Q&A · 4:18:48-4:20:45

Moving Britain to test climate and invasion geography

A playful counterfactual keeps Britain within the Gulf Stream while moving it southwest and widening the Channel as an additional defence against Germany.

Question

If Britain could be moved during the Second World War, where should it go?

Short answer

Roughly 600 miles southwest while retaining the Gulf Stream, ideally with a much wider English Channel to improve defensive depth.

Notes

The question becomes a problem in climate, agriculture, and strategic geography rather than an arbitrary choice on the map. Britain should remain within the Gulf Stream because of its effect on weather and growing conditions. The preferred move is roughly 600 miles southwest. Shifting the island farther from continental Europe could also make the English Channel about 100 miles wide at its narrowest point. That distance would preserve maritime access while making a German cross-Channel attack more difficult.