What If the British and French sell their Caribbean colonies (and maybe the Falklands) to the United States in 1920 to help pay off their debt.
WI: the British and French in 1920 sold Caribbean Colonies.
- Thread starter Salvare7097
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I don’t think so, but I don’t think the US will turn them down if offered.
In my personal opinion, the US would buy them as a way to reduce European influence in this area. What would be nice would be if the US offered a great deal. If the US thinks that it may not get paid back, why not agree to write off a generous amount of debt for removing British and French from the Caribbean.
I would also assume that the British and French would insist on fair treatment of their citizens and businesses in these islands.
Regarding the chance of a Caribbean state, I do not see that happening. There are too many people of color for admission as a state. They probably would be come a commonwealth like PR. ie half in and half out.
I would also assume that the British and French would insist on fair treatment of their citizens and businesses in these islands.
Regarding the chance of a Caribbean state, I do not see that happening. There are too many people of color for admission as a state. They probably would be come a commonwealth like PR. ie half in and half out.
Derek Pullem
Donor
When did the US get into the colony business?
They were already trying to extricate themselves from Philippines
I suddenly remembered that France offered to trade colonies/money for airplanes during the early days of WW2.
en.wikipedia.org
"In October 1938, Daladier opened secret talks with the Americans on how to bypass the Neutrality Acts and to allow the French to buy American aircraft to make up for the underproductive French aircraft industry.[20] Daladier commented in October 1938, "If I had three or four thousand aircraft, Munich would never have happened". He was most anxious to buy American war planes as the only way to strengthen the French Air Force.[21] Major problems in the talks were how the French would pay for the American planes and how to bypass the Neutrality Acts.[22]
In addition, France had defaulted on its World War I debts in 1932 and so fell foul of the 1934 Johnson Act, which banned American loans to nations that had defaulted on their World War I debts.[23] In February 1939, the French offered to cede their possessions in the Caribbean and the Pacific, together with a lump sum payment of 10 billion francs, in exchange for the unlimited right to buy American aircraft on credit.[24]"
Édouard Daladier - Wikipedia
"In October 1938, Daladier opened secret talks with the Americans on how to bypass the Neutrality Acts and to allow the French to buy American aircraft to make up for the underproductive French aircraft industry.[20] Daladier commented in October 1938, "If I had three or four thousand aircraft, Munich would never have happened". He was most anxious to buy American war planes as the only way to strengthen the French Air Force.[21] Major problems in the talks were how the French would pay for the American planes and how to bypass the Neutrality Acts.[22]
In addition, France had defaulted on its World War I debts in 1932 and so fell foul of the 1934 Johnson Act, which banned American loans to nations that had defaulted on their World War I debts.[23] In February 1939, the French offered to cede their possessions in the Caribbean and the Pacific, together with a lump sum payment of 10 billion francs, in exchange for the unlimited right to buy American aircraft on credit.[24]"
Yeah, that was the original plan, but it seems Americans weren't that interested in the proposal. But I still think they could have accepted a modified deal, like dropping the Pacific Colonies and adding a bit more of cash. Considering how Americans already wanted to let the Philippines free, I don't see them accepting any other colony in the region. But I am sure they could have gladly accepted the Caribbean Colonies, those being closer to them and way more defensible than the lands in the Pacific.
And about Britain, I remember reading time ago a similar deal, but sadly, I don't have the source nor I know how to search for it.
As far I remember, they tried to negotiate a "colonies for debt" kind of deal, and Americans were quite interested on it, with Bahamas or Belize being the main options on the table. The Americans were aiming for Belize, but not for themselves, but to give it to Mexico and Guatemala as a token gesture as part of the "Good Neighbor Policy" they had at that time, but surprisingly, Britain preferred the opposite. They preferred to let Bahamas go, but not Belize.
Maybe the Bahamas were not enough for them, or maybe they wanted something else and Britain didn't concede, or maybe they just got distracted in other things, but for whatever reason, the deal was never made.
If racists really have enough influance to push back on admision as a state due to fear of none European influance, a compromise to appese them might be if they are admitted as as a limmited number of states (states are assigned 2 senitors regardless of population so limmiting the number of states would reduce the influance of the region in the senate) And subdividing the West Indies Island chain into its 3 primary archipelagos as states (greater and lesser antilles along with the lucayan archipelago for a total of 6 senitors) or if that still is not enough leaving them as a single combined West-Indies state so the entire region would only get 2 senators.
West Indies - Wikipedia
Lesser Antilles - Wikipedia
Greater Antilles - Wikipedia
Lucayan Archipelago - Wikipedia
The Guianas - Wikipedia
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By this point in time the British colonies in the Americas had their own representative governments that will object to being sold like second hand cars. At least some of them are likely to opt for a U.D.I.
By Pacific - This just means Tahiti/French Polynesia, right? Or New Caledonia and the French share in the New Hebrides? It doesn't mean Indochina does it? America would find that last too big to swallow and nonsensical as it was trying to offload the Philippines, and Japan might consider a transfer like that a casus belli.
Hmm...
As of 1920, not all of the the British West Indian colonies had "representative governments", and where such governments existed they were controlled by the white minority. Given the entrenched racial attitudes in the US in 1920, I can't see the US doing anything to change that, and thus I don't see why any of the islands would revolt against a transfer. When the US acquired the Danish Virgin Islands, the islanders were over 99% in favor.
That was a distant land that from the beginning they were only grooming into a democracy that’ll stand on its own two feet in Asia. It also threatened Florida industries and agriculture and a lot of American businessmen lobbied for their independence in order to remove rivalry. Caribbean was there, nearby and in a strategic location. It would probably also see an influx of immigrants and could see some demographic changes as a result.
This is what I was thinking, honestly. Probably has a major changes in WWII.
A chance to turn the Main into an American lake would be incredibly attractive 🤔 Aside from being a lucrative resource investment coming off the Banana Wars it would also provide an excellent set of bases to stage from against Latin America as the Cold War goes on. I'm personally obsessed with the idea of an American Belize.
Another fringe benefit: once these colonies in the Caribbean gain statehood the case becomes much easier for proactively dealing with climate change, since there are suddenly way more electoral votes at stake.
How do you think World War II would change? With the gulf basically being an American lake would it basically become the training ground of the United States Navy?
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Most likely. There would probably be an earlier push for naval expansion to "garrison" it that would pay off nicely once the war starts.
What do you think the rank of the commander of the area would be? Also, I think the Coast Guard might expand as well.
I think there would probably be an Admiral managing the various bases at the very least but most actual administration would possibly be better of "delegated" to the Coast Guard in peacetime to avoid fears abroad that the US is militarizing the region. It would basically be a fig leaf but in international diplomacy sometimes that's all you need.