User blog comment:Beauhunt III/History Project/@comment-26360929-20150521183648

I'd just like to point out that the major flaw in your plan is that you ignore the other world powers at the time, besides underestimating the British. (Heck, they managed to burn down the White House in 1814.) In my opinion, the German Confederation and the Empire of Austria wouldn't let their old enemy France attack Britain without interfering. In fact, the Concert of Europe, dominated by the Austrian chancellor Metternich, while damaged by the 1848/1849 revolutions, succeeded in maintaining relative peace in Europe until 1914. The US, in contrast, only rose to the status of leading world power due to its involvement in the World Wars.