How would the USA lose WWII?

Indeed. An undevastated Soviet Union with Western Europe and East Asia at its disposal is far, far more powerful than the Axis at its height.

And a USA that gets involved in WWII but finds the war over long before democracy fixes the shipping issues and other things required to make its military muscle felt has major issues of national prestige as well as the question of "What the Hell did we even do this for if the Soviets just got everything?"
 
I think it is because of USA racism (yellow peril) and the surprise attack. If say FDR had provoke an war with Japan over say Indochina, where the USA fired the first shot, and the war was going badly like OTL, then sure, the USA might accept peace. I can even see FDR losing re election or the congress flipping to Republicans. But with the other guys attacking first, the USA tends to do a 9/11 type overkill. Just our culture.

And there was a limited war, with Japan in China. If Japan does not escalate and can find oil (bit ASB), then yes the USA could get tired, just like we did in Vietnam or Iraq.

They can find the Daquing fields (possible, not ASB) - the escalate part is more difficult.
 
An alternative way for the USA to "loose" in WW2 was to remain strictly neutral at all cost, following the original doctrine of Isolationalism of the early 20's to the letter, with a weaker and less charismatic FDR, a more powerfull Congress and a strong national Pacifist feeling, especially towards Europe.

At all cost means the Japanese would not go to war against the USA, since the USA were less opposed to the demands of the Japanese in this case, as long as they could remain at peace with other states. The Philippines might be problematic, but as it already was something the USA as an anti colonial power was not realy wanted, the USA might accept an early inependence of the colony, even if that would mean japan could get a free hand in SE Asia, with the withdrawing of US millitary in that region. (Isolationalism again).

A more Autarkish USA with a strong internal feeling and little or no itnerest in the outside world, was a recept for a much weaker USA, as it would loose most of its influence in the world as a result of remaining outside the unwanted conflict. The USA as a power would not be affected that much, as the domestic policy and economy would remain as it was, but its political international prestige would throw the USA back to a level of other Isolationalist states, such as modern Norhtern Korea.
 
They can find the Daquing fields (possible, not ASB) - the escalate part is more difficult.

The Daqing oilfields are big but they are difficult and maybe impossible to find with the surveying techniques of the time. This is why IOTL they were discovered in 1959 and not earlier.
 
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