alternatehistory.com

Suppose the Manhattan Project fails to produce an atomic bomb in time for World War II (perhaps even suffering a major setback such as a meltdown at Hanford and/or Oak Ridge), and the Commonwealth and United States go ahead with Operation Downfall. Massive casualties ensue, and the balance of political power shifts in the United Kingdom and United States. There is still an insurgency in Japan tying down troops, but otherwise the forces are demobilizing. Then something like the Korean War occurs. What happens next? Would it be realistic for the Soviet Union to try to take advantage of the situation, perhaps even launching an invasion of Western Europe or attempting to provoke revolution there?
Top