Franco-Austrian Alliance after a Confederate victory?

[World Mapping]

Hello.

I currently have my own Confederate victory timeline in the works. As of now, in regards to alliances and diplomacy, I've been using the typical "USA joins Central Powers" model, likely because my own timeline was inspired heavily by TL-191, and came into being because of my desire to make a more realistic version of TL-191 (and also, I don't see it as that implausible).

I've seen the concept of a post-CSA victory Franco-Austrian alliance suggested several times on this forum. In part to keep my timeline from becoming too much like TL-191, I would like to explore this topic further.

How would a post-ACW Franco-Austrian alliance materialize, and what would it look like?

Would Austria intervene in 1870 to prevent German unification?

Plausibility of a Russo-Prussian-Italian-US alliance versus a Franco-Austrian-Ottoman-CS one?

Where does Britain stand in the midst of all of this?

 

[BrockSampson]

How would a post-ACW Franco-Austrian alliance materialize, and what would it look like?

France was trying to get an Austrian in charge of Mexico in the 1860s and both were concerned about Prussia’s expanding power. It wouldn’t be too different from the usual European alliances that had come before.

Would Austria intervene in 1870 to prevent German unification?

I don’t see it. Austria was just beaten by Prussia and wasn’t in any position to step in for round 2 so quickly.

Plausibility of a Russo-Prussian-Italian-US alliance versus a Franco-Prussian-Ottoman-CS one?

Those alliances are fairly plausible as Russia and Italy were on decent terms with the Prussians up until 1900 or so and they had an axe to grind with the Austrians. Austria’s alliance with France would be the only thing keeping them from getting hit from almost every direction. The only fly in the ointment is why the Ottomans would join with France?

Where does Britain stand in the midst of all of this?

With the Entente more than likely. Russia, Italy, and Germany all together would be way too powerful a force, one that would easily dominate the continent. They would have to spend a lot to shore up Canada and their Caribbean holdings from a vindictive US should things go hot. I can see them trying to avoid getting too close to the CSA for reasons like slavery, cotton being less valuable than trade with the more industrialized USA, and the threat to their North American holdings.
There is a chance that Britain will try to defuse any situation from leading to war and, should they fail there, may try to avoid any entanglements in North America by only declaring against the European powers. How well that would actually work is another story entirely.