The United States Military Without Vietnam?

Delta Force

Banned
What would the United States military have looked like without Vietnam? Would there be any major changes in tactics/strategy and military procurement? Would there be more funding of strategic defense, the nuclear Navy, and advanced missiles for Air Force aircraft and Army ground forces?
 

Driftless

Donor
With no Viet Nam, the arc of presidents probably changes significantly and the budget priorities change as well. ITTL, Johnson probably gets a second term and maybe Humphrey after that, instead of Nixon? Would Robert McNamara have remained as an un-challenged Secretary of Defense for a longer time?
 
Before Vietnam US military was build for conventional war in Europe. During Eisenhower they relied on nukes and air power while McNamara and Kennedy build conventional forces. If there is no Vietnam then there is no need to shift priorities to counter insurgency, military can keep relying on conscripts instead of recruited professional forces and possibly no Star Wars-program.
 
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