Alternate Outcomes: What If Mindanao Became a German Colony

What if Mindanao became a German colony after the Americans ceded to the Danes in exchange for Greenland and the Danish West Indies.

Editor's Note: Alternate Outcomes is an article series that examines alternative outcomes to specific divergent points in historical events. It explores the 'what ifs' when a historical event goes to a different route. All the scenarios discussed here did not happen and are just mere educational speculations of what might have been.

During the late 19th century, most of the world was already colonized by European colonial powers with the British Empire controlling about three-quarters of the globe. In Asia, France had already got Indochina, the Netherlands controlled the Dutch East Indies, and Germany had outposts in China, the various Pacific islands, and New Guinea. By this time, Spain was losing its grip on most of its colonial possessions, especially the Philippines.

Japan kickstarted its modernization after the United States forced it to open to world trade in 1853. It accelerated its industrialization to catch up with the West so it could keep acquiring new territories expand into China further after winning the Sino-Japanese War in 1895 and block further Russian advance into the Far East after a stunning victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. By then, it was the United States who came in late in the scramble for overseas territories. The Americans eventually acquired the Philippines together with Cuba and Puerto Rico in the aftermath of the Spanish-American War in 1898.

Consolidation of its New Territories

Although the Americans inherited the islands after the signing of the Treaty of Paris with Spain, much of the island was not totally under control. They had to send more troops to completely annex the former Spanish colony. In fact, they had to fight another war with the Filipinos, who had already declared their independence on June 12, 1898. The “Philippine Insurrection,” as they called it, was a bloody war that lasted for three years resulting in over 1,000,000 deaths that were further worsened by bloody reprisals, famines, and cholera outbreaks.

For the whole part, much of Mindanao was further insulated from most of the bloodshed as this part of the country was not totally controlled by the Spanish anyway. By the time the Americans came, they still had to ‘pacify’ much of the region in what was called the “Moro Wars” that lasted until 1913.

Trading Game

In geopolitics, China was the real prize of the scramble for territories by Western imperialists. The Philippines was just in a launchpad to control trade with China by those who controlled it. It won’t be just another coaling station for the US Pacific Fleet. It also opens up a new market for American products. However, Mindanao is a whole different story as the Insular Government has to encourage immigration to this part of the country in order to ‘rebalance’ the demographic. It’s a classic divide-and-conquer strategy in order to relegate the non-Christian population into minorities in their own lands.

Most colonies are treated like trading cards where different colonial powers trade them for one another. The United States has expanded westwards thanks to careful diplomatic play and adventurous wars with Mexico. It also annexed Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands.

Not a lot of people know that there were also plans for eastward expansion as well. As early as 1867, Secretary of State William Seward, the architect of the Alaska acquisition, also considered the acquisition of Greenland and Iceland, both Danish territories. They see these potential territories as vital stepping stones to trans-Atlantic trade and exert their influence on European countries.

According to famed Arctic explorer Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary, “With the rapid shrinking of distances in this age of speed and invention, Greenland may be of crucial importance to us in the future. Greenland in our hands may be a valuable piece in our defensive armor. In the hands of hostile interests, it could be a serious menace.”

By 1910, American ambassador to Denmark Maurice Francis Egan proposed the acquisition of Greenland in response to suggestions from his Danish ‘friends.’ As part of the proposal, Greenland and the Danish West Indies (Dansk Vestindien) would be traded in exchange for Mindanao. Should the plan push through, the Americans will strengthen their position on the Atlantic while also securing their control of the Panama Canal with new bases on St. John, St. Croix, and Water Islands together with Puerto Rico which they earlier acquired from Spain. They would still control most of the Philippines while letting the Danes deal with Mindanao. It was also expected that the Danes would trade Mindanao to the Germans in exchange for northern Schleswig.

The diplomatic card game is confusing, isn’t it?

Rise of Germany

The smashing victory in the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 saw the rise of a unified German nation-state. The Germans saw their interest in catching up in the colonial game as well in order to gain their ‘place in the sun’ (Weltpolitik).

By the 1890s, they already established Deutsch-Neuguinea (German New Guinea) with Kaiser-Wilhelmsland (northern Papua New Guinea) as the mainland, Neu-Pomerania (New Britain), Bismarck-Archipel (Bismarck Archipelago), Deutsches Protektorat der Salomonen (German Solomon Islands Protectorate), Karolinen (Caroline Islands), Palau, Marianen (Marianas Islands), Bougainville-Insel (Bougainville Island), Deutsches Marschall-Inseln Protektorat (German Marshall Islands Protectorate), Deutsch-Samoa (German Samoa). They also held outposts in China at Qingdao, Chefoo, and Deutsch-Kiautschou (Jiaozhou Bay concession).


