What a prolonged U.S.-European war might have looked like

If an 1898 war between the United States and European powers lasted about four years, which side would fail first?

Probably neither quickly. The conflict would center on a European blockade of the U.S. coast, limited fighting in Canada, economic pressure, and continued American shipbuilding.

The likely contest would be mainly naval because occupying the North American continent would be impractical. There might be fighting in Canada, but a mass blockade of the U.S. coast would be the central European instrument. America's rail, road, and internal distribution network had not yet reached its later capacity, so coastal interdiction would pressure trade and the balance of payments. Neither side would necessarily collapse quickly: Europe could sustain pressure while the United States kept building ships, producing an extended blockade rather than a decisive invasion.