The United States conquers the world after WW2

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historygeek2021
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The United States conquers the world after WW2

#1

Post by historygeek2021 » 09 Feb 2021, 08:29

Summary: Shortly after its entry into WW2, the United States decides to conquer the entire planet. This means the elimination or subjugation of any foreign power that could challenge the United States. Germany and Japan were America's targets in the OTL. In this ATL, the first additional target is the Soviet Union. After that would come China, France and Britain. Once all these major powers are subjugated, the United States maintains military bases at every key location across the planet and coerces all countries to comply with its will or face blockade, bombing and invasion.

Plausibility: While it is doubtful that FDR or any hypothetical leader of the United States would explicitly state, to themselves or to the public, that they wanted to conquer the world, it would nevertheless be an incredible temptation for any human being who was capable of it. As the song goes, "Everybody wants to rule the world." So, at some point in 1942 or 1943 when the war is going well, American leadership realizes just how powerful its military is compared to the rest of the world, and begins plans to take out the remaining world powers once the war is over. This can be sold to the public in countless different ways (e.g., "The Russians attacked us first" or "The Russians are murdering helpless Poles", etc.). For those doubting that the public and soldiers would keep fighting, I challenge you to name a comparable scenario in history where a nation refused its leaders' calls to arms. After all, in the OTL the American public went along with another war just 5 years later in Korea.

We'll assume that Britain goes along with the plan to attack the USSR and slowly gets sucked into America's ambitions until it can't do anything but cooperate as a junior partner.

Comparative Strengths

This chart shows the approximate strength of the Allied powers in 1945:
WW2 strengths.png
Sources: Wikipedia (for population), Glantz (for Soviet manpower and casualties), John Ellis' statistical compilation for everything else.

The main takeaway is that while the USSR had roughly equivalent army strength to the UK and USA worldwide, it was at a decisive disadvantage in air power and especially naval power. Moreover, having already suffered 10 million military deaths and 28 million total deaths as well as the physical destruction of the western part of its country, the USSR was decisively weaker than the USA and UK at the end of WW2. Moreover, the USSR was dependent on lend-lease aid for its war effort, and that will be removed in this ATL.

ATL Timeline

The basic timeline I envision is something like this:

1942-1943 - The USA decides it will invade and conquer the Soviet Union once Germany and Japan are defeated. Therefore, there is no "90 division gamble", but instead the 334 division army envisioned by the Joint Chiefs in 1942 is brought to fruition.

1944 - Britain is persuaded to go along with the attack on the USSR.

August 1945 - Shortly after Japan surrenders, an incident triggers an outbreak of conflict between the USA and UK on one side (the "Allies"), and the USSR on the other. The USA and UK launch an all out attack on the Red Army in Europe and stage a complete naval blockade of the Soviet Union from every side. US bombers in Persia obliterate the oil fields in Baku, Grozny and Maikop. Turkey, eager to be saved from the Russian menace, allows the US military to operate from its territory.

September 1945 - The Red Army is defeated in central Europe. Exhausted from 4 years of bitter fighting, at the end of its supply lines, without lendlease supplies, its oil fields destroyed and facing overwhelming Allied air superiority, the Red Army is no match for the relatively fresh Allied troops. The Red Army retreats into the Soviet Union and the Allies pause in Eastern Europe for the winter.

1946-1948 - Starving and desperate, the Soviet Union disintegrates. The Allies promise liberation and, more importantly, economic aid to the various republics if they rebel against Stalin. Regardless of the Soviet will to fight on, it simply cannot fight alone while economically cut off from the rest of the world. The Allies invade the Soviet Union from Eastern Europe, from Persia, across the Black Sea from Turkey, and make naval landings at Murmansk and Vladivostok. Organized resistance ceases. American and British troops occupy Russia proper, and the Soviet republics split off to form western puppet states.

