All right, what it says on the box. I don't care how, but turn the Crimean War into something on a horrific scale that could drag down most of Europe and possibly the world.
AHC: Turn the Crimean War into a World War
- Thread starter Napoleon53
- Start date
There are a few easy steps to escalate things. For instance: have the US decide that the enlistment dispute is a suitable opportunity to take Canada; have the Austrians follow through on their intention to join the war; have them call for the mobilisation of the German Confederation and spark a civil war against Prussia and its unreformed army. I don't think it'll drag down Europe, because all the above would be limited wars, but they'll certainly be messy.
It's a shame that Marxists.org took down Engels' articles about the armies of Europe in 1855- I'd have linked it as food for thought.
It's a shame that Marxists.org took down Engels' articles about the armies of Europe in 1855- I'd have linked it as food for thought.
Very interesting. Refresh my memory: the enlistment dispute? I've sort of been thinking of a TL where the ACW takes place in a world where the Crimean War went south, so that could be interesting.
Have it, along with the Indian Mutiny, take place in 1861, and drag UK & France into the American Civil War through France's misadventures in Mexico. Meanwhile, have UK intervene more explicitly on the Qing side during the Taiping Rebellion while the United States aids the Taiping rebels. Now you have a minimum of:
Russia, USA, United Mexican States, Mughal Empire/Indian rebels, Taiping Tianguo
vs
UK, France, Mexican Empire, CSA, Qing Empire, Ottoman Empire
with Prussia, Sardinia, and Japan possibly throwing in for the former and Austrian Empire for the latter. If the war goes on for a few years there is a slight possibility of a South American theater, but I don't think anybody is crazy enough to ally with Paraguay against all its neighbors.
Russia, USA, United Mexican States, Mughal Empire/Indian rebels, Taiping Tianguo
vs
UK, France, Mexican Empire, CSA, Qing Empire, Ottoman Empire
with Prussia, Sardinia, and Japan possibly throwing in for the former and Austrian Empire for the latter. If the war goes on for a few years there is a slight possibility of a South American theater, but I don't think anybody is crazy enough to ally with Paraguay against all its neighbors.
Completely unrealistic. Austria's relations with Prussia were still stable, with no reason at this point to declare war. Hell chances are if Austria declares war on Russia, Prussia would follow. Both could try and grab Russo-Polish territory.
As for the US, not gonna happen. Tensions were already growing over slavery and I doubt Congress is going to be in the mood to go on a foreign adventure in Canada. Not to mention the Southern reps aren't going to want to see a large army being created to conquer the north, lest the government use it to occupy the southern states. Not gonna happen.
Even more unrealistic than the above idea. First, if France is involved in Mexico its not gonna declare war on Crimea and vise versa. Napoleon III wasn't an idiot: he's not gonna start two wars at the same time. Second, HOW and WHY is the US going to help the Chinese rebels? This isn't 21st century America, intervening across the globe for freedom and democracy. This is 19th century America, opposed to most foreign adventures and more interested in issues at home than abroad.
Third, the India mutiny was never going to really succeed, especially to the point that it the Mughal empire would be revived. Finally where are you getting the Ottoman empire from? They would have no reason to be dragged in at this point, nor would Russia. This whole idea is basically ASB.
Austria and Prussia had almost gone to war in 1850 over Prussian ambitions to take a greater role in the leadership of Germany, resulting in Prussia humiliatingly backing down. On 14 January 1855, the Austrian foreign minister proposed that the German Confederation's Federal Army should be mobilised and a single commander-in-chief elected- for which role there were suggestions they would propose Emperor Franz Joseph. The Prussians announced their intention to block this, on the grounds that "we should be obliged to do violence to our own conviction before we could arrive at the conclusion that Russia will assume the offensive if she is not attacked". The Saxon states were said to be on the side of Prussia and the Hanse towns with Austria; Hanover, siding with Austria, recalled its reserves, brought their cavalry to war establishment and purchased 3,000 draught horses for the artillery and supply wagons; Wurtemberg also ordered its troops to be brought to a war footing and requested a credit of 3,000,000 florins from the chambers. At the end of January the Austrians sent General Crenneville to Paris to discuss co-operation, and at the start of February the Prussians announced their intention to bring forward a vote banning the French from moving a corps within Confederation territory. So I'm sure you'll understand if I find the idea of Prussia and Austria falling out over much the same cause as 1866 more plausible than you do.
I think you over-estimate how high the tension is at the point when the affair takes place- the arrests are made in March 1855, nine months before the shooting of Charles Dow- and under-estimate the popularity of the idea that a foreign war will resolve sectional tension in the US.
Eh? The government is the one the South elected in 1852, and the army would be a volunteer force created for the occupation of Canada, dependent on funds voted by Congress and dismissed after that was completed. They'd probably be most concerned about the creation of free states out of Canada, and would push for more slave states to be created in the South- a step which could, in itself, spark off skirmishing between pro- and anti-slavery forces.
I think this challenge is impossible. My reasons are this:
- Russia has no power projection in Asia at this point in time (nor would they need to at the time).
- There hasn't really been a significant colony owned by Europeans outside of the British East India Company.
- No Westernized power in the Western Hemisphere would go on an adventure against a European power. The closest being the United States wouldn't bother because Slavery was the main deal and the country is already starting to come apart to Civil War.
- Russia still wants to adhere in some capacity to the Concert of Europe. And I doubt Nicholas I, or even Alexander II would be suicidal enough to take on all of Europe of which a continued Crimean War would eventually lead to. (or if robcraufurd is right, essentially all of Europe vs. Russia and Prussia)
All in all, if you're looking to create an earlier World War, the Crimean War as the backdrop will never achieve this.
- Russia has no power projection in Asia at this point in time (nor would they need to at the time).
- There hasn't really been a significant colony owned by Europeans outside of the British East India Company.
- No Westernized power in the Western Hemisphere would go on an adventure against a European power. The closest being the United States wouldn't bother because Slavery was the main deal and the country is already starting to come apart to Civil War.
- Russia still wants to adhere in some capacity to the Concert of Europe. And I doubt Nicholas I, or even Alexander II would be suicidal enough to take on all of Europe of which a continued Crimean War would eventually lead to. (or if robcraufurd is right, essentially all of Europe vs. Russia and Prussia)
All in all, if you're looking to create an earlier World War, the Crimean War as the backdrop will never achieve this.