessarily (I'm the first to argue they wouldn't touch Haiti with a 10-feet pole), but we are talking about stuff (Cuba and DR) they tried to annex IOTL.
 

Eurofed

Banned
According to wiki Cuba was 57% White and and 43% black in 1861, so probably around 52-54% in 1854, more black than it is now, but still majority white.

Ok, point conceded then.

Their was support by President Baez (who also tried to get DR annexed to France and Spain), who I'd point out was deposed multiple times.
Whether or not the majority of Dominicans supported annexation or not I don't know.

Well, in all likelihood they didn't oppose it to the point of grabbing a gun, which is matters here.

Those reasons were raised by American politicians IOTL.

Actually IIRC one, Sumner, the main opposer of the annexation, which for all his admirable lifetime abolitionist work, was a man of some... peculiar convictions at times. But an American Cuba is quite likely going to change even his mind on the subject (especially if, as Inaki argued, there are pro-Unionist rebellions in Cuba during the ACW).
 

Eurofed

Banned
It did'nt start out as a Republic though, having been both a Kingdom and Empire, where-as DR started out as a Republic, which is more what I was meaning.

Actually, Haiti started as a Republic, had brief bouts as a Kingdom and Empire, and has been a Republic since 1820. The argument seems increasingly grasping at straws. :p
 
Actually, Haiti started as a Republic, had brief bouts as a Kingdom and Empire, and has been a Republic since 1820. The argument seems increasingly grasping at straws. :p

No, they started out as an Empire, namely the First Haitian Empire, then became two Republics, then a Kingdom, then an Empire again and finally a Republic for a second and final time.
 

Eurofed

Banned
Well he was deposed several times in coups and eventually forcefully exiled to PR.

This refers to general DR political instability (one reason why they sought solace in union with the US) and not direct opposition to the annexation.
 
1) What would happen to the Civil war? Most likely the union navy would just blockade them imo, but what do you guys think?
Like Maryland, Delaware & Kentucky, Cuba would be one of the Slave states that remain in the Union.
Probably still a territory, as a decision on admitting it as 1 or splitting it in 2 states continues.
As many Yankee Traders move to the Island as Southern Plantation people.
As such, the CS loses it as a Blockade Runner base, and the CS receives a lot less run goods.

2) Spanish American war results what would the USA get instead of Cuba since they already own it?
My guess would be the Spanish half of Hispaniola.
?Why would there even be a Spanish-American War ITTL?
My Guess --Germany gets the Philippines/Spanish south Seas

3) What Cuba would look like today, would it be independent? would it be a state? would they speak English?
Probably two states. ?Question is would it get the same amount of Italian Immigration?
OTL it got enuff Italian Immigration to raise the White/Black ratio from the ACW era 50/50 to the WW1 era 70/30.
Most of these Immigrants would have learned English as their main Language.
4) How would Americans feel today and back then about all of the Spanish speaking, Part native, Catholic Cubans in their country?
The same as whe do OTL about all the Porto Ricans running around the Mainland.
 

Eurofed

Banned
No, they started out as an Empire, namely the First Haitian Empire, then became two Republics, then a Kingdom, then an Empire again and finally a Republic for a second and final time.

Nope. The independence was proclaimed as a Republic, then it went Empire in 1806. Anyway, it is a trivial technicality, which is not going to become a serious point of political debate in the USA, and it favors Haiti anyway.
 
Thinking what?

Are you going to write a TL about this?

Could be, could be

I have some ideas, I made some research, for example: commander of United States in Cuba and after Commander of Confederate Forces in Cuba during the ACW: Benjamin Huger.

1860 elections: Democrats candidates for president and vicepresident: James Buchanan, Sam Houston.
Union Democrats: Stephen A Douglas, Hannibal Hamlin
Republicans: Abraham Lincoln, Edwin D. Morgan

Civil War 1861-65. Commander in chief of all the Confederates Forces: charge created in april 1862 Albert S. Johnston
Commander in chief of all the Union forces: charge created january 1864 George Meade.

It is a project, but I need more research, and for the moment is only a project, I expect but that it could be my first TL that I begin and end completely.
 
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