During this period, America declares war on Communist China, accusing it of helping the Soviet war effort against America. In the OTL, the Chinese Communists won largely due to the support of the starving peasantry. In this ATL, the United States delivers enough food aid to the Chinese Nationalists to keep more of the peasantry on their side. Combined with direct US military support and the collapse of the USSR, the Chinese Communists are defeated. Rather than allow a single colossal Chinese state to emerge, the United States manipulates China back into its fractured state prior to the outbreak of fighting in the 1930s.

After the defeat of Communist Russia and Communist China, the United States has only to get rid of the remaining Old World powers, Britain and France. Doing so would actually be incredibly easy. The US Navy is far stronger than that of both countries and can threaten them with total blockade and starvation if they resist. In all likelihood, Britain completely capitulates to America's will and accepts a role as a junior partner helping to enforce America's will on the global stage. France and Britain can't hold on to their remaining colonies anyway, so the United States can unilaterally impose trade and travel terms on all the countries of the world, maintaining a network of land, sea and air bases at every strategic location on every continent.

There is no Cold War, no nuclear arms race. The United States does not allow any other country to have nuclear weapons. The United States enforces its unilateral will on all countries primarily through its navy, which can cut off trade for any dissident country in an instant. The CIA also maintains a network of collaborators in every country who can deal with any attempts at resistance. The United States does not allow any country other than perhaps Britain to build a weapons industry, so no country can ever rise to challenge the United States.

Instead of calling it the American Empire, American politicians come up with a euphemism they can sell to the American people and the people of the world. They call it "The United Nations" or something like that.

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#2

Post by Futurist » 09 Feb 2021, 09:43

Just how long before the people throughout the rest of the world demand outright annexation by the US and voting rights in US elections?


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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#3

Post by Peter89 » 09 Feb 2021, 10:23

So when its motivation to enter into the war was to demolish colonial empires, the Americans build their own.

Some presumptions naturally arise.

In this scenario, the Americans should never defeat Japan, so they occupy themselves in China and the Soviet Far East. But mostly in China. Two and a half birds with one stone.

They should have supported the Quit India movement, so then the British are done for. Without American support, the Axis might give the British a pounding in the MTO.

Then they should have supported Germany and the Soviets too, according to Truman's speech, depending on who's winning. Send some POL to the Germans, then send some food and second rate aircrafts to the Soviets. It's a chicken game where neither Hitler nor Stalin would duck first. They'd rather see their countries flattened, robbed and raped instead of throwing in the towel.

Japanese were not the types of giving up either, and by that time the Chinese realized that they are fighting for their very existence. The rest of SE Asia would be subjected to abuse by the Japanese, halting their advance for further decades.

The whole world is in war, cities are torched and millions are killed, and everyone's economies try to produce useless scrap metal for years more, while Americans are flourishing on their continent. A few more years of war, and everyone's devastated except the Americans.
"Everything remained theory and hypothesis. On paper, in his plans, in his head, he juggled with Geschwaders and Divisions, while in reality there were really only makeshift squadrons at his disposal."

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#4

Post by T. A. Gardner » 09 Feb 2021, 18:09

On a war with the Soviet Union in 1946...

The US doesn't just fight it in Europe. They invade from China too. The Chinese army is beefed up with some US infantry divisions and has more units that have US "advisors" assigned to train and ensure good leadership is present. The USMC takes the Kurile Islands, then Sakhalin Island, and the USN obliterates what little Pacific Fleet the Soviets have.
Rivers like the Amur become natural highways the US uses to move troops and supplies into Siberian Russia while the existing rail lines are expanded and improved to allow for overland movement.
The Soviets choose to fight delaying action and focus on their Black Sea and European fronts.

By 1947 - 48 the Soviet Union is done and the US occupies most of Asia. They then support various revolutionary movements in the colonial parts of that region to encourage "free and democratic" governments be formed. These become, in turn, puppets of the US government as they are dependent on the US for their winning and now economic stability.

