8 Things You May Have Missed About DC's Watchmen

5. Vietnam Became The 51st State

What would life be like if America emerged victorious in Vietnam?

It's an interesting thought to consider, not least because it would have fundamentally altered the course of the country during the 1970s, a decade most associate with the its ostensible decline under presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter.

It's a reality the world of Watchmen occupies, however, with the Comedian having instigated the Gulf of Tonkin incident (echoing familiar conspiracy theories surrounding the events of the USA's entry into the conflict) - a course that propelled President Johnson to authorise the deployment of Doctor Manhattan that would later ensure the defeat of Ho Chi Minh's forces. The defeat resulted in the United States absorbing Vietnam as its 51st state, although with that level of imperialism ruling the Watchmen White House, you have to wonder why others didn't follow.

As far as alternate histories go, this one hast to be among the most interesting.