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Lets say that the Cold War tensions in the late 1980s somehow reverted back how they were in the early 1980s, using a scinario where the USSR fights to keep the Warsaw Pact together. As a result, Cold War tensions skyrocket until the late 1990s and the period is not a decade of peace and euphoria but of geoplitical tension, similar to the late 1970s/early 1980s. How would this affect pop culture in the 90s?

My thoughts:

Expect to see more "Top Gun" like Cold War films in the mid 90s, and a lot more films staring Morgan Freeman working for the US Millitary/Government.

The rise of Hip-Hop in the early and mid 90s could become a source of social and political tension if certain artists tout pro-Russian views in their lyrics. Or lyrics that are at least interpreted in the West as pro Russian.

The 90s would still be euphoric, being the end of the millenium and the general decline of the Soviet economy would at least be some kind of a cause for celebration in the US, but the millitary tension could give way to a heightend sense of American nationalism and more of a gung-ho approach to Cold War millitary aggression rather than a sense of lingering dread.

In the Pokemon games, the antagonists "Team Rocket", will be portrayed as Russian/Slavic characters.

Expect to see more films about Cyberwarfare-which in the 90s will be the new millitary threat.

Speaking of films, the James Bond franchise would be slightly different in the 90s-maybe there'll be a plotline involving a "sinister Russian plot to make an American nuclear power station explode from by using a computer virus".

Expect to see a "Second Red Scare" as the Internet becomes more widely used-and scare stories about pro-Communist webpages, computer viruses and all sorts of internet urban legends arising from the ongoing Cold War.

The film Indpendence Day- involves Russia and America working together at the end to beat the alien onslaught-ala the 1970s Quatermass TV series.

In the UK-Margret Thatcher would still be in power, seeing as the December 1990 end of Cold War conference never happened, causing her to fight a better campaign in her Second Ballot. Cold War tensions in 1990 would see the Conservative Party rally behind their leader.

Furthermore, the British air raid siren system would remain through much of the 90s, although much of the infrastructre would fall into disrepair as a replacement for the siren system was already planned in OTL in 1989. Nuclear bunkers dating from the 1950s would be refurbished and installed with more modern computing power.

I can't think of anymore, but it would be great to hear your ideas.
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