In Europe, the US simply lets the economies of their allies collapse rather than prop them up to wreck them politically as the population revolts against the sitting governments. This allows the US to sweep in with their military to "restore order" and once occupied the US then supplies sufficient goods and food to placate the population into accepting the occupation as necessary.

The British and Commonwealth in 1946 simply no longer have the surplus manpower to raise and maintain large standing armies. The Soviets are bled white and Japan is devastated. China fractured, is easy pickings for the US who rather than letting it go into chaos pushes to improve the economy while establishing themselves as a "benevolent" government that's just there temporarily to stabilize things. Permanent comes later.

South America is already pretty much a US puppet although there is some pushback early on. These nations simply don't have the wherewithal to do more than loudly protest their being forced into the US fold.

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#5

Post by OpanaPointer » 09 Feb 2021, 18:21

Peter89 wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 10:23
So when its motivation to enter into the war was to demolish colonial empires, the Americans build their own.
What are the US colonies you speak of?
Come visit our sites:
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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#6

Post by KDF33 » 09 Feb 2021, 18:24

How does the U.S. deal with the worldwide insurgency that would ensue?

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#7

Post by historygeek2021 » 09 Feb 2021, 19:31

Peter89 wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 10:23

The whole world is in war, cities are torched and millions are killed, and everyone's economies try to produce useless scrap metal for years more, while Americans are flourishing on their continent. A few more years of war, and everyone's devastated except the Americans.
Yes, this is the basic idea. America keeps the rest of the world at war in order to ensure that no other country can ever rise to challenge America. Whenever the fighting ends, America forbids any other country from developing a weapons industry. Every factory on the planet outside America that is capable of making tanks, planes and artillery, and every dockyard capable of making a warship, is destroyed. America alone has a military weapons industry, and air and naval bases on every continent to destroy any weapons industries that might crop up.

With uncontested military power, American can control global trade. Countries and businesses have to apply for American licenses to be able to ship their goods around the world, and America can set whatever terms it wants.

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#8

Post by historygeek2021 » 09 Feb 2021, 19:32

T. A. Gardner wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 18:09
On a war with the Soviet Union in 1946...

The US doesn't just fight it in Europe. They invade from China too. The Chinese army is beefed up with some US infantry divisions and has more units that have US "advisors" assigned to train and ensure good leadership is present. The USMC takes the Kurile Islands, then Sakhalin Island, and the USN obliterates what little Pacific Fleet the Soviets have.
Rivers like the Amur become natural highways the US uses to move troops and supplies into Siberian Russia while the existing rail lines are expanded and improved to allow for overland movement.
The Soviets choose to fight delaying action and focus on their Black Sea and European fronts.

By 1947 - 48 the Soviet Union is done and the US occupies most of Asia. They then support various revolutionary movements in the colonial parts of that region to encourage "free and democratic" governments be formed. These become, in turn, puppets of the US government as they are dependent on the US for their winning and now economic stability.

In Europe, the US simply lets the economies of their allies collapse rather than prop them up to wreck them politically as the population revolts against the sitting governments. This allows the US to sweep in with their military to "restore order" and once occupied the US then supplies sufficient goods and food to placate the population into accepting the occupation as necessary.

The British and Commonwealth in 1946 simply no longer have the surplus manpower to raise and maintain large standing armies. The Soviets are bled white and Japan is devastated. China fractured, is easy pickings for the US who rather than letting it go into chaos pushes to improve the economy while establishing themselves as a "benevolent" government that's just there temporarily to stabilize things. Permanent comes later.

South America is already pretty much a US puppet although there is some pushback early on. These nations simply don't have the wherewithal to do more than loudly protest their being forced into the US fold.
Brilliant. Thanks for fleshing out these details.

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#9

Post by historygeek2021 » 09 Feb 2021, 19:34

KDF33 wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 18:24
How does the U.S. deal with the worldwide insurgency that would ensue?
What insurgency? What can anyone do? Some people in Africa and Asia don't want to live under American rule, so they keep to themselves. Fine. What does America care. Unless they have valuable resources. In that case the profit incentive is so great that an army of mercenaries would take over the region. Since America controls every global trade route, they have to comply with America's trade terms or they can't trade at all.

