Triple Calamity: What if the Three Most Important Men in the Executive Branch Died in One Night?
- Thread starter Mr.Q
- Start date
Well, no one actually knows the answer to that question. Some people assume so?
Custer will have to be appeased, the way he sees it, he should be president right now, not the old man who put the body meant to coronate him into recess.
also the Custer’s feel really cheated right now and so do Custer supporters. I’ve been slowly hinting at this, but George, Thomas and Boston have all been gaining popularity as of late, especially among young liberals and Indian war vets. They almost had a paramilitary following in some states during the campaign.
Custer will have to be appeased, the way he sees it, he should be president right now, not the old man who put the body meant to coronate him into recess.
The Jungle
December 15th, 1892: Lieutenant Colonel John Pershing is sent beyond the borders of Liberia north, along the Niger River, with 2000 men of the 'African Expedition.' Meant to expand the Liberian borders. 200 men stay in Monrovia with orders to keep the Liberian government loyal.
December 18th, 1892: Pershing's boys set up their first camp ten miles from the Liberian border.
December 23, 1892: Camp One is abandoned.
December 23rd, 1892: Locals spot the Americans while they leave camp.
December 26th, 1892: At the second base camp, orders are sent via messenger that they ought to cross the Niger River and move west.
December 27th, 1892: Pershing's men agree, moving west into what is mostly uninhabited British-claimed territory.
December 29th, 1892: Locals, seeing the Americans, inform British authorities.
January 1st, 1893: The expedition finds a large clearing in the brush with suitable soil. He decides it is a good spot for a fort.
January 2, 1893: A messenger is sent back to Monrovia to inform them of the new fort location and asks for reinforcement, supplies, and preliminary settlers.
January 3rd, 1893: After receiving orders from London, Governor Flemming of the Sierra Leone Colony sends Major Thomas Downing and 2500 men to ask the Americans to return to their side of the Niger River.
January 6th, 1893: Downing and Pershing meet. After a tension-filled discussion, Pershing refuses to leave until orders return from Monrovia.
January 8th, 1893: The messenger returns from Liberia; he informs Pershing that supplies and settlers are on the way to the newly named Fort Grant. Pershing then sends him back to Monrovia with news of the British presence.
January 9th, 1893: Another 100 British forces arrive to support Downing outside Fort Grant.
January 10th, 1893: Downing and Pershing meet a second time and agree to avoid any violence.
January 10, 1893: Upon arriving in Monrovia and informing American command of the situation, word is sent to Washington, D.C. On the same day, Governor Flemming sent word to London of the situation.
January 11, 1893: President Grant gives orders to not retreat from the clearing and force the British to chicken out. The same day, Prime Minister Gladstone orders that Downing issue an ultimatum.
January 12th, 1893: Orders make it to the two commanders; both follow their orders, and nothing changes.
January 13th, 1893: Again, both American and British commands in Sierra Leone and Liberia inform their respective governments.
January 14, 1893: With great haste, the British Ambassador in Washington, D.C., issues a formal complaint to the President. News in both the UK and US picks up on the story.
January 15th, 1893: Monrovia gets to work on a telephone line between Fort Grant and Liberia. President Grant publicly refuses to order Pershing to retreat and pushes London to give up.
January 16th, 1893: Gladstone orders British troops to return to Freetown.
January 17th, 1893: Major Downing withdraws back to Freetown, and Pershing declares victory.
January 19, 1893: Newspapers report an American victory in the standoff.
January 20th, 1893: The British ambassador to America declares that the fight is not over.
January 25th, 1893: A telephone and telephone operator arrive at Fort Grant, shortly after the telephone line is connected.
January 26th, 1893: Extra-british forces leave Gibraltar for Freetown.
January 31st, 1893: Settlers arrive at Fort Grant along with the requested supplies. Including three pieces of artillery.
February 5, 1893: Fort Grant celebrates the House's election of Robert E. Pattison as president elect.
