BlairWitch749
Banned
What are the possibilities that the southern states could leave the union and for shooting not to break out and for it to just turn into a cold war?
Wouldn't this just be an extension of what was already going on pre-war?
For this to happen, you would need a scenario where the majority of the people in the North are happier at the thought of being rid of the South than they are unhappy at the thought of slavery continuing to exist indefinitely. Getting a solid-enough majority of northerners to think that way probably requires a POD well before 1860; perhaps nullification becomes an established principle in the 1830's, so the southern states have been ungovernable for ~30 years and their secession just formalizes a long-established de facto situation?
Then the north will just attempt to enforce federal authority within the south, such as collecting duties and tariffs, until the south is provoked enough to fire.Sort of but with actual seccession and then an ensuing non shooting cold war
Sure, he wanted to abolish slavery, and sure he welcomed the support of the abolitionists, but he himself said that he'd entrench slavery (?forever?) if it would keep the Union together.