DBWI: Ford Defeats Reagan

Also, some radical Islamists decided to commit terror attacks in 1994. This made Zhirinovsky go insane and decided to lead his army down south, but the Communists and Democrats kept killing his forces, so when he reached Chechnya in 1995, his forces were destroyed

The reason I am talking about this is because, 17 years ago, the civil war ended
 
Also, some radical Islamists decided to commit terror attacks in 1994. This made Zhirinovsky go insane and decided to lead his army down south, but the Communists and Democrats kept killing his forces, so when he reached Chechnya in 1995, his forces were destroyed

The reason I am talking about this is because, 17 years ago, the civil war ended

Indeed. Commemorations were held at the Russian Consulate only a few days ago. I believe the death toll in that conflict was at 31 million
 
Indeed. Commemorations were held at the Russian Consulate only a few days ago. I believe the death toll in that conflict was at 31 million

OOC: 21 million seems more plausible

IC: Yea, it was terrible

Anyways, about what would happen if Ford defeated Reagan: Reagan wouldn't run. By 1980, he was too old. George Bush would had probably won the nomination, but maybe Connally, Helms and Stafford put up better campaigns?
 
OOC: 21 million seems more plausible

IC: Yea, it was terrible

Anyways, about what would happen if Ford defeated Reagan: Reagan wouldn't run. By 1980, he was too old. George Bush would had probably won the nomination, but maybe Connally, Helms and Stafford put up better campaigns?

I could see Connally nominated that year. Probably would choose Kemp as his running mate.
 
I could see Connally nominated that year. Probably would choose Kemp as his running mate.

I can see that happening. His campaign depended on South Carolina, but Jesse Helms spoiled the fun. So Bush won SC, destroying both Connally and Helms

Remember: Stafford '80 depended on New Hampshire, and when Bush won that, Stafford dropped out.

So Bush won every other territory after South Carolina
 
Anyways, about what would happen if Ford defeated Reagan: Reagan wouldn't run. By 1980, he was too old. George Bush would had probably won the nomination, but maybe Connally, Helms and Stafford put up better campaigns?

Bush would have still run in 1980, and he still would have beat all of them. I think that's hard to avoid, at least after the momentum he got from his smashing Iowa win.
 
However, the Soviet civil war was brutal.

First, you've got the nationalists led by Zhirinovsky
The hardliners led by Romanov and Yanayev
and the Democratic forces led by Arutyunov

The failure of the Rumsfeld administration to save refugees (the American people witnessed the atrocities committed by all 3 forces) (and the fact that Russian oil being lost caused some small shortage in August 1992) led to his defeat by Jerry Brown, who promised to help refugees and try to rely on other forms of energy

As bad as the civil war was for the Russians, I can't help but feel that we here in the West dodged a major bullet because of it. After ADVANCE EAGLE (the operation to rapidly insert US forces into various E. European countries to preclude Soviet action), I think the case can be made that Romanov et. al. had greater things planned vis-a-vis China and North Korea than just the Vladivostok Summit. For example, when one looks at the similarities between the Chinese Type 92 MBT and the late-model T-80s (T80U, I'm looking at you), as well as the leap in North Korean tank design, I feel that the case can be made that the Soviets had already begun the transfer of advanced weapons and technology to China and the Norks. The Soviets realized that they had no more friends in Europe and they, IMO, were clearly looking to make a pivot towards Asia, even if that meant reconciling with old enemies.

Could an alliance like that have hazarded a move on South Korea or in East Asia in general? As successful and well-intentioned as ADVANCE EAGLE was, it put US/NATO forces right on the doorstep of the Rodina and those cranky Politburo folks were furious and probably wanting to teach the West a lesson.

The Chinese might have appreciated the opportunity to forcefully snatch Hong Kong in a limited conflict, thereby asserting Chinese strength for both the Chinese populace and all the world to see.

Oddly enough, I think that the North Koreans would probably have been the most opposed to a move on the Korean Peninsula. They probably would have taken the brunt of the casualties in such a conflict and would be putting everything on the line. They however, would be the smaller third wheel in such a relationship, subject to Chinese and Soviet whims.

Who knows what would have happened if the civil war had not broken out. At the same time, though, we can't grieve enough for the tens of millions of lives lost in that crapfest.
 
I wonder if Kerrey defeated Brown in the `92 primaries. It was a close race, and I believe he always resented the Californian. Of course, he did attend his funeral...
 
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