tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624625396553110110.post1883210842748128180..comments2023-10-03T11:26:40.433-05:00Comments on YD's Dugout: World War I in 1862?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624625396553110110.post-71830918478712206412010-04-30T09:31:10.478-05:002010-04-30T09:31:10.478-05:00I talked about the Trent Affair in class the other...I talked about the Trent Affair in class the other day. It is unlikely that the British would have intervened. Here is a bullet list of reasons.<br /><br />1. They were selling to both sides during the war. Enter the war, lose a customer and you have to pay for your part in the war.<br /><br />2. Canada had only 5000 regular troops and was vulnerable to US invasion by a mobilized, motivated Army gaining combat experience against the South.<br /><br />3. While technologically superior to the US Navy, the Royal Navy couldn't be everywhere. UK merchant shipping would have been vulnerable to attack. <br /><br />4. No support among the working class for the South (they supported the North).<br /><br />5. Alternate supplies of cotton were found in India and Egypt. <br /><br />I do agree that the Civil War is a forerunner of the Western Front in World War II. But the probability of British intervention is non-existent. About the only way you could pull that off is to find some hothead in British politics and make them the Prime Minister. I don't know who that hothead would be. Can't think of one. <br /><br />Respects,<br />Murph<br />On the Outer MarchesSteven Francis Murphyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02246600213078993467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5624625396553110110.post-60871282825034272242010-04-01T02:05:54.752-05:002010-04-01T02:05:54.752-05:00It is interesting that the Civil War generates som...It is interesting that the Civil War generates some alt hist fiction. I think you're right in taking the line that it set up the trench warfare mantra for WW1. I read the first of that Harry Harrison trilogy and gave up at that.<br />It needed the Stainless Steel Rat to liven things up.Therbshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02152748667559020695noreply@blogger.com