Post by lordroel on Jan 26, 2017 18:04:47 GMT
What If British had won the Battle of Yorktown (1781)
In reality, the Battle of Yorktown ended with a British surrender October 19th 1781. It was the American Revolution's last big battle, and in effect, it ended the war.
France would have bowed out of the war
A defeat at Yorktown could have led France to withdraw from the American Revolution which would been catastrophic for the revolutionaries.
Besides providing troops, warships and military expertise to the American side, France's jump into the fray brought the British worldwide worries. The British had to start guarding against a French invasion of their country and focus more on protecting Jamaica and their other interests in the West Indies.
The American Revolution became their third concern, and that helped the rebels, also a British victory at Yorktown -- and then in the war -- would have made for no Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and no American Civil War in the 1860s.
That's because France wouldn't have sold land to its longtime enemy, and Britain abolished slavery in its possessions in the 1830s.
A U.S. of New England -- and a British South
A British victory could have provided the Redcoats "a springboard for at least retaking the South",the British could have tried to get all 13 Colonies back, or they could have been content with just the South. The original United States could have been only the New England Colonies.
But other British colonies around the world have become independent over time, so all American Colonies probably would have gained independence from Britain eventually.
Before Yorktown, the American and French alliance hadn't borne fruit, and the two allies were locked in a stalemate with the British. Yorktown's outcome would provide valuable momentum.
"It lost the war for the British. It probably would have done the same thing for the Americans".
British from Md. to N.Y. -- and a Spanish West
If they had won at Yorktown, the tired British still would have negotiated for peace within a few years -- but from a stronger position.
They could have ended up with a firm grip on an area from Maryland to New York, there would have been no U.S. Constitution and, later, no 50 states. Spain would have played a larger role in the American West.
For a victory at Yorktown, the Royal Navy needed to defeat a French fleet at the Chesapeake Bay's entrance in September 1781. The French actually won the Battle of the Capes, and their fleet's control of the bay was critical.
"Yorktown is a very good example of the synergy that you get from maritime and land forces working together," in the end the result would have been same, even without a victory at Yorktown, the Americans and French still would have defeated the British.
"Sooner or later, they would have been able to bloody the British noses somewhere," the British initially planned for just a police action, then the fighting didn't go as planned and people at home stopped supporting the war.
"They were incurring more and more debt, taxpayers were grumbling about it and what were they getting for it?".
The British couldn't have managed a victory at Yorktown -- just an inconclusive battle or an escape to fight another day, more like Canada, but maybe more revolutions.
With a British victory at Yorktown and in the war, the American Colonies could have "become more 'Canadized,' "which means a resemblance to British colonies such as Canada or Australia, "they become increasingly self-governed ... but always with the allegiance to the British crown."
British rule also could have meant slower industrialization. Before the Revolutionary War, British leaders kept some machinery secret from Americans.
But if the British tried to stop industrialization, they could have faced another revolution.
In addition, they would have struggled in dealing with settlement west of the original 13 Colonies. And the issue of slavery -- which ended in British colonies in the 1830s -- also could have sparked a revolution.
"All those things would still have to be dealt with, and it would be increasingly difficult for England to deal with them at a distance,".
In reality, the Battle of Yorktown ended with a British surrender October 19th 1781. It was the American Revolution's last big battle, and in effect, it ended the war.
France would have bowed out of the war
A defeat at Yorktown could have led France to withdraw from the American Revolution which would been catastrophic for the revolutionaries.
Besides providing troops, warships and military expertise to the American side, France's jump into the fray brought the British worldwide worries. The British had to start guarding against a French invasion of their country and focus more on protecting Jamaica and their other interests in the West Indies.
The American Revolution became their third concern, and that helped the rebels, also a British victory at Yorktown -- and then in the war -- would have made for no Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and no American Civil War in the 1860s.
That's because France wouldn't have sold land to its longtime enemy, and Britain abolished slavery in its possessions in the 1830s.
A U.S. of New England -- and a British South
A British victory could have provided the Redcoats "a springboard for at least retaking the South",the British could have tried to get all 13 Colonies back, or they could have been content with just the South. The original United States could have been only the New England Colonies.
But other British colonies around the world have become independent over time, so all American Colonies probably would have gained independence from Britain eventually.
Before Yorktown, the American and French alliance hadn't borne fruit, and the two allies were locked in a stalemate with the British. Yorktown's outcome would provide valuable momentum.
"It lost the war for the British. It probably would have done the same thing for the Americans".
British from Md. to N.Y. -- and a Spanish West
If they had won at Yorktown, the tired British still would have negotiated for peace within a few years -- but from a stronger position.
They could have ended up with a firm grip on an area from Maryland to New York, there would have been no U.S. Constitution and, later, no 50 states. Spain would have played a larger role in the American West.
For a victory at Yorktown, the Royal Navy needed to defeat a French fleet at the Chesapeake Bay's entrance in September 1781. The French actually won the Battle of the Capes, and their fleet's control of the bay was critical.
"Yorktown is a very good example of the synergy that you get from maritime and land forces working together," in the end the result would have been same, even without a victory at Yorktown, the Americans and French still would have defeated the British.
"Sooner or later, they would have been able to bloody the British noses somewhere," the British initially planned for just a police action, then the fighting didn't go as planned and people at home stopped supporting the war.
"They were incurring more and more debt, taxpayers were grumbling about it and what were they getting for it?".
The British couldn't have managed a victory at Yorktown -- just an inconclusive battle or an escape to fight another day, more like Canada, but maybe more revolutions.
With a British victory at Yorktown and in the war, the American Colonies could have "become more 'Canadized,' "which means a resemblance to British colonies such as Canada or Australia, "they become increasingly self-governed ... but always with the allegiance to the British crown."
British rule also could have meant slower industrialization. Before the Revolutionary War, British leaders kept some machinery secret from Americans.
But if the British tried to stop industrialization, they could have faced another revolution.
In addition, they would have struggled in dealing with settlement west of the original 13 Colonies. And the issue of slavery -- which ended in British colonies in the 1830s -- also could have sparked a revolution.
"All those things would still have to be dealt with, and it would be increasingly difficult for England to deal with them at a distance,".