What would your view of America be if it isolated itself after WWII?

[Heafodban]

Say the United States returned to relative isolation after the end of World War II up to the present. No Korean War, Vietnam War, Iraq War et cetera. Would your views of the United States be better, worse or the same?

 

[Almalexia]

I'd prefer if it isolated itself before WW2. 

 

[Elenmmare]

Would the Soviet Union have still collapsed? I imagine there would be a whole lot of 'why didn't they do something' going around, as Europe and parts of Southeast Asia went through periods of redness. I'd probably be a Commie, so rawr?

Not a McCarthyist, but American intervention has done a lot to shape the world in the 20th century, for better or for worse.

 

[Urlik]

it is only in America's eyes that communism is so bad.
everyone else sees it as just another political ideology with pros and cons, so it probably wouldn't matter if Korea and Vietnam had stayed unified and become communist countries.
in fact the whole world apart from the US might have become communist and had a lasting peace for the last 60 odd years

 

[AWdeV]

Piffle. The Dutch population after the second world war was **** scared of comrade Stalin and his brainwashed goons. Hell, a lot of Dutchies fled across the ****ing world just to avoid the commies. (mainly to New Zealand and Australia although a few to Canada too)

 

[Elenmmare]

it is only in America's eyes that communism is so bad.
everyone else sees it as just another political ideology with pros and cons, so it probably wouldn't matter if Korea and Vietnam had stayed unified and become communist countries.
in fact the whole world apart from the US might have become communist and had a lasting peace for the last 60 odd years

Yeah, bull****. Even if you disregard all the industrialists etc who were staunchly opposed, you still have the fact that it wasn't pure Communism that the U.S. was opposing, it was the Soviet Union. That is to say, while Communism may have been seen as just another idealogy, many countries were scared ****less of the USSR

 

[Amagic]

Should've never gone to America in the first place!

Damn you Columbus!

 

[Pharaoh Llandy]

*shrug*

Maybe a more reclusive America would mean less Nu Metal inflicted on the world. I'm all in favour of that.

 

[vadermath]

Wouldn't the history discussion board be a better place for this?

 

[Archonsod]

That is to say, while Communism may have been seen as just another idealogy, many countries were scared ****less of the USSR

The reason many countries were afraid of the USSR after WWII is the same reason they were afraid of it before hand, the governments were comprised of middle or upper classes who feared a French Revolution style uprising of the working class. So while the government may have been ****ting itself the trade unions were telling people it was the promised worker's paradise. It's the fear of such a revolution which forced most of Europe's governments to shift to socialism.

 

[Shatari]

@OP: That depends. What do you propose that the would be like if America be if it isolated itself after WWII? Without something to compare, I don't see any grounds for discussion.

 

[Heafodban]

Simply imagine America as it is, but without the supporting of certain nations like Israel and the invading of certain nations like Iraq. Also, more extreme, America would not belong to NATO or the UN. And finally, America would also generally keep its views to itself and not condemn or support non-American happenings.

The reason I asked this question is because I've noticed very strong anti-American sentiment and I wonder to what extent American intervention is causing it.

 

[Pharaoh Llandy]

I think the rest of the world sees America thus:

He's like a big, loud college student with no Geography skills whatsoever. He arrives at your house in his huge SUV and parks it badly, half on the pavement, half on the road. He comes stomping across your nice lawn, trampling your flowers and knocking over your gnomes. He then proceeds to come into your house whether invited or not, eat all your food (complaining about how bad it tastes), drink your booze, put his feet up on the table and give you his opinion about everything. He gets easily confused, and when you don't agree with him enough he invites his 3 friends over and they turn up with their guns and proceed to blow the **** out of your garden gnomes because one of them looked at you askance, another looks a bit gay, and another was wearing suspicious headgear whilst carring a fishing rod which may or may not have been a weapon of mass destruction in disguise.

And then his friends leave, your home's ruined, Britney Spears is playing on your cd player, and he wonders why people never tell him when they're having a party.

 

[Eino]

@Thread:

Different.

....

 

[Pellagus]

It's all about self-interest. The US doesn't really care who's in power so long as the US is okay. It's a protectionist stance which, (although it appears to cause as many problems as it solves), on balance works in the US favour. Otherwise they wouldn't keep doing it, would they?

If they didn't interfere, they'd be Canada.

 

[Archonsod]

Simply imagine America as it is, but without the supporting of certain nations like Israel and the invading of certain nations like Iraq. Also, more extreme, America would not belong to NATO or the UN. And finally, America would also generally keep its views to itself and not condemn or support non-American happenings.

Really depends on the extent of the isolationism. Without major involvement in the world markets then it would be impossible for America to have sustained the rapid industrialisation it underwent during both world wars, and you can't become involved in the international economy unless you're willing and able to influence things in your favour.

Ignoring the practical effects it would probably end up somewhat similar to Switzerland. Some famous exports, but on the whole few people with strong feelings one way or the other.

 

[Heafodban]

I should have mentioned in this scenario I'm imagining the United States as being involved in international trade as it currently is.

 

[Kittenhuffer]

I can't say I'm particularly fond of their government and its policies, but I like Americans. A majority of my internet friends are from the USA.

But yeah, I probably wouldn't have had anything against the US government if what you said would've been the case.

 

[Mixedpotatoes]

America after WWII: Oh, we pretty much kicked their asses! We should do it again later.
America after Korean war: WE WILL SHOW THOSE COMMIE BASTARDS NEXT TIME
America after Vietnam war: This doesn't work too well. Moar napalm!
America after Iraq and Afghanistan war: The marines were out there to defend our country!

 

[Elenmmare]

I think the rest of the world sees America thus:

He's like a big, loud college student with no Geography skills whatsoever. He arrives at your house in his huge SUV and parks it badly, half on the pavement, half on the road. He comes stomping across your nice lawn, trampling your flowers and knocking over your gnomes. He then proceeds to come into your house whether invited or not, eat all your food (complaining about how bad it tastes), drink your booze, put his feet up on the table and give you his opinion about everything. He gets easily confused, and when you don't agree with him enough he invites his 3 friends over and they turn up with their guns and proceed to blow the **** out of your garden gnomes because one of them looked at you askance, another looks a bit gay, and another was wearing suspicious headgear whilst carring a fishing rod which may or may not have been a weapon of mass destruction in disguise.

And then his friends leave, your home's ruined, Britney Spears is playing on your cd player, and he wonders why people never tell him when they're having a party.

You forgot the part where the college student then proceeds to donate a good portion of his income to help the disadvantaged, or the part where he's the first to respond to that tsunami, or that earthquake.