gun ownership

[lmao_37]

Enough said

[Dusty44]

Maybe.

In 1918 in France the German Army was beginning a major general offensive that was pushing the British and what was left of the French back to beyond their ability to continue the war.  The Germans were not much better off but were determined.

Then the Americans arrived.  Fresh,  as a coherent force,  and were unstoppable.  The Americans were an effective military in spite of little training and less real preparation for a war because they were mostly civilian riflemen who could use their guns effectively.

As a result France and Britain did not become German colonies.

In the 1940's it was 'Deja Vu all over again.'  All of Europe emerged from that war relatively intact and America did not have to switch to Japanese language and culture because Americans were civilian riflemen in spite of the agendas pursued by the American politicians and the ultra-rich between the wars.

The flow of 'Reality' and of alternate possibilities is beyond knowledge,  of course.  But it is very possible that if American colonists in the late 1700's and their progeny had not had guns and had not been accomplished civilian riflemen that the language of choice in northern Europe and in North America would be very different and that many of the current leadership would never have even been.