See also: List of Althists
1901-1910:Queen Victoria dies and Edward VII comes to power. Under him, all independent-but-still-ruled-by-Britain places come back to Britain (except USA).
The Boer War ends though the Boers gained some reforms.
Disputes over Malta with Italy and Britain erupt into war. In 1903, the British invade the Italian colonies and invade Sicily. As a result, they are annexed by Britain.
The African wars (1904-1913) causes Britain to invade the continent of Africa, they won and other colonies in Asia and the Oceania went to Britain, making them the most dominant power of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific (by controlling all of the islands there). This also meant British annexation of Spain, Portugal, Monaco, the Mediterranean Islands, Greece, Southwest France, Northern Europe, Rhineland, and the Netherlands along with Russia, Germany, and France paying the war taxes.
The American Wars at the same time of the African Wars meant that South America is invaded with the rest of North America, though USA welcomed British annexation. (taxes for the war also came like the African Wars)
The British wanted to conquer the Middle East. After major battles with Persia, Iran and Afghanistan annex into Britain. However, the only drawback is the Russian attacks in the north, which never ended until 1914.
South Africa does not become independent and continue to be ruled by Britain. Liberia and Ethiopia annex into empire, leaving Africa into complete British control.
1914: World War One breaks out in Europe as a result of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. As German troops pour into France, the British determine that their interests would best be served by remaining neutral. As a result, they do not suffer a million dead, do not bankrupt themselves and their empire, do not suffer an immense loss of confidence and will, and do not lose the trust of the people and leaders of the Dominions.
1915: The nations of Europe have suffered heavy casualties. The British mediate a peace between the warring nations of Europe. Without British support, France and Russia have both lost territory to Germany. As part of the peace treaty, Germany is allowed to keep the captured territory, but the price for British mediation is that the Germans dismantle their High Seas Fleet, and evacuate Belgium and Luxemborg (which becomes a part of Britain).
1916-1920: Although revolutionary violence takes place throughout Russia, there is no organized movement to overthrow the Czar (the Germans did not send Lenin into Russia).
Agitation for independence in India is muted (Gandhi supported the British until he realized that the Indian war effort during World War One was unappreciated).
1920-1925: Disputes with China's refusement to accept Europenan culture made it part of Britain (with Mongolia).
1925-1930: Winston Churchill is elected Prime Minister. He pushed through the Statute of Westminster, which gives new political form to the British Empire. The Dominions are given complete control of their internal affairs, while foreign relations and imperial defense are to be coordinated by an Imperial Council, based in London, in which all the Dominions (Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa) take part along with Great Britain.
The unity of the empire is to be symbolized by the monarchy.
1930-1935: Political movements are launched in Ireland for separation from Great Britain and establishment as a separate Dominion. Within Ireland, there is a low-level conflict between those who wish to remain within the Empire and those who wish to be completely independent.
The Indian National Congress elects to seek Dominion status for India. Mohandas Gandhi spends his time writing works of ethical philosophy and does not concern himself much with politics.
1935-1940: The balance of power in Europe has taken a solid form. The Germans remain the chief land power, while the British are unchallenged at sea.
1940-1945: Japan, in an effort to secure oil supplies to maintain its war effort, attacks the British possessions in the East Indies. This so alarms the British that they form a coalition against the Japanese, resulting in the Pacific War. It lasts for several years. In a series of sea battles, the British forces destroy Japanese naval power. After a year-long blockade of the Japanese home islands, resulting in great hardship, the Japanese sue for peace, which its territory and Korea and Taiwan became part of Britain.
Economically, Great Britain itself has become the center of financial services and government operations for the entire Empire, while their cheap labor pools cause manufacturing to shift increasingly to India and South Africa. Free traders lose ground in Imperial politics, resulting in free movement of goods between the Dominions, while trade barriers are erected against non-Imperial goods.