An interesting administration...

I don't think I've ever seen this idea mentioned but what if Douglas MacArthur, after the glory he achieved in the Pacific, ran for the presidency and won in 1948 and then appointed a still living George S. Patton as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs? What would the American agenda have been in the Chinese Civil War, the Berlin Airlift, and how would the 1950s have developed, especially the Korean War should the communists still turn out victorious in China?
 
There are two possiblities for this:

1. The Nationalists triumph in China and Korea is reunified too. Also more aggresive anti-Communist policies result in the Soviet Union collapsing a generation earlier.
2. World War 3 happens and the US wins after years of bloody fighting.
 
American Caesar

Thanks for the reply, General.

Some thoughts I've had on this scenario:

I could see MacArthur pushing for confrontation with the USSR over the Berlin Airlift. It was still ongoing and continued in our timeline for several months after the presidential inaugaration in 1949. If that happens the Soviets could win initial war on the continent only to be nuked back nto their borders and beyond. That would shatter the few economies still standing after WWII.:eek:

I could also see Chiang receiving considerable military aid. Of course this aid would likely be tied to concessions for America in their economy. An American bombing campaign would also likely be launched from Japan.

Should MacArthur make it to a second term, I would really be interested in how he'd deal with Iran (Dr. Mohammed Mossadegh and Operation Ajax), decolonization (Suez Crisis), and Israel.

Should MacArthur destroy the USSR, shatter the last vestiges of European independence, and make China satellite, the world would be at his feet. American Caesar indeed.:D
 
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