Had "the South" won the American Civil War or "the Union" simply gave up, what would today's world be like?

Question

Just looking for some theories, ideas, etc? Do European/colonial nations play the two countries off each other? Are the nations overly hostile? Do they fight more wars? Re-unite? Germany wins WWII? How would the world today differ in your opinion?

Thanks for all the responses- I'll have to check out the books/movie being suggested. Too many different opinions/perspectives to choose from so I'm putting this one to a vote. Thanks for some internal and international aspects I hadn't even considered.

Answer 1

If they won, maybe slavery would have been kept. Also segregation in society; water fountains, schools, buses, movie theaters, etc. The women's movement would never have happened, and our national tolerance level for all ethnic groups and gays (what little we have) would be pushed back 50 years at least.

Answer 2

Interesting question. "If, if, if." I believe that slavery would have died out... but racism wouldn't be as bad as it has been, because from 1862-1865 Union troops burned the South "to free the Blacks", so a defeated white Southern populace blamed Blacks once the war was lost (and Northern whites refused to let the Blacks they'd cared so much about emigrate to northern states).

Southerners were, and are, more militaristic, so the CSA may have been more involved with Latin America... and trying to conquor parts of it.

The Union States had large populations of Irish and German immigrants. So in World War I, the South would probably have stuck with Britain and France while the Union States would have sided with Germany. And both probably would have joined the war earlier than 1917.

World War I had such a profound effect on the world, that surmising anything past that point is speculation with little basis in probability. In other words, after that point, anything goes.

Only one thing is certain: Oklahoma would probably still be a soverign Native American nation. The tribes in Oklahoma supported the Confederacy during the Civil War, which probably would have meant the survival of "Indian Territory."

Answer 3

Slavery would have died out once technology made it economically unfeasible. The USA and the CSA would be as friendly today as the former enemies USA and Great Britain are.

Check out the DVD for the fake "documentary" on the Confederated States of America in the 21st century. It's coming out in a few weeks.

Answer 4

I think that had the South won, eventually the North and South would of been reunited. I also think that it wouldn't have taken long, especially if some of the Generals who led these armies led the countries together. This was not a war of hatred towards one another, just beliefs.

Answer 5

You may find author Harry Turtledove's work of interest. He has written a number of books based on an alternate history of what would have happened, had the South won the war.

Answer 6

The confederacy would have been like Guatemala, and slavery would have died out under its own weight. Europe would have played the confederacy and the union against each other in successive world conflicts. It would have been a very different world.

Answer 7

The rest of the world wouldn't be much different except in it's interaction with the US. We probably wouldn't be on Yahoo right now. And rather than having an "underground" slave trade, the slave trade would be "legal." Slavery still exists all over the world, even in the US. It's sad, but true. As far as the other questions you ask, I have no idea.

Answer 8

There is a movie that deals with that very thing, it is called "The Confederate States of America" of "CSA". I believe it will be available on DVD in August. You should check it out.

Answer 9

The wetbacks would've had another 500 to 600 more miles to hike....

Answer 10

A free USA. A free CSA.