Could Europe Defeat America in an All-Out War? (opens in new tab)

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2 pointstype02mo ago7 comments

7 comments

> "Europe could probably defeat the US in a war"

USA's military budget is much higher than the sum of all other nations military budgets while it includes only 5% of world's population.

Roughly near $900 Billions versus $500 Billions Dollars in 2023.

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/blog/2023/05/04/us-still-...

https://www.pgpf.org/article/the-united-states-spends-more-o...

fjfaase2mo ago

In case of a war, the USA will go broke due to the enormouse state dept and the USD will crash. That dept is largely owned by EU countries and the PRC due to trade deficits.

JPLeRouzic2mo ago

That the USD may crash during war time is not important, it's not the same economic rules that apply during war time and if USA wins that crash will not be important.

But from now most nations and other economic investors will be hesitant to buy USA's debt, as its behavior is less and less predictable. The main problem is what to buy instead.

Zigurd2mo ago

Correct. Europe could adopt Keynes's "bancor" within months and that would be more devastating than dropping a bomb on DC.

beardyw2mo ago

Both sides would suffer terrible losses. Hopefully that would override any sense of "winning'.

tim-tday2mo ago

I don’t know but the biggest winner in that conflict would be Russia.

jleyank2mo ago

I think the large puddle separating the two will keep troops from each others soil. If you’re blowing the shit out of people, nobody wins. Economically, which group of people is better placed to accept (severe) pain? The US has no practice receiving pain and might react poorly to its appearance.

Europe, sadly, knows all about pain.

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7 comments

JPLeRouzic2mo ago

> "Europe could probably defeat the US in a war"

USA's military budget is much higher than the sum of all other nations military budgets while it includes only 5% of world's population.

Roughly near $900 Billions versus $500 Billions Dollars in 2023.

https://www.nationalpriorities.org/blog/2023/05/04/us-still-...

https://www.pgpf.org/article/the-united-states-spends-more-o...

fjfaase2mo ago

In case of a war, the USA will go broke due to the enormouse state dept and the USD will crash. That dept is largely owned by EU countries and the PRC due to trade deficits.

JPLeRouzic2mo ago

That the USD may crash during war time is not important, it's not the same economic rules that apply during war time and if USA wins that crash will not be important.

But from now most nations and other economic investors will be hesitant to buy USA's debt, as its behavior is less and less predictable. The main problem is what to buy instead.

Zigurd2mo ago

Correct. Europe could adopt Keynes's "bancor" within months and that would be more devastating than dropping a bomb on DC.

beardyw2mo ago

Both sides would suffer terrible losses. Hopefully that would override any sense of "winning'.

tim-tday2mo ago

I don’t know but the biggest winner in that conflict would be Russia.

jleyank2mo ago

Europe, sadly, knows all about pain.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse