AHC: Japan-like militarist USA

[EternalCynic]

The Business Plot is well known. Fascist conspiracies are a trope in many threads here.

So your challenge if you choose to accept it, is for the US Army and Navy to gradually erode the Republic using a religious or nationalistic ideology to whip the masses into a frenzy (let's say a Manifest Destiny ideology interspersed with Christian dominionism). Political opposition isn't formally banned, though many political opponents are assassinated, and army and navy officers frequently stage coup attempts.

Eventually the militarist USA begins a war of expansion, with Japanese-level atrocities taking place, under the guise of the religious and militaristic ideology.

Don't discredit this suggestion with one-liners.

 

[rule_them_all]

An obvious POD would be Jimmy K. Polk having a few screws loose and pushing to annex Mexico. If we assume nothing goes agains this- like a guerrilla war against the american oppressors- happens, then we're looking at a greatly expanded sense of "Manifest Destiny" halfway through the 19th century, which might butterfly away the Civil Wars for some 5 years. The country is now ripe for unification under an expansionist, aggressive, pseudo-christian ideology of the likes of of Bioshock Infinite, which might be enough for the claims of the inhumanity of slavery to be disregarded as the country prepares for ever-greater expansion and civilization of the uncivilized.
After a few years and with Mexico solidly under US boots, you're looking at veterans and legendary generals now running for President, and the national mood gets them elected. The expansion continues easily into Central America, but this starts to draw notice from the Great Powers. (What could come from this is really up for you guys)
These General-Presidents build their reputation in a starkly different US, and this shapes their perception of the world. Seeing the US Army as the right arm of the Crusade for Civilization, they establish a permanent link between the White House and the high-ranking officers. These Generals now have their own party, and when it loses an election, they take back their country. With guns.