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In terms of practicality, New Zealand is too far away to be governed by the United States. As a self governing territory, it would be fine. But once it got populous enough to become a state, the New Zealanders will likely chafe at Washington being too far away and desire to become independent...

There's no reason why it couldn't happen, but it would merely be a result of favorable dynastic politics that makes the Duke of Saxony ruler of more and more lands around it. So it is mere fortune and chance (or in the case east of the Elbe, favorable conquest during the Wendish Crusades...

Since the Third Battle of Seoul is fought between Dec 31 and Jan 7, a POD on November 24 only gives the UN forces a month to regroup and hold the line. Walton Walker died on Dec 23 and Ridgway assumed command on Dec 25. Given the disarray in UN forces because of MacArthur's attitude during...

The Soviets had many other good generals during the war so the Soviets can easily replace him over the long term. Konev, Rokossovsky, Vatutin, Chuikov and many others are in his peer group. Over time, they will all rise to the top. It is more problematic when we talk of the 1941 period though...

Portugal had a trading empire in Asia, but actual colonies were very few. There was what - Goa, Macau, and East Timor? Not much else except a few more port cities and such. That European colonialism caused resentment against Christianity is a totally different thing than the claim that they...

If partition is rejected as solution, then what does that mean? Continued existence as a mandate? Unlikely. The British were done with trying to herd cats and made it known their mandate would end in 1948 (originally in August 1, then moved up to May 14 after the approval of the partition...

If you mean in 1920, my understanding that the Red Army intended to keep marching into Germany. At this time, Lenin still hoped for a worldwide revolution and was not thinking of "socialism in one country." The idea was to keep marching until they were forced to stop. Given the general...

I don't remember Europe particularly using any of those tactics in Asia post-1400. Certainly the Jesuit missionaries in China and Japan in the 17th century weren't forcing conversions at un point. The Manchu and Daimyo/Shoguns would never have allowed them. They never had the force/power to...

Romney's political inexperience showed, especially in the debates. I think if he was better prepared and performed better, Romney could have won albeit in a close race. A poll on September 20 had Romney ahead 44% to 42%, and another at 43% to 42% ahead, September 25 showed Ted at 48% and...

Not possible unless the Democrats are replaced by another party as the second major party. The time frame is just too long.

I can't see how Mark Clark survives. He might be kicked upstairs or laterally transferred to a non-combat command in the states like how Fredendall was, but he won't serve in a combat capacity again regardless of his friendship with Ike. The US Army seemed reluctant to demote failed combat...

He took a complete hands off approach in the months between the election and Lincoln's inaugural, and did nothing during the election to prepare for any secessionist actions in anticipation that Lincoln might win. This was clear dereliction of duty. Obvious things he could have done: Reassign...

One must look at early fantasy works that were not obviously Tolkien clones or produced in reaction to it. Obviously Conan and other Sword & Sorcery stories from the pulp era will become a format. They predate any of Tolkien's published work. Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain may loom...

The general criticism of the German military is that while it was excellent at tactics and operations, it was bad at grand strategy and terrible at military intelligence/analysis. For example, Barbarossa simply assumed the Soviet Union would disintegrate and they didn't have a proper ending for...

The earlier POD the better as you can use the private railroad companies and capital to maintain and build the passenger rail network. The major problems facing railroads in the critical 1946-1960 period were: Too high taxation. There was a 15% excise tax on rail travel for passengers until...

The Soviets wouldn't do this, but if they did it would be a disaster for them although in the short term it would play a lot of havoc. Immediate end of Lend Lease would severely impact the Red Army logistics and Soviet economy. It would only be a matter of time before collapse happened based...

Vietnam. Militarily the US inflicted severe defeats on the Communists. On multiple times, the only thing that kept Hanoi in the war was their belief that the anti-war movement would win it for them. If the US honored its commitments to South Vietnam after it withdrew, South Vietnam would...

Likely the West cuts off loans to the Soviets forcing them to pay hard currency for more of their imports. Result would be acceleration of the Soviet economic collapse.

THe Tsar was under arrest by the Provisional Government in less than one week after his abdication in March 1917. He wasn't going anywhere. None of the factions in the Russian Civil War fought to restore the monarchy.

Nigeria's huge population and oil gives it a heft when it comes its West African region, but lacks the political and economic institutions that would enable it to project force well enough that it could impose stability in its region. It can do well enough against military pygmies, but simply...