alternatehistory.com

When looking at original timeline history, it strikes me as interesting that the development of atomic weapons did not rapidly result in a single power establishing hegemony over the entire world. IOTL, the U.S.A. got to nukes first, but didn't have the motivation or desire to rule the world, and not long afterward, the U.S.S.R. got nuclear weapons and mutual annihilation was on the table.
But if a different power got nuclear weapons first? Would they have taken the once-in-a-civilization weapons singularity, gone power crazy, and taken over the world? Is it possible? Is it likely? How would they go about doing it? Would the power in question simply experience a severe case of imperial overreach and collapse or what?
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