What if Britain and the United States signed and maintained an early-twentieth-century defence alliance?
Short answerThe United States would probably enter both world wars from their beginning and develop a much earlier pattern of joint action with Britain.
NotesA genuine Anglo-American alliance would change the entire strategic framework rather than create a narrow naval agreement. If Washington remained committed to the pact, American forces would probably join Britain at the opening of World War I. Joint action in that conflict would shape production, command relationships, and the peace that followed. The same alliance would make immediate American entry into World War II far more likely, eliminating much of the historical neutrality period.