The Second American Civil War

Billfold pal Jodi Ettenberg sent me a link to this amazing Quora thread describing a hypothetical battle between every state in the U.S., and who would win. The top post by Jon Davis, a marine who served in Iraq and a self-described amateur historian, is pretty incredible:

These are the accounts of the Second American Civil War, also known as the Wars of Reunification and the American Warring States Period.

After the breakup many wondered which states would come out in control of the power void created by the dissolution of the United States. There were many with little chance against several of the larger more powerful states. The states in possession of a large population, predisposition for military (i.e.) military bases and a population open to the idea of warfare fared the best. In the long term we would look to states with self-sufficiency and long term military capabilities.

Here are the states that held the greatest strategic value from day one. They have the ability to be self-sufficient, economic strength, military strength, the will to fight and the population to support a powerful war machine.

• California
• Texas
• New York

Davis says that Virginia would be the best off economically because it would quickly take Washington and “secure much of the federal assets and infrastructure available to the country before the collapse.” This is all, of course, highly theoretical and fictional, but it’s a fascinating read.

Photo: frankpierson

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