easy one

Walk to the top of Big Round Top, you'll get a view, plus a good workout.I have been to Gettysburg several times in my life, and each time I learn more.While not Civil War related, take the time to visit the Eisenhower Farm, it impressed the heck out of me.It's like time stopped in 1969 when the ex-president and General died...well, I'm a big Ike fan, so mabye it impressed me more than others.2 dining tips...The Dobbin House, good food in the downstairs pub for lunch or dinner. Good cheap (not a tourist trap) place for lunch is Ernie's Texas Lunch on Rt30/Cashtown Rd a few blocks from the square. Killer Texas wieners.

I will say that I agree that the F-15 was probably the best fighter aircraft in the post-Vietnam era, even to include the A/G F-15E Strike Eagle.  The F-16, while a capable airframe, has just had too much mission added to its small frame.  Developed under the lightweight fighter program, much of the electronic hardware was not included in the airframe.  I believe that is why the Navy chose the F-17 soon to become the F-18 during the F-16/F-17 flyoff.  Then the Navy now has their F/A-18E Super Hornet and recently EA-18 Growler to replace the EA-6 Prowler.So then what are your reasons not to include the F-117 or F-14?

I know this isn't directed at my post, since I put the F-14 at #2, but the F-117 really didn't enter service/combat until the tail end of the Cold War..so that's why  I wouldn't include it

Considering the last B-52 airframe rolled off the assembly line in 1963, they got a lot of mileage off that line……I think the last B-52 is supposed to be phased out in 2030 or some way out there date, that's jsut testament to the design genius of the airframe……….not to mention, they are sleek aircraft...the Soviets build good, solid bombers, but they all looked like airborne tractors IMHO...ad did not last like the BUFF The opening sequence to "Dr. Strangelove"........sure, sex between airplanes...but the B-52 was (and is) a hottie

World War II simplified the world geo-political power structure from one of multi-polar powers (Germany, France, Britain, Russia, USA, and Japan) to basically two major powers (USA and Russia).  America's political power would never have been as strong if it had to compete with that many world powers, but it's economic might would have grown regardless due to the thrift and Puritanical work ethic of its citizenry.  World War II basically accelerated the trend that had already been established after the Civil War.

Even during the Cold War era the traditional European powers played a major role if nothing else as place counters like chips in poker.  The countries of Europe played a vital role in determining the lines of the cold War and absent their consent to basing rights for US forces where would the confrontation have occurred?  I don't think America was ever the 500 pound gorilla that traditionally she has been thought of.  It is not simply preference that we prefer coalitions, it is necessity.  America may have been the leader but democratic allies have always been crucial to American foreign policy.I agree that our economic might would have grown.  But I don't know whether that could be translated into real political power the way that military might has been.The more I think about it, the more I begin to doubt whether the US could have defeated Russia immediately after WWII without going nuclear.  Russia had all the advantages of being able to coercively mobilize their people that the US does not have.

We not only fed the USSR, but provided trucks (Studebakers galore), plus aircraft, etc to Uncle Joe...Sure, in 1946-1947 the Red Army could have crushed the Army of Occupation in Europe like a grape....but with the assurance of Moscow turning into a radioactive slag heap....OTOH...and this is a biggie....the premise here is is either no WWII or no US involvement in WWII...so if WWII never happened, or the European war did but the Japanese did not attack Pearl Harbor/US territories and therefore no US involvement, I doubt that the US would have spent the big big $$$ on the Manhattan Project...So if it came down to just the British and the Soviets...good chance that the Nazis would still be in power in Western Europe....the Soviets and Nazis "may" have come to some sort of accord, with Poland as a buffer, and the UK as "neutral" power, albeit with the loss of Empire...which happened post-war anyway....

A lot of the global law stuff refers to gun control an the UN, IIRC ::)

Oh, yeah, I remember Harvey Korman, as well as the rest of the Carol Burnett show, used to watch that, and Hee-Haw with the folks as a kid.Harvey could never keep a straight face as Tim Conway was acting out some off-the-wall skit, damn, they were funny... IIRC Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom was on after the World of Disney on Sunday night...I used to watch it at the neighbor's kids house since they had color TV  😉And, if it was summer or we had Monday off, I could watch Hawaii-50, since 9PM was bedtime during the school year...Huh, I now have DishNetwork with about ten thousand channels, yet I think TV was WAAYYY better when all we got was the "Big 3", a few "independents" and PBS ::)