What if the Korean war had gone nuclear

Let's say that Macarther uses nukes explicitly against Truman's wishes what would be the result
 
Let's say that Macarther uses nukes explicitly against Truman's wishes what would be the result

MacArthur is fired on the spot, and there is likely no outpouring of support to reinstate him.

The wrong lessons are probably learned at this point--that nuclear weapons can be used in defense of a nations' sphere of influence. NATO is basically saying as much in Europe, now its a reality.

So we're looking at things like the Soviet Union considering nukes against Hungary in 1954.

The Cold War ends in 1962, after the nuclear destruction of Washington DC, followed by the destruction of the Soviet Union, most of its people, and a general devastation in Europe.
 
Let's say that Macarther uses nukes explicitly against Truman's wishes what would be the result

MacArthur didn't have any nukes. In large part because Truman didn't trust him with any. At the time, the nuclear cores were kept strictly in the hands of the Atomic Energy Commission - a civilian agency - and were only transferred to the USAF after MacArthur had been relieved.

Edit to Add: It's certainly possible for the Korean War to go nuclear. If Truman thinks the US is going to be ejected from the peninsula, I think he'd push the button - he, along with the rest of the American leadership, had learned the hard way that dictators don't stop. He thought this was Czechoslovakia all over again and it had to be stopped then and there or it wouldn't end until the tanks were in Paris again. So, if the North Koreans manage to crack the Pusan perimeter - I don't know if that's plausible but it seemed to be considered reasonable in previous discussions on this topic - then I think Truman would use the bomb.
 
It's implausable on a Sealion level for the North Koreans to crack the Pusan perimeter. They were well beyond the limits of their creaky logistics.

And as Asnys points out Macarthur had no nukes he could use - none. Not only are they all under control of the AEC, the USAF will not drop nukes on direction from an army officer. They'd just spent the last three years in a very bitter battle with the army and navy to ensure that they were a seperate service and the only one that could deliver nukes.
 
Let's say that Macarther uses nukes explicitly against Truman's wishes what would be the result
Memo to OP:You've been here a meer handful of days, created 17 topics (all one line opening posts) and only posted 21 times all up. I suggest you slow down and invest a little more time and thought in things... you'll get a better response from two paragraphs (or if you have the time and inclination a whole TL or story) on the one PoD giving your own thoughts on an event than spamming three dozen "WI generic event X".
 
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