Portugal:
Portugal is the only province on the map that borders a mere two others
(Spain and the Mid Atlantic Ocean).
If you hold Portugal, hopefully with a fleet, as well as either of those
two provinces, the unit in Portugal can attack or support risk-free.
By Niddy
At the beginning of the nineteenth century Europe was in turmoil. In 1793, in order to defend the Iberian peninsula against the revolutionary French, the somewhat impoverished and instable kingdom of Portugal sent troops to the Pyrenees, a range of mountains that seperates France from Spain.
After initial successes, Spain was defeated and became part of the continental system. Since England did not want to see Portugal become part of Napoleon's "continental system" as well, which was aimed at an economic blockade of England, Wellington was sent to Portugal in 1807 to stop the French commander Junot from conquering the country.
Fighting continued until the end of the Napoleontic wars. After that, Portugal went through a series of coups untill, in 1911, it finally became a republic. The Portuguese republic suffered from severe instabilities. Monarchists and clergymen would plot against the government. The military leaders were highly unreliable.
After having dealt with yet another rebellion by general Pimento da Costa, president Bernadino Machado decided to enter the Great War, by capturing German ships that were hidden in Portuguese waters. In addition, expeditionary forces were sent to France and to Africa. In 1917 major Sidono Pais took power and established a military dictatorship which lasted until 1918 when he was accused of being responsible for the bloodshed among portuguese soldiers, when their sector in France was overrun by the Germans in the Battle of La Lys. Pais was shot by an assassin. Soon therafter, the war was over. But little had been gained and there was much dissapointment over the achievements of the negotiations at Versailles. No wonder that, in the 1930's Portugal would become a corporatist and dictatorial state under Oliveira Salazar. But prudence kept it out of the next war.
In Diplomacy as well as in real life, Portugal will eventually become English, despite early French capture. The reason for this is simply that Portugal, unlike any other province on the map, can be attacked by armies from one side only, while fleets can take it from two sides. In addition, Spain is mostly accessible by fleets (by the Western Mediterrenean, Gulf du Lion, the Mid-Atlantic Ocean, Gascogny and Marseille), whereas armies can only enter through Gascogny and Marseille.
This clearly means that Portugal is most lilely to fall into the hands of a power with a firm grip on the seas. I'd say that France should consider taking Portugal in F1901. Since it is an ideal base for operations into the Mediterranean, England is bound to want it. Knowing the difficulties it will encounter in defending it, France should instead offer it to England, while falling back on Spain, so that the loss of Portugal would not lead to loss in supply centers.
I consider this an investment well worth while. If you disagree, please let us know, by writing a respons to this article.