Map thread for the most implausible TL of all - ours

[Thande]

I've been doing a number of world maps for OTL for various years since the start of the 20th century. The idea is to provide a useful starting point for any 20th century PODs. I thought I'd put them up here partly because others might want to use them, and partly because I know I've almost certainly got things wrong and want to be put right. In particular, I can't understand why on contemporary 1900 maps Somalia is French, when I can't find any reference to that anywhere else.

I'm using a continuous colour code:

Pale red = Britain
Blue = France
Teal = USA
Green = Mexico
Pale green = Portugal
Grey = Germany
Brown = Italy
Pale yellow = Austria
Yellow = Japan
Pale blue = Belgium
Orange = the Netherlands
Mid beige = Spain
Gold = Russia
Dark beige = India (eventually, when it gains independence)
Pink = China
Red-pink = Communist China
Bloodred = Soviet Union
Purple = all other independent states
Pale purple = here there be dragons.

I've also included puppet states as part of 'empires', i.e. Eastern Europe will be Soviet-red etc.

Here is the 1900 map:

 

[Grey Wolf]

Somebody's being biting Austria-Hungary ? Bitten off Galicia ?

Grey Wolf

 

[Thande]

Knew there was something. Also I forgot Haiti. Here's revised 1901:

 

[Abdul Hadi Pasha]

Libya should be Ottoman, and the Sudan is around as a codominion of Britain and Egypt.

Fr. Somaliland has the same borders as Djibuti today, to the East of it is British Somaliland, and the rest is Italian. Ethiopia should have similar borders to today's and the Italians have Eritrea which corresponds to today's borders.

 

[Grey Wolf]

Oh....this is OTL ???

Hispaniola is surely not united at this time ?

Grey Wolf

 

[Abdul Hadi Pasha]

Oh....this is OTL ???

Hispaniola is surely not united at this time ?

Grey Wolf

I think he's got it OK - there's a line dividing them. Is Mongolia a part of China in 1901?

 

[Grey Wolf]

I think he's got it OK - there's a line dividing them. Is Mongolia a part of China in 1901?

Yes, and so should Tannu Tuva be, which might be more difficult to fiddle a map with. IIRC its an autonomous oblast of the Russian Federation these days

Grey Wolf

 

[Thande]

I'm basing my Africa borders off this 1900 map, which may be wrong judging by the Somalian borders. It also seems to show Libya as independent, although I think on reflection that Abdul is right about it being Ottoman until 1912.

 

[Grey Wolf]

I think Kuwait should be marked out singularly

Of course that raises the whole thorny issue of protectorates - show them on the map as possessions of the protecting power, or show them as independent ?

Are you sure the Horn of Africa is right ?

Grey Wolf

 

[Grey Wolf]

I'm basing my Africa borders off this 1900 map, which may be wrong judging by the Somalian borders. It also seems to show Libya as independent, although I think on reflection that Abdul is right about it being Ottoman until 1912.

I guess it depends on whom it is showing it as being independent from, as there is no other aspect for the Ottoman Empire and it is probably a colonial-focused map

But you're right, it looks wrong for France. However, I would want to read up on the Anglo-French Entente's clauses regarding Djibouti and also the international state of Italy's claims at this period, before saying for sure the map is wrong

Grey Wolf

 

[Grey Wolf]

One might also note that Kamerun and Togoland also appear to be in hiding, at least in so far as they are German colonies - which they were by this time

Grey Wolf

 

[Thande]

I noticed that as well. The British-made map might well just be refusing to acknowledge them.

 

[fortyseven]

check this map of Africa for 1914. http://www.bartleby.com/67/africa01.html

 

[Grey Wolf]

The problem with using a 1914 map is that there were loads of changes between 1900 and 1914, off the top of my head including :-

-1- German compensation for Morocco in Kamerun
-2- French and Spanish expansion of influence in Morocco
(did Algiers get part of Morocco too ?)
-3- Italian conquest of Libya and expansion of influence over Fezzan
-4- The Anglo-French Entente settling borders in African hot spots
-5- British conquest of the Sokoto Caliphate
-6- French conquest in Chad

Grey Wolf

 

[Thande]

That's right, Grey Wolf, that's why I've avoided using 1914 maps as a guide - and found it difficult as everyone and their brother has a 1914 world map but no-one has a 1900 one.

Here's my 1914 map, then!

 

[corourke]

In your 1900 map, shouldn't France own at least some of Algeria?

 

[Thande]

Kraj, I forgot to colour it in.

 

[Abdul Hadi Pasha]

The Ottoman Empire should end at Iraq in 1914, as Hasa was lost in 1913 (they would have gone back in if not for WWI), and Kuwait should be British.

 

[Abdul Hadi Pasha]

That Africa map is really poor - very inaccurate. I will try to dig up a better one.

 

[fortyseven]

you can work back from a 1914 map though, easier than working forward from a 1880 map.