WI: UK vs France | Fashoda War 1900?

WI: Fashoda War 1900?

  • UK Beats France Decisively

    Votes: 50 60.2%
  • UK Beats France Tactically

    Votes: 28 33.7%
  • France Beats UK Decisively

    Votes: 2 2.4%
  • France Beats UK Tactically

    Votes: 1 1.2%
  • Stalemate

    Votes: 2 2.4%

  • Total voters
    83
Oh come on - this is computer game AH. Why on earth would all these countries throw in with France over the Fashoda? Do they just sit down and say "maybe if we all team up we can beat the UK, so let's do it". That's not how life works. That's not even how Vic 2 works. You'd probably even struggle on Civ 5 to get an alliance like that together.

France: Let's forget recent history and DW on UK, Germany.
Germany: Why would we do that?

France: Let's DW on UK, Russia.

Russia: Why would we do that?

France: Let's DW on UK, Ottomans.
Ottomans: Why would we do that?

:D:D

Hilarious
 
France: Let's forget recent history and DW on UK, Germany.
Germany: Why would we do that?

While I won`t dispute how Dorozhand`s grand anti-British alliance is virtually impossible, it should be noted that Germany and France did have a period of reconciliation and normalization of relations in the couple of decades before the Moroccan Crisis. IIRC all that the Germans required of the French for forging an alliance is for them to renounce their claims on Alsace-Lorraine, which was politically impossible for the French leaders to do. However, assuming that the Fashoda Crisis went "hot", I think that a Franco-German alliance is not strictly impossible in the aftermath of an Anglo-French war over Fashoda.
 
Despite the fact this war seems very unlikely to occur, I'd say UK would win this one. This looks like a repeat of the seven years war. French colonies cut off from mainland France.
 
What would be the point of an Franco-German alliance in 1900?

How would they attack UK?

If France is daft enough to provoke a shooting war in the Sudan then they absolutely lose the chance of any Entente Cordiale.

France and Russia vs Germany and Austria does not work.

France loses. Which is why they backed down IOTL?
 
Could France shell the Channel from north coast by this point or no?

Yes they could but how does that help, they cant hit the English coat they probably cant even fire half way accurately and if you start shelling Merchant shipping in International waters you become an International pariah. Plus the Royal Navy might get a bit grumpy and start using France for target practice.
 
However, assuming that the Fashoda Crisis went "hot", I think that a Franco-German alliance is not strictly impossible in the aftermath of an Anglo-French war over Fashoda.

Maybe not strictly impossible, but what would it achieve. Nobody is Sealioning Britain, and Britain isn't Overlording France. So Britain's navy cuts France (and apparently Germany now?!) off from their colonies until everybody calms down and says "why did we go to war again?"
 
While I won`t dispute how Dorozhand`s grand anti-British alliance is virtually impossible, it should be noted that Germany and France did have a period of reconciliation and normalization of relations in the couple of decades before the Moroccan Crisis. IIRC all that the Germans required of the French for forging an alliance is for them to renounce their claims on Alsace-Lorraine, which was politically impossible for the French leaders to do. However, assuming that the Fashoda Crisis went "hot", I think that a Franco-German alliance is not strictly impossible in the aftermath of an Anglo-French war over Fashoda.

I will even add that, if you want to have the slightest reconciliation and alliance between France and Germany, you would have needed either Germany to give back Alsace-Moselle to France (what a grand gesture it would have been !) or Germany to have never snatched Alsace-Moselle away.

Taking those territories was a curse for Germany and the whole of Europe. It was no longer time when you could annex part of of another country's territory and population.

This was the consequence of the strength of national consciousnesses. It took almost a century for governments to understand it. They waited until WWII to understand it : if you want to change frontiers, then you have to move populations with the frontier.
 

GarethC

Donor
Kaiser Wilhelm declares war, on his own grandmother, in support of the French, who have not yet given up hope of reclaiming Alsace-Lorraine?

I do not think so. This is not the ASB forum.
 
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Maybe not strictly impossible, but what would it achieve?

You mean during the war or after it? Because let's be clear, there is no chance whatsoever of Germany entering the "Fashoda war" in support of France in 1905. But as I said, in the aftermath of such a war a Franco-German alliance isn't impossible, if their interests align against Britain. However, the chances of this happening are fairly small, especially compared to a possible Anglo-German partnership.

until everybody calms down and says "why did we go to war again?"

Note that this did not help with stopping WWI.
 

LordKalvert

Banned
The French would resort to attacks on commerce just like the Germans do in WWI

In 1900, submarines aren't worth a squat so they'll be relying on torpedo boats, cruisers, and armed merchant ships. Given the better geography of France and her overseas possessions, the French would be reasonable successful at first. Once her colonies start being reduced, this will decline

The French don't stand a chance unless she can earn support from someone. In OTL, everyone declined and so the French back down. If they do get allies, then the calculation may change enough to make war worthwhile
 
France will be entirely cut off from her colonies.It will be a repeat of the Seven Years' War.

France could kiss most or all of its overseas empire goodbye, and Delcassé and Dupuy both knew it.

That said, had some major accidental altercation happened somewhere, war could have erupted despite their efforts. Luckily for France, it didn't.
 
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