So let's say that the US makes it clear that South Korea as well as Japan is under its "Nuclear Umbrella" and because of this (or just a simple change of opinion) Stalin refuses to give Kim il Sung the go-ahead to try to unify the Koreas. As such, there is no Korean War, at least not as in OTL in 1950. How, in your opinion, does this change history?
- Does North Korea still become a terrifying garrison state?
- Without the war demand, how much is Japan's economic recovery slowed?
- Is there an earlier rapproachment between the US and Communist China? And does it change Mao's personality at all to not have his son die in the Korean War?
- How are US military doctrine, politics and society affected by the lack of the war?
- How does the lack of the only war declared and fought by the U.N. change perceptions and the structure of that institution?
Thoughts? I honestly don't have a clear idea on this, but it's certainly an interesting PoD.