The ''Stars and Stripes'' trilogy is a collection of three

alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...

novels written by Harry Harrison.

Setting

All three novels involve the

point of divergence Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

involvement in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

after the ''Trent'' Affair. This happens when Prince Albert dies prematurely rather than playing his historic role in resolving the crisis.

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

blames the U.S. for his death. She authorizes her ministers to do anything necessary to ensure that the U.S. pays for it. While 1861 is the relevant point of departure, there is another unexplained difference—the

Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...

is still alive in 1862, though he remarks he has been "living on borrowed time" since his illness in 1852 (his death date in our world). This seems to date the initial point of divergence to 1852, without the butterfly effect changing intermediate occurrences, such as the course of the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the de ...

Novels

* ''

Stars and Stripes Forever "The Stars and Stripes Forever" is a patriotic American march written and composed by John Philip Sousa in 1896. By a 1987 act of the U.S. Congress, it is the official National March of the United States of America. History In his 1928 autobi ...

'' (1998) * '' Stars and Stripes in Peril'' (2000) * '' Stars and Stripes Triumphant'' (2002)

External links

* *
A Naval Review
—another criticism of the book, at

' * —a look at what would have really happened if fought
''The Contest in America''
by

John Stuart Mill John Stuart Mill (20 May 1806 – 7 May 1873) was an English philosopher, political economist, Member of Parliament (MP) and civil servant. One of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical liberalism, he contributed widely to ...

—a small download Alternate history book series American Civil War alternate histories Novels set during the American Civil War Novels by Harry Harrison Science fiction book series Steampunk novels {{AmericanCivilWar-novel-stub

Setting

Novels

See also

External links