With the acquisition of Mindanao as well as Palawan and other small islands in the area, the new territories would be incorporated as Deutsch-Ostindien (German East Indies). It is also expected to host elements of the Ostasiengeschwader (German East Asia Squadron), composed of SMS Scharnhorst, SMS Gneisenau, SMS Emden, SMS Leipzig, and SMS Nürnberg. Key leaders of this squadron like Rear Admiral Alfred von Tirpitz, Rear Admiral Otto von Diederichs, and Count Maximilian von Spee would later play key roles in World War I.

Eventual Outcome

Denmark eventually realized that keeping their West Indies territories was no longer financially viable so they ended up selling it to the United States for $25,000,000 in 1916 after a referendum saw 64% of Danish citizens voting to get rid of the islands. It eventually became the U.S. Virgin Islands. If the Germans had invaded Denmark, the islands would have hosted German submarines in the Caribbean. The Americans never pushed through with the Greenland acquisition as the protection of the Panama Canal was of significant importance.

With the intensity of Germany’s unrestricted submarine warfare becoming too bad for Allied shipping, the plan of losing Mindanao to the Germans became a serious security concern in the region. The Americans have strengthened their grip by developing it further by opening it to homesteaders and immigrants.

After Germany’s defeat in World War I, the 1920 plebiscites (in accordance with the Treaty of Versailles) transferred northern Schleswig to Denmark.


References:

“Governing the North American Arctic: Sovereignty, Security, and Institutions,” by Dawn Alexandra Berry, Nigel Bowles, and Halbert Jones.

Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, with the Address of the President to Congress. File No. 711.5914/14. Minister Egan to the Assistant Secretary of State.

Encyclopedia Arctica. Volume 11: Territorial Sovereignty and History.

