ALTERNATIVE HISTORY

[SeekHer]

Just posted about some WW2 alt hist in Whatya Reading, Redeux?

We all know that if it wasn't for the intervention of the USA into WW2 the outcome would have been totally different--I probably wouldn't be here writing this.

WW1 was a different matter as the influx of AEF was definitely helpful it didn't really turn the tide of the war as to outcome just duration.

America, at the onset of the WW2 was supplying both sides in Europe--mainly raw materials to the Axis and finished goods and raw materials to the Allies until that fateful day in December when Pearl Harbour was attacked.

I'm wondering what would have happened if Japan didn't attack at all and just concentrated on the ANZAC, Indian and British troops in the Far East and India or had done so much later into the conflict, say 1944 or 1945 after they controlled most of the Pacific, I don't think they would have allowed the territories of Wake or Hawaii to remain unconquered -- probably annexing them from the USA instead of an actual attack.

Would the USA have gone to the support of the Allied forces, again, or remained neutral? FDR knew of the plight of the Jews in concentration camps and ghettos (turned away a few "survivor" ships from entering US ports) but really didn't care much about them being the [mild] anti Semite that he was.

Of course the outline of the list of battles would have been different if they did go in and there have been many who've speculated that FDR would probably have declared war against Germany & Italy in late 1942 but almost for sure not against the Japanese as warring on two fronts does not make for good military sense...It is probable that the Japanese wouldn't have declared against the USA when and if they declared against the other Axis powers.

[Rich]

It's my understanding that Roosevelt cutting off those raw materials to Japan was one of the reasons they decided to attack Pearl.

[HTRN]

One of my favorite pieces of fanfiction is "2025 USA ISOTed to Peshawar Lancers".

Yes, a 20 minutes into the future Hyperpower is being put in with a bunch of technologically backwards(in the Peshawar Lancers universe, they have yet to discover heavier than air flight, and only recently invented quick firing artillery, both of which became real in our universe in the early 1900s) provincials, who for the most part are both horrified(women and blacks voting!) and shocked(quarter mile long floating airfields!) at the wealth, size and military power of the greatest nation on earth.

Let's just say, the thugs, maniacs and cannibals were in for a rude awakening.

The only weird thing is who the president is - Eliot Spitzer, because it was written before his predilection for working girls became public knowledge.

It's over on the Alternatehistory.com forums, in the "Alien Space Bats" section, which means you have to sign up to see it.

[MiddleAgedKen]

I thought they had messed with heavier-than-air a little and abandoned it as impractical in the Peshawar Lancers universe? Or am I thinking of Kipling's "Night Mail" world?

Edit to add: The PW universe wasn't big on internal combustion, if I remember right. Such motorcars as they had were powered by Stirling cycle motors, for instance.

[HTRN]

I dunno, I've never read the source material.

[MarkD]

Had we not gotten involved in World War II, either Germany or Russia would have controlled all of Europe by the end of it. My money would be on Russia, but for most of Europe it wouldn't have mattered all that much. Being under the thumb of Hitler or Stalin? Six of one, half-dozen of the other.

I suspect we'd have gotten involved eventually though, at least in Europe. Might even have turned out better for most of Europe that way, with Germany and Russia bleeding each other white, Russia may have been less of the threat by the end of it, so less of a Cold War afterward.

[Yogimus]

We should have joined germany in WW1.

[SeekHer]

We should have joined germany in WW1.

[center]W H Y ?[/center]

[Cybrludite]

The Salvation War. Basically Heaven & Hell are real, and JVH has decided that we've peed in his Wheaties one time too many and he's taking his ball & going home, and turning us over to the demons of Hell. This does not go as planned when we fight back...

[Yogimus]

We should have joined germany in WW1.

[center]W H Y ?[/center]

Curiosity. No hitler, no soviet russia, no israel, no middle eastern conflict