America the Superpower...

[okmangeez]

The question is exactly what I mean. What are the chances of America remaining the sole superpower on Earth by the 1970's (any year of the 1970's).

Sino-Soviet Border Conflict escalates to war? Economic collapse of the Soviet Union? Eastern Europe rebelling against the Soviets?

 

[cra0422]

My best bet would be the Germans get so bogged down fighting in Russia but can't quite score the knockout (like how Japan did in China). Germany commits practically everything to fighting there leaving the way open for the Western Allies to take Berlin.

 

[zeppelinair]

Do you like nuclear war? This is how you get nuclear war.

 

[Riain]

If you believe the idea that it was the 80s arms race that bought down the Soviets, coupled with the oil glut I suppose, then presumably those conditions could have occurred earlier.

A different, less damaging, Vietnam would be handy and some high end weapons coming to fruition like the 1700 plane F111 programme, B1A and MBT 70 and keeping up the USN carrier force numbers. As for the NATO allies the British get CVA01 & 02 and the TSR2 into service. Stopping some 2000 long range low level bombers and 16-17 carriers would require the USSR to produce so much high tech gear they'd pop like a balloon.

 

[West]

If the Sino/soviet situation hits critical mass then its possible that China could wound Russia badly before their obliterated. If the chinese take out 20 to 100 important cities the expense of rebuilding and the deaths it caused could cause the soviet union to fall apart sooner, and once the warsaw pact sees a chance to flee they will probally take it.

Honestly though its very unlikely.

 

[LordKalvert]

All you need is to replace Brezhnev with a reformer like Gorbachev in the early 1970's Give him five years and the whole thing collapses

And just let the Gang of Four win the power struggle in China.

That should do it