COMMENTS

Name

100,1,1924 summer olympics,1,1936,1,1949,1,2012 olympics,1,2014 aff suzuki cup,1,2016 olympic basketball,2,2019 fiba world cup,2,adobo,1,adolf,1,aff suzuki cup teams,1,afghanistan,1,aguilas,1,ai art,1,al-andalus,4,alan nacorda,1,albinism,1,alcohol,1,alcoholic,1,alejo santos,1,alibata,1,altered timeline,21,alternate history,35,althistory,23,american,2,ancestry,2,ancient filipino,1,andres bonifacio,2,andres bonifacio family tree,1,andres bonifacio genealogy,1,andres novales,1,ang pasko ay sumapit,1,antonio luna,3,apolinario alcuitas,1,articles,1,artificial intelligence,1,artista,4,artistas,3,asian,1,asian games,1,asians,1,ask me,6,athletes,1,automobiles,1,azkals,9,aztecas,1,bacolod city arena,1,balangiga,1,barato sa unang panahon,1,barcelona,1,basketball,11,bayanihan,1,baybayin,1,beauty,1,bells,1,benjie paras family tree,1,berlin,1,beverage,1,biases,1,bill hoyt,1,billy ray bates,1,biopic,1,bisaya,1,black and white,2,black superman,1,bombs,1,border,1,boyfriend-girlfriend,1,brain drain,2,Brazil,1,british,1,british empire,1,brown,1,burger,1,butterfly effect,21,calvin abueva,1,calvin abueva family tree,1,calvin abueva genealogy,1,calvin sweeney,1,campaign ads,1,canonigo family,3,canonigo family history,2,canonigo family tree,4,canonigo genealogy,4,canonigo surname,2,carcar,1,cartago delenda est,1,carthage,1,carthagiensis victoriae,1,cartographic history,1,cat meat,1,catfish,1,ceboom,1,cebu,11,cebu arenas,1,cebu brt system,1,Cebu cinema,1,cebu city,9,cebu coliseum,1,cebu developments,1,cebu hauntings,2,cebu heritage,7,cebu history,33,cebu masterplan,1,cebu megadome,2,cebu mrt system,1,cebu railways,1,cebu shopping malls,3,cebu sports facilities,1,cebu stadiums,1,cebu streets,1,Cebu theaters,1,cebu tourism,1,cebuano,3,cebuano spy,1,cebuano television show,1,celebrity gossip,2,characters,1,chika minute,1,china,2,chinese,4,chinese ancestors,2,chiong veloso family,1,chismis,1,christianity,2,christmas,2,christmas carols,1,christmas in the philippines,3,chronicles,4,Civil War,2,claudio,1,coke go for goal,1,colon obelisk,1,colon street,1,colorized old photographs,3,comic book,2,comic books,1,comics,1,comparison,1,conrado tudtud,1,controversy,1,corrupt politicians,5,costliest typhoons,2,covid-19,1,cuisine,5,culinary trip,2,cultural,1,cultural cringe,1,culture,1,curse,1,dall e,1,dancing sun,1,dante guidetti,1,darna,2,darna ajaib,1,darth vader family tree,1,davao basketball arena,1,davao sports venue,1,david nepomuceno,1,deadliest firecrackers,1,deadliest typhoons,2,december,1,december 7 1941,1,delenda est,1,department stores,1,developments,1,disaster relief,1,disinformation,1,disputed islands,1,dna test,1,dongmakgol,1,download mba2k,1,download mba2k17,1,drinking culture,1,dutch,1,dynamites,1,dynasty,1,eddie gil,1,election,4,election ads,2,election campaign,4,electioneering,5,elections,6,eleksyon 2016,1,eleksyon 49,1,elena jurado,1,elena jurado ancestors,1,elena jurado family tree,1,elena jurado genealogy,1,elpidio,1,emperor novales,1,enrique of malacca,1,entertainment,2,epal,2,epalism,2,exotic cuisine,1,expatriates,1,extra rice,1,fake facebook profiles,1,fake profiles,1,family history,2,family tree,6,famous relatives,1,far eastern games,1,fashion,1,fear,1,fear factor,1,fears,1,feature,6,featured,6,fernando poe jr,1,fiba olympic qualifying tournament,2,fiba world championship,5,fiba world cup,4,fifa world cup,1,fighter wine,1,filipino,5,Filipino architecture,2,filipino celebrities,1,filipino comics,1,filipino culture,3,filipino diaspora,1,filipino films,1,filipino mall culture,1,filipino nationalism,1,filipino spanish,1,filipino-american,1,filipino-american war,7,filipino-indonesian family,1,filipinos,3,films,3,finding their roots,18,firecrackers,1,fireworks,1,first asian actor in hollywood,1,first touch soccer,2,first touch soccer kits,1,food,7,food trip,3,football,5,football history,9,football league structure,2,football legends,2,football tournament,2,foreign relations,3,foreigners,1,fpj,1,france,1,FTS kits,3,fts15,3,fts15 kits,4,future,1,gabe norwood,1,gabe norwood family tree,1,gabe norwood genealogy,1,gabriel daniel norwood,1,game shows,1,gangnam style,1,gastronomy,5,gaudencio bueno,1,genealogy,8,genie,1,genie of the lamp,1,germans,1,germany,4,gilas,1,gilas pilipinas,11,globalization,1,God Save the Queen,1,goliat,1,gomburza,1,good friday,1,good old days,1,goodbye