What if U.S. invaded Soviet Union?

Czar Peter spent a lot of time bringing the Russians up to European snuff.  This was later reflected by their Navy (and St. Petersburg of course.)  It allowed the Russians to fight the Chrimean wars.  Even though they lost, it proved to the world that Russia could take on the major European empires (France won in particular here, but it was not the only one on the allied side fighting.)

One of the reasons Russia was treated as an honorable ally was their industrial power.  Were they an actual ally in world war 2?  I’d argue they were not, but we digress.

I point these out because I do not think America would have faired any better invading Arkhangelsk in the 1950s than they did invading Arkhangelsk in the 1920s.  Russia is vast, industrialized, hardened after many battles and harsh living conditions, and as fiercly patriotic as many Americans.  IMNSHO.

You know… the trick would be to do what hitler didn’t.

Arrive as a “Liberator”.

Any powerful commanders who defect, become part of a new provisional democratic government.  Let the people rule themselves - the states they had just conquered.  Maybe then, the Russians could have defeated themselves.

@Gargantua:

You know… the trick would be to do what hitler didn’t.
Arrive as a “Liberator”.
Any powerful commanders who defect, become part of a new provisional democratic government.  Let the people rule themselves - the states they had just conquered.  Maybe then, the Russians could have defeated themselves.

And make sure that the operation receives good paratrooper support:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19176432

@Gargantua:

You know… the trick would be to do what hitler didn’t.

Arrive as a “Liberator”.

Any powerful commanders who defect, become part of a new provisional democratic government.  Let the people rule themselves - the states they had just conquered.  Maybe then, the Russians could have defeated themselves.

Agreed. “Friendly” US troops arriving with plenty of good tobacco and quality foodstuffs may have been welcomed.

Tobacco and food is nice, Dan Carlin tells of his step dad’s idea of dropping Playboys and blue jeans into the Soviet Union. He feels this would have had more effect on the cold war than actual bombs.

New Yorkisk

Sek Diesk

Sacromesko

Dallask

@empireman:

New Yorkisk

Or perhaps “Novaya Yorkiye Ostrov”.

The Statue of Leningrad…

@Gargantua:

The Statue of Leningrad…

It would be amusing to see a Photoshopped picture of New York City in which the Statue of Liberty was replaced by the famous “Motherland” statue at the site of the Battle of Stalingrad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Motherland_Calls).

Mount Russiamore.

The Soviet Empire State Building
Revolution Square (Times Square)
Kapital Street (Wall Street)
etc…

In front of the REDHOUSE were the Russian Pres would be sit, is the Kremwalk wich you are not allowed to cross or land a small airplane on it… :-D

@Hobbes:

Kapital Street (Wall Street)

I imagine the occupying Russians would replace capitalism with communism, and thus would convert the New York Stock Exchange into some sort of People’s Museum, but they could still use your name proposal by either calling it Das Kapital Street (in reference to the book by Marx) – or maybe Berlin Wall Street, if they prefer using the Wall part.

@Gargantua:

Mount Russiamore.

With the four Presidents re-sculpted to look like Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin, of course.

The People’s Republic of California.

Wait… isn’t it called that already? :P

Stanhattan.

Partisan (paris) Island

Red Stone National Park

Uncle Lenin (Uncle Sam)

Missipesk River

and of course the Pentagon would more likley look like a hammer and crescent building and be called the NKWD HQ…
oh and McZukhov would serve caviar and vodka for 5.99 Belarussian rouble on menue #1…

@aequitas:

and of course the Pentagon would more likley look like a hammer and crescent building

Or like a Soviet-style five-pointed star, which would be an homage to the Pentagon’s five-sided design.