February 7th, 1893: 4600 British forces assemble in Freetown.
February 8th, 1893: D.C. is informed of the increased troop presence, and negotiations with London begin.
February 15th, 1893: Negations fall through as Britain refuses to allow Liberia to gain any territory. Downing and the 4600 men are ordered to once again stand off with Pershing.
February 16th, 1893: Gladstone officially issues a ten-day ultimatum for American removal.
February 17th, 1893: Panic starts in both the US and UK.
February 18th, 1893: Downing arrives outside Fort Grant.
February 19, 1893: Though saying nothing publicly, Grant sends a direct order to Pershing to not move no matter what happens.
February 21st, 1893: The State Department tells the press they believe the British will back down.
February 23rd, 1893: Major Downing privately urges Pershing to leave Fort Grant. He tells him that London was very serious about the situation. Pershing declines.
February 24th, 1893: Haitian war hero Commodore George Dewey and three United States naval vessels are sent from Savannah port towards Freetown.
February 26th, 1893: The ultimatum deadline expires. Downing receives no orders.
February 27th, 1893: Downing requests some sort of order.
February 28th, 1893: Freetown orders him to stay put.
March 1st, 1893: Dewey arrives just outside of Freetown. They pass by the shore before sailing to Monrovia to refuel.
March 2, 1893: President Pattison is killed in a train derailment, and the American government flies into chaos.
March 3rd, 1893, 7:22 AM: In the early morning, the Royal Navy sails to Monrovia and does the same intimidating sail by tactic Dewey employed. Dewey orders his ships to leave port and requests that the British ships leave.
March 3rd, 1893, 9:32: Freetown sends a message to Downing. To this day, the intent of the message is unknown. It states, '"New orders are to come soon, Yankees in chaos back home." This message causes British troops to be on edge.
March 3rd, 1893, 10:44: A young American private yells mocking terms over at the British. This has been a common occurrence, but usually the British don't respond. This time was different. Supposedly, British troops responded by making fun of Pattison's death. Something the American troops were yet to hear about.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:01: Once the death of Pattison was confirmed to the troops, both sides began to get angry. Yelling began.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:13: A gunshot rings out throughout the jungle. No one knows who shot first. Soon after, a gunfight begins.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:17: Close quarters combat begins as some American troops rush out of the makeshift walls of Fort Grant.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:22: Downing hears about the skirmish. Unsure of what to do, he tries to calm the situation.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:23: Pershing is awoken from his nap by screams. He is told the British attacked; he orders all men in Fort Grant to the walls and to the dugouts.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:25: The Americans lose close quarters combat and retreat back to Fort Grant under fire. Troops on the walls of Fort Grant fire at undefended British troops.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:28: Major Downing is told that the Americans in the Fort are firing on British troops; he is also told that the Americans started the engagement. Downing, seeing no other option, orders the British troops to storm Fort Grant.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:38: Cannon fire from the British camp hits the makeshift walls of Fort Grant. Pershing, now fearing a full-scale attack, orders the telephone operator to inform Monrovia of the British attack. Then he and his officers leave Fort Grant from the back and go to a nearby outpost on a hill.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:40: British troops begin their first assault of Fort Grant. At the same time, the telephone operator informs Monrovia of the chaos. Soon after, the telephone line was cut by British forces.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:42: American troops rush to wheel out artillery provided on January 31st and set it up on the walls.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:44: Commodore Dewey is informed of the situation in the jungle. Now, fearing that the British ships outside Monrovia will attack the city, he orders warning shots on the British vessels.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:46: Captain Hannity of the HMS Albert is confused by the escalation orders retaliatory warning shots. Hannity is told by his junior officers to withdraw.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:47: Dewey, now fearing the worst, orders a salvo from the USS Iowa, intended to miss the Albert.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:48: One shot of the slavo hits the HMS Albert. Captain Hannity, now knowing he was under fire, orders a retaliatory salvo as the other two British ships close in to support the Albert. Hannity is told again to withdraw, this time with far more intensity from his junior officers. After a second thought, he agrees. Hannity orders all three British ships to return to Freetown.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:50: The confused Dewey celebrates a victory; word is quickly sent to DC that the British have now tried to attack the Americans on land and sea.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:55: After American artillery from within Fort Grant is finally set up and fires on the British position, the British withdraw. Gunfire stops, and both sides dig in and prepare for another engagement in the near future.
March 3rd, 1893, 12:40: After counting the dead American casualties in the jungle, they stand at 13 and the British casualties stand at 7. With 33 injuries on both sides,.
March 3rd, 1893, 12:44: One British sailor had a heart attack and died shortly after the engagement with the Iowa. He is mourned aboard the HMS Kent.
March 4, 1893: John Sherman is inaugurated President of the United States. In his inaugural address, he informs the public of the battle in the jungle and at sea. He then informs the people that, due to the cutting of the phone line, they have no contact with the African expedition. He says "I MUST ADMIT! My friends the worst has entered my mind, that our boys in the jungle have been slaughtered! I promise you, we will not rest until justice is served. THAT BASTARD GLADSTONE MUST HAVE A DAMN GOOD EXPLANATION!" Earthquaking and shocked cheers rumbled throughout the Capitol steps.
March 4th, 1893: Shocked newspapers publish the news of the battles. Mass panic follows in the US, Canada and UK.
March 5th, 1893: 10 Downing Street officially places all blame on the Americans, saying that the attacks by the USS Iowa and the battle in the jungle were clear provocations and that Parliament would be considering anything at it's next session.
March 5th, 1893: Queen Victoria releases a statement. She condemns the United States for its actions in Africa and announces that she and Prime Minister Gladstone will ensure that justice upon the Americans is served. The Queen then issues a royal proclamation expelling the American ambassador from London.
March 5th, 1893: Sherman asks the British Ambassador to leave as well, he is given a train ticket to Ottawa. Now the only line between the two is a telephone line from the D.C to Ottawa. Sherman says that he will only hear British words from a Canadian diplomat who he "trusts more".
December 18th, 1892: Pershing's boys set up their first camp ten miles from the Liberian border.
December 23, 1892: Camp One is abandoned.
December 23rd, 1892: Locals spot the Americans while they leave camp.
December 26th, 1892: At the second base camp, orders are sent via messenger that they ought to cross the Niger River and move west.
December 27th, 1892: Pershing's men agree, moving west into what is mostly uninhabited British-claimed territory.
December 29th, 1892: Locals, seeing the Americans, inform British authorities.
January 1st, 1893: The expedition finds a large clearing in the brush with suitable soil. He decides it is a good spot for a fort.
January 2, 1893: A messenger is sent back to Monrovia to inform them of the new fort location and asks for reinforcement, supplies, and preliminary settlers.
January 3rd, 1893: After receiving orders from London, Governor Flemming of the Sierra Leone Colony sends Major Thomas Downing and 2500 men to ask the Americans to return to their side of the Niger River.
January 6th, 1893: Downing and Pershing meet. After a tension-filled discussion, Pershing refuses to leave until orders return from Monrovia.
January 8th, 1893: The messenger returns from Liberia; he informs Pershing that supplies and settlers are on the way to the newly named Fort Grant. Pershing then sends him back to Monrovia with news of the British presence.
January 9th, 1893: Another 100 British forces arrive to support Downing outside Fort Grant.
January 10th, 1893: Downing and Pershing meet a second time and agree to avoid any violence.
January 10, 1893: Upon arriving in Monrovia and informing American command of the situation, word is sent to Washington, D.C. On the same day, Governor Flemming sent word to London of the situation.
January 11, 1893: President Grant gives orders to not retreat from the clearing and force the British to chicken out. The same day, Prime Minister Gladstone orders that Downing issue an ultimatum.
January 12th, 1893: Orders make it to the two commanders; both follow their orders, and nothing changes.
January 13th, 1893: Again, both American and British commands in Sierra Leone and Liberia inform their respective governments.
January 14, 1893: With great haste, the British Ambassador in Washington, D.C., issues a formal complaint to the President. News in both the UK and US picks up on the story.
January 15th, 1893: Monrovia gets to work on a telephone line between Fort Grant and Liberia. President Grant publicly refuses to order Pershing to retreat and pushes London to give up.
January 16th, 1893: Gladstone orders British troops to return to Freetown.
January 17th, 1893: Major Downing withdraws back to Freetown, and Pershing declares victory.
January 19, 1893: Newspapers report an American victory in the standoff.
January 20th, 1893: The British ambassador to America declares that the fight is not over.
January 25th, 1893: A telephone and telephone operator arrive at Fort Grant, shortly after the telephone line is connected.
January 26th, 1893: Extra-british forces leave Gibraltar for Freetown.
January 31st, 1893: Settlers arrive at Fort Grant along with the requested supplies. Including three pieces of artillery.
February 5, 1893: Fort Grant celebrates the House's election of Robert E. Pattison as president elect.
February 7th, 1893: 4600 British forces assemble in Freetown.
February 8th, 1893: D.C. is informed of the increased troop presence, and negotiations with London begin.
February 15th, 1893: Negations fall through as Britain refuses to allow Liberia to gain any territory. Downing and the 4600 men are ordered to once again stand off with Pershing.
February 16th, 1893: Gladstone officially issues a ten-day ultimatum for American removal.
February 17th, 1893: Panic starts in both the US and UK.
February 18th, 1893: Downing arrives outside Fort Grant.
February 19, 1893: Though saying nothing publicly, Grant sends a direct order to Pershing to not move no matter what happens.
February 21st, 1893: The State Department tells the press they believe the British will back down.
February 23rd, 1893: Major Downing privately urges Pershing to leave Fort Grant. He tells him that London was very serious about the situation. Pershing declines.
February 24th, 1893: Haitian war hero Commodore George Dewey and three United States naval vessels are sent from Savannah port towards Freetown.
February 26th, 1893: The ultimatum deadline expires. Downing receives no orders.
February 27th, 1893: Downing requests some sort of order.
February 28th, 1893: Freetown orders him to stay put.
March 1st, 1893: Dewey arrives just outside of Freetown. They pass by the shore before sailing to Monrovia to refuel.
March 2, 1893: President Pattison is killed in a train derailment, and the American government flies into chaos.
March 3rd, 1893, 7:22 AM: In the early morning, the Royal Navy sails to Monrovia and does the same intimidating sail by tactic Dewey employed. Dewey orders his ships to leave port and requests that the British ships leave.
March 3rd, 1893, 9:32: Freetown sends a message to Downing. To this day, the intent of the message is unknown. It states, '"New orders are to come soon, Yankees in chaos back home." This message causes British troops to be on edge.
