Alternate wars with large-scale U.S. involvement

CaliGuy

Banned
In our TL, the U.S. fought various wars with large numbers of U.S. troops. Indeed, there were the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican-American War, American Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, Afghanistan War, and Iraq War.

Anyway, what I am curious is this--which additional and/or alternate wars could the U.S. have realistically fought in?

Also, for the record, I want wars where the U.S. would have committed at least 100,000 troops simultaneously. After all, that was the U.S. peak number of troops deployed in Afghanistan and less than the number of U.S. troops deployed in countries such as Iraq at the peak of U.S. involvement there.

Anyway, any thoughts on this?
 

CaliGuy

Banned
An invasion of Iran or Venezuela
Iran might be possible if Iran pisses off the U.S. too much--for instance, by executing the U.S. hostages in Iran. However, Iran's leadership would need to be absolute morons to do this!

As for Venezuela, what exactly would Venezuela's leadership have done to provoke a U.S. invasion?
 
Iran might be possible if Iran pisses off the U.S. too much--for instance, by executing the U.S. hostages in Iran. However, Iran's leadership would need to be absolute morons to do this!
An Israeli strike on Iran would lead to regional war and us could instead of invading Iraq invade iran
As for Venezuela, what exactly would Venezuela's leadership have done to provoke a U.S. invasion?
If the country were collapse , Us would intervene
 
There are probably many more possibilities but all I can think of right now are:
  • War with Britain in the 1840s
  • Chinese Civil War 1945-49
  • NATO invasion of Libya in 2011 (if the conflict somehow escalated)
 
Last edited:
Post 1900

Mexican Civil War 1911-1920 : A few more cross border excursions and foreign meddling could have led a large score involvement.

Cuba 1962 : Cuban missile crisis could have easily turned into an invasion, barring nuclear Armageddon, it would definitely have needed a large commitment.

Iran 1980s : There was constant talk of intervention during the Tanker Wars of the 1980s.

There are some more far fetched possibilities and some conflicts that probably would have required fewer troops (Libya 1986, Central America (1980s), etc.). As well as a bit more far fetched ideas like Argentina vs. Chile 1978 etc.

Benjamin
 

CaliGuy

Banned
Australia could have used some help in the Great Emu War
Emu Restaurants in the U.S., anyone?

Mexico if the Drug Cartels start staging attacks across the border.
The Mexican government would need to be extremely uncooperative in such a scenario, though.

Post 1900

Mexican Civil War 1911-1920 : A few more cross border excursions and foreign meddling could have led a large score involvement.

OK.

Cuba 1962 : Cuban missile crisis could have easily turned into an invasion, barring nuclear Armageddon, it would definitely have needed a large commitment.

Agreed.

Iran 1980s : There was constant talk of intervention during the Tanker Wars of the 1980s.

Can you please elaborate on this part?

There are some more far fetched possibilities and some conflicts that probably would have required fewer troops (Libya 1986, Central America (1980s), etc.). As well as a bit more far fetched ideas like Argentina vs. Chile 1978 etc.

Benjamin

What happened between Argentina and Chile in 1978?

There are probably many more possibilities but all I can think of right now are:
  • War with Britain in the 1840s
  • Chinese Civil War 1945-49
  • NATO invasion of Libya in 2011 (if the conflict somehow escalated)

Would the U.S. public have actually had the appetite to intervene in China in the late 1940s, though?

As for the other two things that you mentioned here, though, I completely agree with you.
 
A 2nd Mexican-American war might very well be in the cards fairly close to the end of the Civil War (Before the navy gets sold off and the military fully demobilized), if Emperor Maxy gets a more decisive victory in his civil war with a heavier French involvement, or if Rebel plots to seize control of some parts of Northern Mexico had actually succeeded, creating a really awkward diplomatic crisis over weather or not the territories that defected to the so-called Confederacy (Which, in the eyes of both the Mexican and U.S governments diden't actually exist) had in effect joined the US or not.
 
What happened between Argentina and Chile in 1978?
.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Soberanía

The Tanker War...following shortly after the Hostage Crisis and concurrent with the Iran-Iraq War (1980-88) it was the ongoing low-level naval conflict that occurred in the 'Persian Gulf during the mid-80s. There were several contingency plans drawn up by the US for intervention in Iran as well as in case communist backed Yemen moved into Saudi Arabia. Combined with tensions in Lebanon and Afghanistan there were very real concerns that full scale war would erupt in the Middle East that involved the US.

Benjamin
 
Top