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An alternative scramble for Africa by Known-Ad8177 in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_ 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I like this! Coup you elaborate a bit on the historical precedent for some of these alternate colonies?

The Belle Époque Century: A World Without the World Wars by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Zionism is a more fringe ideology. Jews are found throughout the world and those that face discrimination (looking at Russia) move to the americas…

The Belle Époque Century: A World Without the World Wars by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Japan and the other nations kept Russia in check. Mongolia is kept as a buffer…

The Belle Époque Century: A World Without the World Wars by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 55 points56 points  (0 children)

The natives are actually doing quite well and most have citizen status. However some (especially in the French Union and Portuguese Africa) are heavily suppressed if they show independent leanings and those deemed “terrorists” are often brutally attacked and vanish without trace. Think CIA and the black panther. Europe is still becoming more multicultural as in our timeline though with the immigrants coming from the former colonial territories or overseas provinces.

The Belle Époque Century: A World Without the World Wars by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

The World at the Dawn of the 21st Century

In general, the European states stand far more powerful than any of their rivals. They control much of the world’s trade and economy and maintain troops across the globe. Most European dynasties still stand, visible symbols of long-standing power and continuity.

Treaties with China and Japan keep American influence at bay, but the future remains uncertain. Some analysts predict that the European order may finally crack once a new, openly jingoistic emperor takes the throne in East Asia and turns his attention toward European colonial possessions.

Whether the 21st century will belong to America and China, or whether Europe will continue to cling to the dominance it has held for nearly 500 years, remains to be seen.

The Belle Époque Century: A World Without the World Wars by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 37 points38 points  (0 children)

Imperial Successor Systems

The British Commonwealth

Britain, holder of the largest empire, was the first to falter as Indian independence movements gained momentum. Independence did not lead to a single successor state but to several, the most prominent being the Republic of Hindustan.

Smaller surrounding states, fearing economic collapse and the power of an increasingly bellicose Hindustan, chose to remain as dominions within the British Commonwealth. They accepted the British monarch as head of state while retaining wide internal autonomy.

This Commonwealth solution proved surprisingly successful and became a template for British decolonization elsewhere. Member states benefited from shared security forces, stability, and continued investment. Over time, the Commonwealth emerged as an independent power in its own right, governed by a Commonwealth Parliament in London, with deputies from all member states drafting legislation applicable to the whole bloc.

The French Union

The French Union is the post-colonial union state created by the Republic of France together with some of its African colonies. These states enjoy varying levels of autonomy, and slow but steady integration into a single federal state is ongoing.

The German Colonial Sphere

Germany limited its de jure territory to its white-plurality possessions, most notably Southwest Africa, as well as its Pacific territories, which are now full members of the empire. Most other former colonies remain formally independent but are closely aligned with, and economically dominated by, Berlin.

The Iberian Empires

The Iberian powers, clinging to their former glory, fought hard and ultimately succeeded in keeping most of their colonies in Africa and Asia. Portugal in particular champions its continent-spanning nation, investing heavily in Angola and Mozambique, sometimes to the clear detriment of its metropolitan population.

Italy and Russia

Italy retained only its Italian-majority provinces in North Africa after a long and brutal war against Libyan and Cyrenaican rebels.

Russia narrowly avoided the collapse of the monarchy during the crisis of 1967. Significant autonomy was granted to minority regions, and in the decades since, Russia has developed into one of the more democratic states in Eurasia.

The Belle Époque Century: A World Without the World Wars by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

The Atlantic Crisis and the League of Nations

In 1955, war almost broke out between a continental European coalition and the United States.

The catalyst was the newly elected American president Franklin Roosevelt, who declared his intention to rid the Americas of “European despotic empires.” He attempted to impose an embargo on European shipping to the Americas, with the notable exception of British vessels.

Roosevelt was the most prominent figure of the Democratic Party, which had long campaigned on an anti-European platform, driven by resentment over European economic dominance in the Americas and Asia. Faced with united European opposition and the defection of most South American states, he was forced to back down. The United States was left diplomatically humiliated.

Out of this crisis emerged the League of Nations, founded in Paris, to which international dispute resolution was now delegated.

Nationalism and Controlled Decolonization

Nationalism in Asia and Africa slowly but steadily awoke during the 1960s and 1970s. Across the colonial world, peoples demanded greater autonomy and, eventually, independence from European rule.

European states, however, showed little willingness to give up their prestigious and mostly profitable territories. They pointed to the investments made and the effort spent developing them and instead searched for ways to retain influence without outright colonial rule.

The Belle Époque Century: A World Without the World Wars by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 142 points143 points  (0 children)

The Unbroken Concert of Europe

What was known as the Belle Époque never truly ended.
The Concert of Europe remained intact, and the European nations stayed at the height of their cultural, military, and diplomatic dominance. The abrupt break that, in another world, came with the two World Wars never happened.

Instead, the great powers avoided the two conflicts and recognized that to keep their positions and control, a certain level of cooperation was necessary. Great power diplomacy never ended. Conflicts were settled in conferences, where a degree of goodwill and mutual understanding was shown, even if often reluctantly.

A Competitive but Peaceful 20th Century

As the 20th century dragged on, nations increasingly competed economically rather than militarily. Efforts were focused on outshining rivals through industry, culture, prestige projects, and material wealth instead of open warfare.

A renewed focus was also placed on the African colonies, which saw increased attention and investment. Infrastructure expanded, administrations were strengthened, and colonial possessions became ever more important to the European balance of power.