philippines,1,gossips,3,grandfather paradox,3,Guerrillas,1,guest blogging,3,guest post,3,halalan 2016,1,hamburger,1,han,1,han solo family tree,1,Harry Turtledove,2,hawaii,1,headline,13,henry the black,1,hero,2,hero obsession,1,higugmaa ang dios,1,hilario moncado,1,hipodromo,1,hippodrome,1,hispania,4,historical films,2,historical leaders,2,history,48,history of cebuano language,1,hitler,1,holy week,1,hymns,1,identity thieves,1,imperial manila,1,import,1,independence day,1,indonesian darna,1,indonesian family history,1,indonesian family tree,1,infographics,1,inuman,1,invasion,2,iron sky,1,ispageti,1,italian,1,italians,1,jai alai building,1,jai alai in cebu,1,japan,2,japanese,4,japanese bazaars,1,jeepney,1,jersey,1,jersey number,1,jersey numbers,1,jerseys,1,jesus,1,jim olmedo alapag,1,jimmy alapag,1,jimmy alapag family tree,1,jimmy alapag genealogy,1,jorgensen,2,jose rizal,6,jose rizal family tree,3,jose rizal genealogy,3,jose rizal girlfriends,2,josephine bracken,1,julian daan,1,kahadloki ang dios,1,kalayaan,1,kansas history,1,karaang sugbu,18,karen,1,kasadya ning taknaa,1,killing adolf hitler,1,kingdom of humanity,1,kjc king dome,1,kobe paras family tree,1,komics,1,kontrabida,1,korean,4,korean war,2,koreans,3,koreans in the philippines,1,krag,2,kris,2,language,2,lapulapu,3,learning spanish,1,lebron james ancestors,1,lebron james family history,1,lebron james family tree,1,lebron james genealogy,1,lebrons real father,1,leia organa family tree,1,leon kilat,1,lito lapid,1,litratista,1,living in cebu,2,london olympics,1,london riots,1,long distance relationships,1,long lost family,4,los extranjeros,1,los tiradores de la muerte,1,lost ancestors,2,lost landmarks,8,louisiana,1,love on the internet,2,luke skywalker family tree,1,luzon lumber,1,mabolo golden era,1,machine learning,1,mactan,1,maharlika pilipinas basketball league,1,malacañang,3,malaysia,1,malditas,2,mall of asia arena,2,malls,1,mampor,1,manila,2,manila men,1,manila xi,1,maniniyot,1,mariano vestil,1,marie josephine leopoldine bracken,1,marites,1,mars ravelo,1,mass hysteria,1,massacre,1,max joseph,1,mba,1,mba2k,1,medicinal wines,1,medieval christianity,1,megadome project,1,merdeka,1,mes que un club,1,metro cebu,5,metroball,1,metropolitan basketball association,2,mexicans,1,mexico,1,micronations,1,midjourney,1,military food,1,military ration,1,minda mora,1,mindanao,1,ming dynasty,1,missouri history,1,moa arena,1,money,1,Morac-Songhreti-Meads,1,moro,2,mortal kombat,1,movies,3,mtv,1,mugen philippines,1,mugen pilipinas,1,murang bilihin noon,1,muslim,2,national anthems,2,national basketball association,1,national dish,1,natural disasters,1,nazi,1,Nazi victory,2,NBA,3,nba 2k14,1,negros basketball arena,1,netherlands,1,netherlands east indies,1,nev schulman,1,news misreporting,1,nightmare,1,nippon bazar,1,no hablo espanol,1,north korea,1,nuisance candidates,1,occupied Japan,1,ofw,2,old cebu,25,old documentaries,1,old films,1,old parks of cebu,1,old photographs,3,old plazas of cebu,1,Olympic Games,2,olympic gold medals,1,olympics,2,one hundred,1,online relationships,1,operation,1,overseas filipino workers,2,paduka pahala,1,pagkaing pinoy,1,pandemic,1,pangasinan,1,paputok,1,paracel,1,parallel worlds,3,paras family tree,1,paras genealogy,1,pascual racuyal,1,pasko sa sugbu,1,pasta,1,pastor apollo quiboloy,1,paul john dalistan,1,paul lee,1,paul lee family tree,1,paul lee genealogy,1,paulino alcantara,1,pba,6,pba dleague,1,PBA home away format,2,pba players,4,pbl,1,pcbl,1,pearl harbor,1,peftok,1,penitence,1,penitencial practices,1,perrelos,1,personal,2,pesos,1,Philippine architecture,2,philippine arena,3,Philippine basketball,3,philippine basketball association,9,philippine basketball team,8,philippine cinema,2,philippine election,2,philippine expeditionary force,1,philippine football team,13,philippine history,29,philippine movies,6,philippine politics,5,philippine revolution,1,philippine sports stadium,1,philippine television,1,philippine-american war,4,philippines,25,philippines football league,6,philippines in the olympics,2,philippines-china relations,2,phobia,1,phobias,1,pilate,1,pinoy food,4,pinoys,1,point of divergence,11,political,4,political corruption,6,politics,6,pontius,1,pop culture,3,Portugal,1,portuguese,1,prejudices,2,presidentiables,2,presidential,2,presidential election 2016,2,presidents,4,princess,1,private,1,public