WI: 1898 American Sahara

[Essam]

What if the U.S. acquired Spanish Sahara after the Spanish-American War? Perhaps many will want to focus on how/why, and that is certainly interesting, but I am more interesting in the ramifications?

The role and heyday American orientalist scholars will have in the region.

The low population, and "soft-power" influence of American colonialism, could it create a "democratic" Arab state?

Could a more softly-influenced Americanized society come into existence, as U.S. indirect colonialism in eastern Saudi Arabia created?

Would the U.S. gain the Riff and plazas de sobernia and other Spanish African possessions as well, or just the Sahara (Rio d'Oro and Seguia El Hamra)?

How would the historical amicable relations between the U.S. and Morocco play a role in post-independent Morocco's irredentist claims on the region, assuming it is still an American possession into the 1950's?

Influence on Liberia and the Maghreb and/or West Africa in general?

Although I believe almost any TL would be kinder to the Western Sahara than OTL, would an American Sahara create a better 2014 for this region?

 

[Anaxagoras]

What if the U.S. acquired Spanish Sahara after the Spanish-American War?

Why on earth would they want it?

 

[Thehappyvampire]

Why on earth would they want it?

That is a question people always ask to a colonial.

 

[Flocculencio]

That is a question people always ask to a colonial.

Not really- the US isn't in the position of a country like Germany which wants prestige colonies, nor is it, in this case, in the position of a colonial power like Britain which needed to occupy otherwise worthless scraps of land to safeguard the coaling routes to more important and profitable colonies like India and Malaya*.

The US took the Philippines after the Spanish-American War because (A) they were resource rich and potentially profitable, (B) the Philippines was Spain's most prestigious remaining colony and by finally gutting the Spanish colonial empire where it hurt the most the US clearly displayed it's dominance, and (C) there were already very substantial US commercial interests in East Asia with the China and Japan trade and acquiring the Philippines made strategic sense.

Taking the Spanish Sahara, however, makes zero sense in terms of prestige, commerce or strategy.

*It was in this position in the Pacific which is why you see otherwise useless pacific atolls being occupied to serve as coaling and resupply stations for the China trade.

 

[Johnrankins]

Why on earth would they want it?

My first thoughts, what exactly does the Sahara Desert have that Americans would want? This is a period in history where the US has lots of oil and oil wasn't big in North Africa yet.

 

[Razgriz 2K9]

Frankly, the only legit excuse I can imagine why America would want that is so that Spain don't get colonies ever...but it has no strategic value at this point in time so...

 

[Alex1guy]

That is a question people always ask to a colonial.

Most colonies offer something be it resources, strategic value or prestige. This offers none of that. It is literally worthless desert.

 

[Barry Bull]

My first thoughts, what exactly does the Sahara Desert have that Americans would want? This is a period in history where the US has lots of oil and oil wasn't big in North Africa yet.

For the beachfront properties, of course!

 

[AussieHawker]

Maybe a renewed effort to dump black people and decide North Africa is a good Idea because it is closer to the USA.

 

[TFSmith121]

1898 is waay too late for colonization, other than by Garveyites

Maybe a renewed effort to dump black people and decide North Africa is a good Idea because it is closer to the USA.

AA males had been citizens for three decades by 1900.

Best,

 

[AussieHawker]

AA males had been citizens for three decades by 1900.

Best,

Alcoholics anonymous . I don't know they were denied citizenship before.

(joking )

 

[Ninja Bear]

Why on earth would they want it?

Why did Spain want it, other than because they could have it?

Maybe the only reason the US wants it is because they can take it.

 

[Dorozhand]

Why did Spain want it, other than because they could have it?

Maybe the only reason the US wants it is because they can take it.

Exactly. It's not like it would be of significant expense to hold anyway. There are only four significant cities in the whole region: Dakhla, Bajador, Laayoune, and Samara. I suppose the ports of Dakhla and Bajador might be of some use in trade and the like.

The US might also take the Canary Islands and the Azores, and then just decide to snatch the Sahara along with it.

The butterflies would be rather interesting. I wonder if it might become a state sometime down the road if American colonial rule is distant and sleepy.

 

[oudi14]

Um, aren't the Azores Portugese? They might take the Canaries.

Exactly. It's not like it would be of significant expense to hold anyway. There are only four significant cities in the whole region: Dakhla, Bajador, Laayoune, and Samara. I suppose the ports of Dakhla and Bajador might be of some use in trade and the lThe US might also take the Canary Islands and the Azores, and then just decide to snatch the Sahara along with it.

The butterflies would be rather interesting. I wonder if it might become a state sometime down the road if American colonial rule is distant and sleepy.

 

[Anaxagoras]

Maybe the only reason the US wants it is because they can take it.

Alternate history is not a game of Risk.

 

[Clandango]

The US took the Philippines after the Spanish-American War because (A) they were resource rich and potentially profitable, (B) the Philippines was Spain's most prestigious remaining colony and by finally gutting the Spanish colonial empire where it hurt the most the US clearly displayed it's dominance, and (C) there were already very substantial US commercial interests in East Asia with the China and Japan trade and acquiring the Philippines made strategic sense.

That, and the Prussians had been steaming towards the Phillippines and Samoa while the Japanese told the US that while they didn't mind them being in charge of the Philippines... Yah, someone was going to go for it. And you brought up Malaysia. I believe that there was a chance of Americans getting a protectorate over Sabah, but the American diplomat in the area sold it after the federal government showed no interest. And heck, if the Americans were going to annex something it should be the Bonin Islands, which the Japanese seized from them.

 

[Dorozhand]

Alternate history is not a game of Risk.

The US was in a position to do so. The prestige that would be achieved in not only gutting the Spanish empire's most valuable possession, but stripping it of all its remaining colonies would be great. If the US takes the Canaries, which aren't at all worthless, they might as well snatch the Sahara out of the deal to safeguard the Canaries, deny Spain any potential naval bases in the region, and get a foot in the door of Africa to play the Imperial game. It's also easy to govern.

Also, the port of the Dakhla has an excellent harbour. That might be of some value as a trading port and a naval base, especially if the US has designs on the other side of the Atlantic.

 

[Essam]

Many interesting points raised, it is not completely useless as a region, nor is colonization and policy a centralized phenomenon today, let alone in the period of high imperialism when many colonial presences were the results of interest groups with powerful or idealistic ears and funds. All it takes is for some orientalist scholars or donors to push for it, and the Canaries and Sahara become American. I agree, though, that probably the Sahara without the Canaries is unlikely.

 

[JonasResende]

Why on earth would they want it?

Remember, America didn't want Alaska either when Russia was hawking it. I'm pretty sure they are glad they got it after the gold and oil were found there.

 

[Clandango]

Remember, America didn't want Alaska either when Russia was hawking it. I'm pretty sure they are glad they got it after the gold and oil were found there.

Some wanted it, some didn't. The Civil War distracted them around the time that the Russians first offered. They bought it partially in order to dory getting British Columbia from the back door. The Spanish Sahara would have little to offer though, especially if it ends up like in the Philippines where the US had to conquer the areas claimed but not really administered by Spain.