March 3rd, 1893, 10:44: A young American private yells mocking terms over at the British. This has been a common occurrence, but usually the British don't respond. This time was different. Supposedly, British troops responded by making fun of Pattison's death. Something the American troops were yet to hear about.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:01: Once the death of Pattison was confirmed to the troops, both sides began to get angry. Yelling began.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:13: A gunshot rings out throughout the jungle. No one knows who shot first. Soon after, a gunfight begins.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:17: Close quarters combat begins as some American troops rush out of the makeshift walls of Fort Grant.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:22: Downing hears about the skirmish. Unsure of what to do, he tries to calm the situation.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:23: Pershing is awoken from his nap by screams. He is told the British attacked; he orders all men in Fort Grant to the walls and to the dugouts.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:25: The Americans lose close quarters combat and retreat back to Fort Grant under fire. Troops on the walls of Fort Grant fire at undefended British troops.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:28: Major Downing is told that the Americans in the Fort are firing on British troops; he is also told that the Americans started the engagement. Downing, seeing no other option, orders the British troops to storm Fort Grant.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:38: Cannon fire from the British camp hits the makeshift walls of Fort Grant. Pershing, now fearing a full-scale attack, orders the telephone operator to inform Monrovia of the British attack. Then he and his officers leave Fort Grant from the back and go to a nearby outpost on a hill.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:40: British troops begin their first assault of Fort Grant. At the same time, the telephone operator informs Monrovia of the chaos. Soon after, the telephone line was cut by British forces.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:42: American troops rush to wheel out artillery provided on January 31st and set it up on the walls.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:44: Commodore Dewey is informed of the situation in the jungle. Now, fearing that the British ships outside Monrovia will attack the city, he orders warning shots on the British vessels.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:46: Captain Hannity of the HMS Albert is confused by the escalation orders retaliatory warning shots. Hannity is told by his junior officers to withdraw.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:47: Dewey, now fearing the worst, orders a salvo from the USS Iowa, intended to miss the Albert.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:48: One shot of the slavo hits the HMS Albert. Captain Hannity, now knowing he was under fire, orders a retaliatory salvo as the other two British ships close in to support the Albert. Hannity is told again to withdraw, this time with far more intensity from his junior officers. After a second thought, he agrees. Hannity orders all three British ships to return to Freetown.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:50: The confused Dewey celebrates a victory; word is quickly sent to DC that the British have now tried to attack the Americans on land and sea.
March 3rd, 1893, 11:55: After American artillery from within Fort Grant is finally set up and fires on the British position, the British withdraw. Gunfire stops, and both sides dig in and prepare for another engagement in the near future.
March 3rd, 1893, 12:40: After counting the dead American casualties in the jungle, they stand at 13 and the British casualties stand at 7. With 33 injuries on both sides,.
March 3rd, 1893, 12:44: One British sailor had a heart attack and died shortly after the engagement with the Iowa. He is mourned aboard the HMS Kent.
March 4, 1893: John Sherman is inaugurated President of the United States. In his inaugural address, he informs the public of the battle in the jungle and at sea. He then informs the people that, due to the cutting of the phone line, they have no contact with the African expedition. He says "I MUST ADMIT! My friends the worst has entered my mind, that our boys in the jungle have been slaughtered! I promise you, we will not rest until justice is served. THAT BASTARD GLADSTONE MUST HAVE A DAMN GOOD EXPLANATION!" Earthquaking and shocked cheers rumbled throughout the Capitol steps.
March 4th, 1893: Shocked newspapers publish the news of the battles. Mass panic follows in the US, Canada and UK.
March 5th, 1893: 10 Downing Street officially places all blame on the Americans, saying that the attacks by the USS Iowa and the battle in the jungle were clear provocations and that Parliament would be considering anything at it's next session.
March 5th, 1893: Queen Victoria releases a statement. She condemns the United States for its actions in Africa and announces that she and Prime Minister Gladstone will ensure that justice upon the Americans is served. The Queen then issues a royal proclamation expelling the American ambassador from London.
March 5th, 1893: Sherman asks the British Ambassador to leave as well, he is given a train ticket to Ottawa. Now the only line between the two is a telephone line from the D.C to Ottawa. Sherman says that he will only hear British words from a Canadian diplomat who he "trusts more".
NEITHER DC OR LONDON HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH MAJOR DOWNING OR LIEUTENANT PERSHING BY MARCH 5TH
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Is this the replacement of the OTL Spanish-American War for the US beating up a European Great Power? Because I like it. Time to take Canada!
Now, notice this
Sherman is old and considered illegitimate by much of the population.
Gladstone is old, in his last ministry and in a very shaky position in parliament.
Mistake or not, the skirmish in the jungle can be seen as useful for their careers. Both men see advantage in a war...
Sherman is old and considered illegitimate by much of the population.
Gladstone is old, in his last ministry and in a very shaky position in parliament.