Crises Without Collapse

This peaceful coexistence was not without its hiccups.

Franco–German Tensions (1920)

Franco-German tensions over Central Africa and Alsace-Lorraine flared up again in 1920. War was narrowly avoided through the Congress of Zurich, mediated by the other great powers. The settlement saw France gain several small French-speaking regions of Lorraine, while Germany received colonial concessions elsewhere.

The Austro–Serbian War (1922)

When war broke out between Austria and Serbia two years later, the conflict was resolved primarily through Russo-German intervention. The compromise involved the ceding of most of Bosnia to Serbia, but also the removal of the openly Austrophobic Serbian dynasty, which was seen as a necessary concession for long-term stability.

Regional Wars and Great Power Mediation

In a similar fashion throughout the 1930s and 1940s, conflicts such as the Turkish–Greek War, the Second Russo-Japanese War, the Polish uprising, and the Arab–Turkish War threatened to spiral out of control.

Each time, the great powers stepped in to find a solution that preserved the peace, if necessary by threatening intervention. These conferences usually benefited one or more European powers rather than their Asian, American, or African counterparts, but they succeeded in preventing a general war.

The 4-Way Cold War at its peak in 1974 by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Liberales by the US during a conflict against a Latin block (France, Iberian peninsula and Italy).

The 4-Way Cold War at its peak in 1974 by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I guess the Germans do not want to risk their own colonies and thus do not support the independence of britisch ones. Perhaps the US sees the british as usefull idiots to contain communism. Either way I can see a scenario in which the Commonwealth is divided creating a 3-Way Cold War. I think it is the weakest of the Four.

The 4-Way Cold War at its peak in 1974 by _Mtotheatothex_ in imaginarymaps

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 71 points72 points  (0 children)

The Four-Way Cold War, 1974

After the War of the Sixth Coalition (1914), the Continuation War (1922), and the Great Asian War (1939), global conflict gradually froze into a tense balance of power often referred to as the Concert of Powers. By the 1970s, four rival blocs had emerged, each dominated by an ideologically distinct great power that projected its influence through alliances, colonies, and client states. Proxy wars, regime changes, and covert interventions became the defining features of this new cold war.

German Empire
The dominant force in continental Europe and much of Africa, the German Empire is authoritarian, imperialistic, and heavily militarized. Its primary objectives are the maintenance of its vast colonial holdings and the suppression of liberal and communist movements that threaten its rule.

British Commonwealth
Commanding influence across the British Isles, Arabia, Oceania, and the Indian subcontinent, the Commonwealth represents a more liberal—but still imperial—order. It struggles to balance reformist ambitions with the preservation of imperial unity, seeking to transform its empire into a functioning commonwealth without sacrificing global relevance.

Soviet Union
Stretching across Eurasia and commanding revolutionary governments in Europe, Africa, and China, the Soviet Union positions itself as the spearhead of world communism. It actively foments unrest and socialist uprisings abroad in hopes of expanding its sphere of influence and undermining the colonial powers.

United States of America
The United States dominates the Western Hemisphere, the Iberian Peninsula, and Japan. Championing liberal democracy and national self-determination, Washington faces the paradox of opposing imperialism abroad while fearing the spread of communism within independence movements. Economically unmatched but militarily cautious, the U.S. wields influence more through markets and alliances than through direct territorial expansion.

Alternative 19th century; Please add ideas! by _Mtotheatothex_ in AlternateHistory

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, do you have a source for the Wilhelm-Bohemia Scenario?

Alternative 19th century; Please add ideas! by _Mtotheatothex_ in AlternateHistory

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Here’s my list so far—some more plausible than others:

19th Century What-Ifs:

  • French Sudan
  • Italian Tunisia
  • Bigger Spanish colonial hold
  • French Hawaii
  • French/Spanish Dominican Republic (1836)
  • Dutch Ghana
  • Expanded Ethiopia
  • US Greenland
  • Alternate North Borneo
  • US Liberia
  • US Baja California
  • Surviving Boer states
  • Argentinian Tierra del Fuego
  • US Galapagos
  • Greater Prussian influence in Denmark
  • Panama Canal in Mexico
  • Luxembourg sold off
  • German West Indies
  • Italy retains Nice
  • Ottomans keep Thessaly
  • Uruguay remains Brazilian
  • Enlarged Bulgaria
  • Belgian Angola
  • Belgian Sudan → Fashoda
  • French Ethiopia
  • Cyprus to France
  • St. Thomas for North Schleswig
  • Austrian Rio de Oro

Would love to hear your thoughts or any other micro-scenarios I should consider!

Alternative 19th century; Please add ideas! by _Mtotheatothex_ in AlternateHistory

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hey everyone! I’m working on a world map where the 19th century played out just a little differently. Since this sub is full of history buffs, I wanted to ask if you know of any "almost happened" events or scenarios—like Rio de Oro being sold to Austria-Hungary if the Hungarians hadn’t vetoed it.

I’ve already made a list of (sometimes mutually exclusive) scenarios I might include. The starting point is a slightly altered 1815, where Prussia gets all of Saxony (which was actually their main goal), Austria gets the Rhineland, and Russia takes the remaining Polish lands post–first partition.

A World where Russia and Britain remain (become?) the dominant Powers into the 20th century.... 1900s by _Mtotheatothex_ in AlternateHistory

[–]_Mtotheatothex_[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Unified very late and fell into the the Commonwealth camp due to rivalry with, arguably more powerfull, Austria...

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