I started writing this as a response to WyldCard4's Weakest United States thread, but it kind of ballooned.
No Marshall Plan. Without it, the European economy never recovers and without a place to sell goods and services the US economy flounders.
The Korean war comes off on schedule, but the bad economy means less heavy shipping capacity, so the landing at Inchon fails and the Pusan pocket collapses. The US government decides another big war is just the thing to get rid of the Depression and Korea is the place to do it. The 'Continuous War' theory is developed and postulates that the only way to maintain a modern economy is by continuous war.
Carpet bombing of N Korean industry and infrastructure in the Fall and Winter is followed by simultaneous landings at Anju and Wonsan in the Spring of 1951. Rumors of a nuclear demo charge at Wonsan are never proven.
Early Summer of '51 sees Chinese troops join the fight and the US retaliates by bombing Chinese territory adjacent to Korea. It quickly becomes obvious the US has no interest in ending the war. Korea becomes a wasteland. The Continuous War spreads to SE Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, parts of Africa and the Middle East.
For the next 30 years the US will keep about a million soldiers in the field fighting various local and regional conflicts. The US becomes feared the world over, but the world economy grows at half the pace of OTL and US growth is even slower.
Starting in the mid 50's the Soviet Union becomes somewhat isolationist and concentrates on it's own infrastructure and defense. The Cold War dies of neglect. Warsaw Pact countries are given leave to run their own economies and trade picks up between Eastern and Western Europe. Eastern and Western Europe pull each other (and the world) out of Depression in the 60s.
Cracks in US supremacy appear in the 70s as the economies of Europe, Russia & Japan heat up and cheap, reliable, insurgent friendly weapons are developed by Russia and India. In 1980, with the US economy in near collapse, a 'Continuous Peace' movement (in reaction to the 'Continuous War' policy that has guided the US for 25 years, is born. The government attempts to suppress the new party. In 1982, Continuous Peace elects 50 Representatives and a dozen Senators, most are drummed out of office by trumped up charges and two die under mysterious circumstances. Riots break-out across the country. Some in response to the treatment of Continuous Peace politicians, some in response to the failed economy, some to oppose the draft. All are brutally suppressed. The US military resorts to mass kidnapping from high school and colleges to fill conscription quotas.
By 1984, Continuous Peace has taken effective control of thousands of local governments and a couple dozen states. They have 'independant' candidates for every federal & state candidate, including president. On November 1st, the president suspends the election. On December 1st over a million people converge on Washington DC. Most military units refuse to move. A few escort the marchers. Even fewer stand in opposition, they are overrun.
The US brings all it's troops home and abandons all it's territories and bases (Alaska & Hawaii are states).
By 2000, the US is starting to recover (similar to the former Warsaw Pact countries in OTL). The world as a whole is 10 years behind ours. The US is 20 years behind and relies on aid from Russia and Europe. Many areas have been made wastelands by the Continuous War.
No Marshall Plan. Without it, the European economy never recovers and without a place to sell goods and services the US economy flounders.
The Korean war comes off on schedule, but the bad economy means less heavy shipping capacity, so the landing at Inchon fails and the Pusan pocket collapses. The US government decides another big war is just the thing to get rid of the Depression and Korea is the place to do it. The 'Continuous War' theory is developed and postulates that the only way to maintain a modern economy is by continuous war.
Carpet bombing of N Korean industry and infrastructure in the Fall and Winter is followed by simultaneous landings at Anju and Wonsan in the Spring of 1951. Rumors of a nuclear demo charge at Wonsan are never proven.
Early Summer of '51 sees Chinese troops join the fight and the US retaliates by bombing Chinese territory adjacent to Korea. It quickly becomes obvious the US has no interest in ending the war. Korea becomes a wasteland. The Continuous War spreads to SE Asia, Central America, the Caribbean, parts of Africa and the Middle East.
For the next 30 years the US will keep about a million soldiers in the field fighting various local and regional conflicts. The US becomes feared the world over, but the world economy grows at half the pace of OTL and US growth is even slower.
Starting in the mid 50's the Soviet Union becomes somewhat isolationist and concentrates on it's own infrastructure and defense. The Cold War dies of neglect. Warsaw Pact countries are given leave to run their own economies and trade picks up between Eastern and Western Europe. Eastern and Western Europe pull each other (and the world) out of Depression in the 60s.
Cracks in US supremacy appear in the 70s as the economies of Europe, Russia & Japan heat up and cheap, reliable, insurgent friendly weapons are developed by Russia and India. In 1980, with the US economy in near collapse, a 'Continuous Peace' movement (in reaction to the 'Continuous War' policy that has guided the US for 25 years, is born. The government attempts to suppress the new party. In 1982, Continuous Peace elects 50 Representatives and a dozen Senators, most are drummed out of office by trumped up charges and two die under mysterious circumstances. Riots break-out across the country. Some in response to the treatment of Continuous Peace politicians, some in response to the failed economy, some to oppose the draft. All are brutally suppressed. The US military resorts to mass kidnapping from high school and colleges to fill conscription quotas.
By 1984, Continuous Peace has taken effective control of thousands of local governments and a couple dozen states. They have 'independant' candidates for every federal & state candidate, including president. On November 1st, the president suspends the election. On December 1st over a million people converge on Washington DC. Most military units refuse to move. A few escort the marchers. Even fewer stand in opposition, they are overrun.
The US brings all it's troops home and abandons all it's territories and bases (Alaska & Hawaii are states).
By 2000, the US is starting to recover (similar to the former Warsaw Pact countries in OTL). The world as a whole is 10 years behind ours. The US is 20 years behind and relies on aid from Russia and Europe. Many areas have been made wastelands by the Continuous War.