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#10

Post by KDF33 » 09 Feb 2021, 20:03

historygeek2021 wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 19:34
What insurgency? What can anyone do? Some people in Africa and Asia don't want to live under American rule, so they keep to themselves. Fine. What does America care. Unless they have valuable resources. In that case the profit incentive is so great that an army of mercenaries would take over the region. Since America controls every global trade route, they have to comply with America's trade terms or they can't trade at all.
Hm, hardly anyone wants to live under foreign rule, American or otherwise. How exactly is the U.S. going to maintain control over the whole world with such a limited footprint? Controlling seaborne trade is fine, but it won't prevent countries from trading overland, or to seek autarky.

Such overt domination is also certain to lead to a massive, worldwide backlash. Countries will seek to ally with each other against the U.S. Developed countries will feel an irresistible pressure to develop nuclear weapons to prevent U.S. interference.

It would also effectively vindicate the entire Communist worldview, and make the ideology that much more attractive, even to Western Europeans.

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#11

Post by historygeek2021 » 09 Feb 2021, 22:19

KDF33 wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 20:03
historygeek2021 wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 19:34
What insurgency? What can anyone do? Some people in Africa and Asia don't want to live under American rule, so they keep to themselves. Fine. What does America care. Unless they have valuable resources. In that case the profit incentive is so great that an army of mercenaries would take over the region. Since America controls every global trade route, they have to comply with America's trade terms or they can't trade at all.
Hm, hardly anyone wants to live under foreign rule, American or otherwise. How exactly is the U.S. going to maintain control over the whole world with such a limited footprint? Controlling seaborne trade is fine, but it won't prevent countries from trading overland, or to seek autarky.

Such overt domination is also certain to lead to a massive, worldwide backlash. Countries will seek to ally with each other against the U.S. Developed countries will feel an irresistible pressure to develop nuclear weapons to prevent U.S. interference.

It would also effectively vindicate the entire Communist worldview, and make the ideology that much more attractive, even to Western Europeans.
The United States can:

(1) Maintain a network of military bases on every continent allowing it to strike anywhere in the world.
(2) Control all global sea traffic with its navy.
(3) Destroy any armaments production factory anywhere in the world.
(4) Destroy any railroads, bridges, highways, supply depots, airports etc. anywhere in the world, thereby denying overland trade.

The only resistance that could form would be small groups of bandits with small arms roaming the countryside in areas the United States doesn't care about. No one would be able to manufacture the tanks, planes, artillery, warships and ammunition necessary to take on the United States military.

Anyone who voices opposition would be labelled a communist or a terrorist and be taken out. The CIA would infiltrate foreign governments and ensure their compliance with America's will and identify resistance before it becomes a threat. With the United States in control of global trade, greedy profiteers will rise to power in subjugated countries, selling out their people in return for American licenses to trade.

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#12

Post by AnchorSteam » 09 Feb 2021, 22:27

KDF33 wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 20:03
....
Such overt domination is also certain to lead to a massive, worldwide backlash....
Let's take a step back, into a world that is mostly colonial empires already, and where a century of relentless anti-US propaganda from Communists has barely gotten started.

(EDIT- the map should read "DOMINANT Ideologies")
Screen Shot 2021-01-08 at 7.06.29 PM.png
I don't see an immediate backlash as the major problem. Practically everyone was living under some sort of domination at the time, and US occupation was almost always seen as a positive change.... because, it fact, it was.
This never lasts very long, however.
If you go in wiht the intention of creating a Commonwealth sort of thing (and let's face it, the US simply does not have the troops to garrison the world) then a lot of power is going to have to be transferred to the locals, by default.

