What if Germany Had Invaded America? Robert Conroy's 1901

The time is 1901, the place, Berlin, Germany. Germany is a rising power in both Europe and the world at large. And while the Kaiser and his generals are late to the game of colonial conquest, they're raring to make up for lost time. But one problem: just where can the Reich establish a foothold in the world? With the best territories already long ago taken by Britain, France, and even the Netherlands, there isn't much left for latecomer Germany to colonize.

Until, of course, the Kaiser has an idea. The Americans, fresh off their recent victory over Spain in 1898, are flush with territories in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. Though his advisers are not so sure this is a good idea, the Kaiser insists a war on the United States is the only way to establish Germany as a colonial power. And so the German fleet of warships and troop carriers launches, ready to launch an attack upon the unsuspecting Americans.

American intelligence, of course, is not entirely unawares of rumors of an impending attack. But the conventional wisdom is that the Germans will attack one of their new possessions directly. Imagine, then, the shock and utter dismay of President McKinley when the British leak word to his government that the Germans intend to land forces on Manhattan, and in fact are not far off the coast.

And they do. Seizing the city of New York and marching towards New Jersey and Connecticut, the Kaiser's intent is to strangle the Americans into submission. With his highly trained and skilled armies, he's sure that the tiny, amateur American military will succumb in no time. On the American side, newly-minted American President Teddy Roosevelt vows to fight to the death, and is sure that the Americans will easily eject the invaders. But as the war unfolds, things don't turn out entirely as either side foresaw them. And with so much at stake, the war on land and at sea soon becomes a struggle to the death-and one that neither side can afford to lose.

This is the premise of Robert Conroy's 1901, a novel of alternate history that tells the tale of a war that never was. As a fan of the genre, I've read many such novels-mostly by it's acknowledged master, Harry Turtledove. 1901 would be my first read of Conroy, and I suppose I was a bit jaded by my adoration for Turtledove's work. Still, I managed to enjoy 1901 well enough, despite several flaws in the novel.

That's because Conroy manages to keep the reader interested with a steady flow of events feeding upon each other and marching inexorably towards the climax. And like any bout between two titans, we ultimately want to see who will prevail. And even when the outcome starts to become clear and we have a good idea who will win, we still press on to see if we're right.

Unfortunately, Conroy could have done a better job keeping us guessing, and for a bit longer. The outcome becomes relatively clear about half way through this 400 plus page novel, and events have a habit of always turning up badly for the eventual loser. That makes the storyline a bit harder to believe.

The author's characterizations are also a fifty-fifty achievement. He does best with his own (most notably Colonel Patrick Mahan, alleged cousin of famed naval theorist Alfred T. Mahan). We follow him as he leads armies and influences the turn of events, and start to identify with him. A romantic element with Mahan is an interesting diversion as well.

Less well received are the author's portrayals of historical legends, which tend to be over the top. Conroy's Kaiser Wilhelm is a raving madman more like Adolph Hitler than the real Kaiser, and his staff of advisers are treated no more favorably. Teddy Roosevelt is no less exaggerated, portrayed a bit too simplistically as an ever-excitable figurehead prone to overreaction who needs to be consistently brought down to Earth by his staff.

For it's premise alone, 1901 is worth reading by fans of the genre as well as history buffs in general. Enjoy it for what it is, a quick-reading flight of fancy and what if scenario, and you'll come away with a mostly entertaining read if nothing else.

Three stars.