Mistake or not, the skirmish in the jungle can be seen as useful for their careers. Both men see advantage in a war...
Except this isn't a decrepit empire on its last legs. This is the British Empire near it's height. The Royal Navy currently should have more ships then the next two largest navies combined. The US isn't going to be able to stop the reinforcement of Canada. It also won't be able to reinforce it's own outposts due to RN interdiction of the supply lines. Europe is still relatively peaceful with nothing that would distract the British enough for them to back down. This is quite honestly the worst period in history for an Anglo-American war to break out as quite literally the only advantage the US will have is a slightly larger industrial capacity alongside the fact they don't have to ship the troops from overseas. Though again that latter point is kinda moot given the reason I stated above.
This is the 1890s, the US economy has already surpassed Britain. While their stuff in Africa may be fucked, so is Canada for Britain. The British knew that they would lose Canada in any war with the US after the American Civil War OTL, that's why they did their best to keep the US happy and diplomatically resolve any issues.
Frankly Britain can win everywhere else but in North America, Canada will fall.
It would be an interesting trade, Britain wins the war in Africa while the US successfully takes Canada. Both sides declare victory and feelings between the two nations stay cool for some time.
The War of 1812 was the last time Britain could honestly realistically keep hold of Canada. Anything further would have to rely on massive stupidity by the US when it comes to the war and Britain always being on their A game.
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You guys are really, really overestimating the US here. The US Army while larger then OTL is still small, especially compared to a European power. The British can literally ship in troops unopposed as the USN again while larger then OTL is no where near able to compete against them. I'm not joking when I say the RN of this era could blockade the American coasts from both sides if it wanted and still be able to safely escort its convoys across the globe. The Germans haven't started their naval build up yet so they and the British are on decent terms still. The Entente Cordiale while no where close to being signed is at the beginning of the events that would lead to it. The Balkans are in a relative era of peace for them with things currently stable. The British can quite literally right now safely ignore the rest of the world and focus solely on defending Canada, I'm not joking when I said this is the worst possible period in history for an Anglo-American war if you're an American and quite honestly unless the British fuck up the US is going to lose.
Ok what makes you think despite all the actual advantages the British have over it that the US can win this?
Literally all you've said is you think the British will lose. I was asking why you think the British will lose. The US has two advantages, don't need to ship troops from overseas* and a bigger economy. The British have quite literally every other advantage and this is the era of the Defender has the upperhand. Literally all the British need to be able to do is keep a couple cities and supply routes protected in Eastern Canada and just dig in. With a supply route that's basically going to be at peacetime levels of safe they can ship in as many troops as needed.
*Which again isn't a that big an advantage when the opponent that does need to ship troops has such a huge navy it's impossible for you to even think of trying to interdict the supply routes.
That's the most logical outcome to me I think.
I think you're the one underestimating the US here. So what if their Army and Navy are smaller? They can increase that once they go to war, just like they did in the ACW, that's what being the biggest economy is. The British are in the midst of the Great Game with Russia and the Entente Cordiale is laughably far from being signed, Britain and France are near the peak of their distrust and imperialist disputes with each other in Africa. The Anglo-German Naval Race may not have started yet but Kaiser Willhelm II is already in power and certainly not going to back Britain for the sake of it, he might love Queen Vicky but he sees Britain as a rival denying Germany its rightful place in the sun.
If the British blockade the US coasts, the US will inevitably build its fleet up and try to break out. We must also consider that blockading the largest economy in the world will cause massive shortages in its trading partners (which is basically the entirety of Europe) which will increase the diplomatic pressure on Britain.
The US has the home front advantage in North America and their population is more than 12 times that of Canada. They can overwhelm them by sheer numbers if nothing else. Canada is screwed.
1: So what if the Army and Navy are smaller? Well for starters assuming the US learned its lessons from the Civil War it'll need at least a year to properly train an army. Otherwise you're looking at 1st Bull Run all over again but even worse as it's a professional army VS green volunteers instead of green V green.
