re: History Buffs: What Would Have Been The Consequences If We Had Not Gotten Involved in WWII

The USSR was still terrified of the Japs from the whipping the Japs gave Russia in 1905. A better what if for WWII is what happens if the Japs invade the USSR in 1941 and Stalin isn’t able to move his troops from the far east all the way to the eastern front to push the Germans back from Moscow.

The USSR wins against Germany and takes complete control of Germany unlike in our timeline there is nothing stopping the Soviets from doing so. USSR also possibly starts taking more of Western Europe seeing as that most of it's torn apart from war.

Without a war to fight there's no major incitive for the US to build the A Bomb, they will eventually because they know the Soviets are but it's the USSR that builds the first bomb and probably uses it somewhere and Europe as a warning shot to the entire world.

Chances of a third World War greatly increase as the Soviets iron curtain reaches far into Europe and naturally countries like the UK, France, Spain, ect start to push back meanwhile the US is showing off it's new toys as well.

Over in the east nothing was there to stop Japan annexing all those southeast Asian countries and they have practically taken over China. Japan is now a world super power and is probably working on their own nuke.

Tensions between Russia and Japan are extremely high right now and anything can set them off. If a third world war starts it starts here

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Sure, but that's all still extremely superficial and jingoistic. "We got attacked by bad people, then we defeated them because we're awesome."

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It is, but I think it set a foundation for a lot of people, myself included, to learn more about it post-school. I devoured a lot of books on WW2 after college, and read 0 on WW1 until a few years ago. I don't think my experience is all that unique.

I don't disagree that The Greatest Generation spurned a lot of interest, and I'd also add the movie Saving Private Ryan to that.

It’s a question of varying degrees. Had we kept funding the British defense and supply chain... who knows if they truly could’ve taken them on... would Germany have been able to take out Stalin completely without so many committed resources in the west?

I’d assume if we would’ve completely disengaged... Germany would have taken over all of Europe outside maybe Switzerland and completed the job to the west into the Baltic’s along with Northern Africa.. The Asian realm would’ve been taken over by japan had we stayed out of that theatre leading to an eventual clash between those two super powers.. In no way do I believe Germany felt the need to cross the Atlantic in attempts to take in the US militarily.. they would’ve attempted to grow decent within and gain an ally through diplomatic resources

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It is, but I think it set a foundation for a lot of people, myself included, to learn more about it post-school. I devoured a lot of books on WW2 after college, and read 0 on WW1 until a few years ago. I don't think my experience is all that unique.

I don't disagree that The Greatest Generation spurned a lot of interest, and I'd also add the movie Saving Private Ryan to that.

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That's my point. Our involvement WWII has been glorified and presented as relatively straightforward.

Our involvement in WWI is murkier and less value-laden. Also the war atrocities (soldier, not civilian) were much worse. Including atrocities committed by our own soldiers.

We just don't like talking about WWI, because it's icky so Tom Hanks wasn't interested it. Unlike WWII, which has been very eloquently presented with clear messages of good and bad.

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Yeah, I wasn't just being snarky. The vast majority of Americans probably didn't know much about WWII till Tom Brokaw published The Greatest Generation, which inspired Band of Brothers.

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I don’t think that’s it. WWII is more well
Known for a lot of reasons

1. We have a US Bias and we obviously were more involved in WWII than WWI.

2. Recency bias. It happens in 1944 not 1919. We still have veteran alive today. AND camera and video camera had come a LONG way. So we have so much more footage.

3. From a narrative standpoint WWII is a lot more fun. There is a real villain, Hitler was actually evil. He was taking over all of Europe. You have the concentration camps. japan was horrible in continental Asia.

Compared to WWI which is a VERY complex war, and very hard to explain.

Is this wishful thinking your part?

You’re speaking of a completely evil enterprise and wondering what the world would be like if they had prevailed. You would the US the have a “relationship” with them.

WTF

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If Nazi Germany did take over all of Europe what would our relationship have been like with them?

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There wouldn’t be drag queen story hour and people of color wouldn’t be allowed to express their feelings by burning things

Do you think the majority of your high school were really paying that much attention in late April, by the time their US history classes get to the end of WWII?