HERE is where it gets tricky; a major reason for the failure of the 3rd World to deal with the collapse of Colonialism is they weren't ready to self-administer in the modern world. If you could have turned the clock back to the date they were subjugated, I'm sure that most of them would have done just fine, that that was impossible in the later part of the 20th Century.
You would have a hard time foisting upon then the American ideal of rugged independence and self-reliance, in fact the people of the USSR and much of Europe had already been indoctrinated to hate and despise anyone that showed such traits. You cannot expect them to just make something out of nothing the way the Yankees did.
An oh men, if you think we lack the troops to occupy the world, where the hell do you think we can find trained administrators to run a Colonial Empire?!?
The US didn't have one!
Cuba had already been cut loose, Puerto Rico practically runs itself, and as for the Philippines the only significant American "boss" present was MacArthur. HIS job was to help build an Army of 10 Philippine Divisions so that the US could withdraw it's men... which amounted to a couple of Regiments at the start of the war.

Conquest would have been easy, building a successful Administration that was capable of getting the whole world back on it's feet after a war like that would have been practically impossible.
We just didn't have half a million experts in that feild available.

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#13

Post by KDF33 » 09 Feb 2021, 23:22

historygeek2021 wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 22:19
The United States can:

(1) Maintain a network of military bases on every continent allowing it to strike anywhere in the world.
(2) Control all global sea traffic with its navy.
(3) Destroy any armaments production factory anywhere in the world.
(4) Destroy any railroads, bridges, highways, supply depots, airports etc. anywhere in the world, thereby denying overland trade.
Well, the USSR, Britain, France and China would all oppose it. German resources could also quickly be drawn into an anti-US front.

It would, in effect, turn the U.S. into an international pariah. A more powerful version of Nazi Germany, in effect, but one far removed from the Eurasian landmass.

There's also the issue of democracy. With elections every two years, how could a U.S. government embark on a costly program of world conquest without suffering subsequent disaster at the polls?

Besides, neither Roosevelt, Truman nor Dewey were Hitlerian madmen.

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#14

Post by maltesefalcon » 10 Feb 2021, 02:42

They'd still be fighting in Afghanistan and Vietnam. :D

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Re: The United States conquers the world after WW2

#15

Post by historygeek2021 » 10 Feb 2021, 02:43

KDF33 wrote:
09 Feb 2021, 23:22

Well, the USSR, Britain, France and China would all oppose it. German resources could also quickly be drawn into an anti-US front.

It would, in effect, turn the U.S. into an international pariah. A more powerful version of Nazi Germany, in effect, but one far removed from the Eurasian landmass.

There's also the issue of democracy. With elections every two years, how could a U.S. government embark on a costly program of world conquest without suffering subsequent disaster at the polls?
The USSR would be conquered. See the original post in this thread.

France was a shell of its former self and couldn't do anything to stop the US. The US could simply destroy every factory in France and leave them to eat grapes.

China would also be conquered. See the original post in this thread.

Britan would not oppose it at first. Britain would go along with the conquest of the USSR because Britain was historically terrified of the USSR and even came up with Operation Unthinkable to plan an attack on the USSR after the war. Once the USSR is out of the way, then America is the only global power on the planet. Britain can either be blockaded and starved to death (for real, not the flimsy U-boat blockade the Germans tried), or Britain can play junior partner and keep part of its empire.

The U.S. can manipulate public opinion with propaganda. Set up a puppet organization called the "United Nations" full of lackeys and Quislings from around the world. Say that we're in a fight to the death against communism. Say we're making the world safe for democracy. It is the easiest thing in the world for governments to manipulate public opinion to justify war. See: All of human history.
Besides, neither Roosevelt, Truman nor Dewey were Hitlerian madmen.
No, but they were men. Men who could see the advantages of knocking out the Soviet Union when it was weak. Men who could see the advantages of gaining complete military domination of the planet. Men who could envision a peaceful world ruled by the benevolent United States of America, where war no longer exists, and the United States ensures that justice and democracy are brought to all people on every continent.

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