transportation,1,pulutan,1,punic wars,1,quirino,1,race relations,2,racism,3,Red Legs,1,religion,1,republic of cebu,1,Republic of Koneuwe,1,rice consumption,1,rice obsession,1,rizals chinese ancestors,1,Robert Silverberg,1,robinsons galleria cebu,2,Roma Eterna,1,Roman Empire,1,rome,2,royal ancestors,1,rumors,2,russia,1,sabah,1,samahang basketbol ng pilipinas,2,scarborough shoal,2,scripts,1,sea games,1,seaside city arena,1,segunda katigbak ancestors,1,segunda katigbak descendants,1,seven years war,1,shoutout culture,1,showbiz,1,si goot da wanderpol,1,sick man of asia,1,sidekicks,1,silmido,1,sioktong,1,siomai,1,siomai sa tisa,1,siopao,1,skin color,1,skin tone,1,skin whitening,1,sm arena cebu,1,sm city cebu,1,sm malls,1,sm seaside city,4,sm seaside city arena,2,smart gilas,6,soccer,2,social commentary,2,south korea,1,southeast asian games,1,Soviet invasion of Japan,1,spaghetti,1,spain,6,spanish filipino,1,spanish flu,1,spanish in the philippines,1,spanish language,1,spanish-american war,1,speaking spanish,1,sports,4,sports uniform,1,spratly islands,2,spratly islands dispute,2,st malo,1,stable diffusion,1,star wars family tree,1,Star-Spangled Banner,1,Stephen Curry family tree,1,Stephen Curry genealogy,1,stereotypes,2,street fighter,1,street food,2,sulu sultanate,1,summer,1,superheroes,3,superheroine,1,superpowers,2,supporting actors,1,taegukgi,1,taisho bazar,1,team pilipinas,1,teban,1,telenovela,4,teleserye,4,television,4,television programs,6,television shows,6,territorial dispute,3,The Guns of the South,1,things to do,1,three wishes,1,time travel,2,tomas,1,tomas claudio,1,tourist attractions,1,tourist destinations,1,Trans-Mississippi,1,true passion of the nation,1,tv personalities,1,typhoon bopha,1,typhoon haiyan,1,typhoon odette,1,typhoon pablo,1,typhoon rai,1,typhoon yolanda,1,typhoons,2,uk,1,United football league,2,united kingdom,1,united states,4,urban legends,6,urduja,1,us civil war,3,usa,1,valentin santos,1,vehicles,1,vicente rubi,1,video,3,video game,5,video game characters,1,video games,8,villains,1,vino kulafu,1,voc,1,war,8,war in film,1,war movies,1,war on terror,1,warrior princess,1,watusi,1,white,1,white man's burden,1,who do you think you are,9,william grayson,1,willie revillame,1,willing willie,1,wish list,1,women,2,wonder woman,1,world basketball championship,3,world domination,1,world war 2,5,world war one,2,writings,1,written language,1,written scripts,1,ww2,2,wwi,1,wwII,2,
ltr
item
Istoryadista | History Blog | Cebu Blogger: Alternate Outcomes: What If Mindanao Became a German Colony
Alternate Outcomes: What If Mindanao Became a German Colony
What if Mindanao became a German colony after the Americans ceded to the Danes in exchange for Greenland and the Danish West Indies.
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4ti_bkWVCuOubkGMCF-NvSfJAPV2CdSa5GHDgwIl5XWoJKfoRXKFSKNC68TuzI0RqQYtBm6jpCgh3rl1xMpNg6X8jAb3Ozrl1sYXKktZTjqpz9dE0Y99hOpEt5y05xma3I1PjekG1IuF/w640-h480/german+soldiers+in+pacific+1914.jpg
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4ti_bkWVCuOubkGMCF-NvSfJAPV2CdSa5GHDgwIl5XWoJKfoRXKFSKNC68TuzI0RqQYtBm6jpCgh3rl1xMpNg6X8jAb3Ozrl1sYXKktZTjqpz9dE0Y99hOpEt5y05xma3I1PjekG1IuF/s72-w640-c-h480/german+soldiers+in+pacific+1914.jpg
Istoryadista | History Blog | Cebu Blogger
https://www.istoryadista.net/2021/01/if-mindanao-became-german-colony.html
https://www.istoryadista.net/
https://www.istoryadista.net/
https://www.istoryadista.net/2021/01/if-mindanao-became-german-colony.html
true
2148827822363692190
UTF-8
Loaded All Posts Not found any posts VIEW ALL Read More Reply Cancel reply Delete By Home PAGES POSTS View All RECOMMENDED FOR YOU LABEL ARCHIVE SEARCH ALL POSTS Not found any post match with your request Back Home Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat January February March April May June July August September October November December Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec just now 1 minute ago $$1$$ minutes ago 1 hour ago $$1$$ hours ago Yesterday $$1$$ days ago $$1$$ weeks ago more than 5 weeks ago Followers Follow THIS PREMIUM CONTENT IS LOCKED STEP 1: Share to a social network STEP 2: Click the link on your social network Copy All Code Select All Code All codes were copied to your clipboard Can not copy the codes / texts, please press [CTRL]+[C] (or CMD+C with Mac) to copy Table of Content