2: In regards to the above that means the British will have a year to ship troops, supplies, weapons, build defenses etc etc before the US becomes an actual threat. Even then again this is the era of defensive warfare. A couple of well placed trenches and machine guns and you can stop an entire army cold.
3: As for the navy being smaller there's two major issues with a potential American build up. The first being the RN is so large during this era that it would take the US at least 5 years to catch up to it enough to threaten it, assuming the British do jack shit about it. The Second is the British can actually outbuild the US right now, the actually have more major dockyards then the US.
4: If the British blockade the America's their Empire is large enough it can fill the supply gap the blockade will cause.
5: The Great Game is dying down during this era, in fact the British and Russia should be currently working on a treaty to settle the border currently.
6: Little known fact but before the British went to France they actually tried negotiating with the Germans for an alliance. This is currently the height of Anglo-German relations so no Germany has no beef with the British yet. Especially since the events that caused the Kaiser to feel insulted by the British haven't happened yet.
7: Yes the US could just overwhelm the army if it wanted. But given it's almost certainly going to be dealing with WW1 style trench warfare with all the death that entails will the US public be willing to stomach the death long enough to actually make it work. Especially if it advances at western front pace of a few meters of land a day at best for thousands of casualties?
Hefty debate, here’s all I’ll say to avoid spoilers, the war will not be an easy win, it won’t be the Spanish-American war and the funny thing is, though the President and Prime Minister want to fight, the people in the US and the people in the UK don’t
The other thing is, the International community. I haven’t read everything @Steelers94 and you guys said, I will in a second, but I saw you mentioned the French.
France doesn’t want the Brits to go to war with the US. As of now they have a solid relationship with both countries and they don’t want a war starting near their own African and Caribbean colonies.
Then there are the Germans, who see the war as an opportunity to expand influence. There may be no beef, but Wilhelm II isn't the most careful with foreign policy.
Of course there are other nations, but I want to avoid spoilers for now
The other thing is, the International community. I haven’t read everything @Steelers94 and you guys said, I will in a second, but I saw you mentioned the French.
France doesn’t want the Brits to go to war with the US. As of now they have a solid relationship with both countries and they don’t want a war starting near their own African and Caribbean colonies.
Then there are the Germans, who see the war as an opportunity to expand influence. There may be no beef, but Wilhelm II isn't the most careful with foreign policy.
Of course there are other nations, but I want to avoid spoilers for now
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Here are some other things to consider
-The British situation in 1893 is not very different from OTL, the TL as a whole hasn’t really affected them until now with American ambitions in Africa.
-The American army is larger than OTL, the troops raised to deal with the strike and natives under the Grant presidency are still raised.
-The American Army is preoccupied out west, it’s also important to remember that Grant put a lot of men on the plains to escort the natives south. Sherman plans to stop this but there are a lot of men there as of March.
-The American navy is growing, sure, but never had Chester A. Arthur’s reforms. The navy isn’t significantly weaker than OTL, but it’s no where near the prowess of the Royal Navy. Both sides know this, it hasn’t dissuaded Sherman.
-The British situation in 1893 is not very different from OTL, the TL as a whole hasn’t really affected them until now with American ambitions in Africa.
-The American army is larger than OTL, the troops raised to deal with the strike and natives under the Grant presidency are still raised.
-The American Army is preoccupied out west, it’s also important to remember that Grant put a lot of men on the plains to escort the natives south. Sherman plans to stop this but there are a lot of men there as of March.
-The American navy is growing, sure, but never had Chester A. Arthur’s reforms. The navy isn’t significantly weaker than OTL, but it’s no where near the prowess of the Royal Navy. Both sides know this, it hasn’t dissuaded Sherman.
This also being said, the US hasn’t had a single outright isolationist president since JQA II. Who wasn’t there long enough to have an impact. Before him it was Charles Adams.