If Nixon were President either there would have been a catostrophe in 62 with his accepting military advice over the missile crisis in 1962 or Vietnam would become a 'vietnam' years earlier
Not if Lyndon Johnson has anything to say about it. Humphrey is too much of a nice guy; Johnson had minimal scruples about playing dirty if it furthered his ends. That's why my money is on Johnson emerging as the candidate. Remember (to paraphrase a version of Murphy's Law): in a situation in which the people involved can appear more than one way, go with the situation that the most people appear the worst and you'll probably be reasonably close to the truth.Well, considering Hubert Humphrey was the runner-up in the 1960 Democratic primaries, he likely would have been the 1964 Democratic Presidential candidate had Richard Nixon won in 1960.
You don't know that. You're assuming Khrushchev would have done the same with Nixon that he did with Kennedy. That's shaky at best and quite likely wrong. Khrushchev had met Nixon years earlier (remember the so-called "Kitchen Debate"?), and knew Nixon was a firm anti-communist Cold Warrior who wouldn't back down from Soviet rhetoric: in other words, he knew his adversary and had grudging respect for Nixon's no-nonsense approach. He knew Nixon would call him on it the minute the ships with those missiles got close to Cuban waters.If Nixon were President either there would have been a catostrophe in 62 with his accepting military advice over the missile crisis in 1962 or Vietnam would become a 'vietnam' years earlier
If Nixon were President either there would have been a catostrophe in 62 with his accepting military advice over the missile crisis in 1962 or Vietnam would become a 'vietnam' years earlier
I would also like to point out that there likely wouldn't have even been a Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 because by then Castro would likely have been toppled. In OTL, after the Bay of Pigs invasion failed, Nixon had privately advised JFK to invade Cuba directly. Obviously, JFK didn't follow through with this. If Nixon was in charge during the Bay of Pigs Crisis, you'd likely see U.S. forces marching into Havana. Also the idea that a conflict in Cuba would become a "Vietnam" is silly. Cuba is an island, and on top of that, it's only ninety miles from the mainland United States. The U.S. Navy could easily cut off any foreign aid to Castro and his lackeys. Also as @1940LaSalle pointed out, Khrushchev respected Nixon. He thought Kennedy an inexperienced playboy. He wouldn't provoke World War III over Cuba (in 1961).You don't know that. You're assuming Khrushchev would have done the same with Nixon that he did with Kennedy. That's shaky at best and quite likely wrong. Khrushchev had met Nixon years earlier (remember the so-called "Kitchen Debate"?), and knew Nixon was a firm anti-communist Cold Warrior who wouldn't back down from Soviet rhetoric: in other words, he knew his adversary and had grudging respect for Nixon's no-nonsense approach. He knew Nixon would call him on it the minute the ships with those missiles got close to Cuban waters.
The same cannot be said about Kennedy: to Khrushchev, Kennedy was some rich kid who had next to no gravitas internationally, so he (Khrushchev) could take liberties--like sending missiles to Cuba.
Also helps that there is no china from which a Korean war 2.0 could be threatened, if anything it's going to end up much more like Guatemala.I would also like to point out that there likely wouldn't have even been a Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 because by then Castro would likely have been toppled. In OTL, after the Bay of Pigs invasion failed, Nixon had privately advised JFK to invade Cuba directly. Obviously, JFK didn't follow through with this. If Nixon was in charge during the Bay of Pigs Crisis, you'd likely see U.S. forces marching into Havana. Also the idea that a conflict in Cuba would become a "Vietnam" is silly. Cuba is an island, and on top of that, it's only ninety miles from the mainland United States. The U.S. Navy could easily cut off any foreign aid to Castro and his lackeys. Also as @1940LaSalle pointed out, Khrushchev respected Nixon. He thought Kennedy an inexperienced playboy. He wouldn't provoke World War III over Cuba (in 1961).