You all seem like people who have thought a fair bit about HYDRA. I've been thinking a lot about AUs where HYDRA won, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Variation #1: HYDRA Won in 1945
Steve never gets the serum, or Steve goes off the train too, or Steve doesn't manage to get on the Valkyrie, or whatever, and New York gets flattened. Possibly all of the eastern seaboard. Possibly also the capitals of Europe. What then? Schmidt doesn't have the manpower or organization to take over directly, but I imagine that plenty of places would be happy to pull a Vichy to avoid the wrath of HYDRA.
Variation #2: Project Insight Succeeds
What happens then? (On a geopolitical scale. What happens to surviving supersoldiers is clearly nothing but trash parties.)
Okay, so let's talk HYDRA Won AUs
Variation #1: HYDRA Won in 1945
Steve never gets the serum, or Steve goes off the train too, or Steve doesn't manage to get on the Valkyrie, or whatever, and New York gets flattened. Possibly all of the eastern seaboard. Possibly also the capitals of Europe. What then? Schmidt doesn't have the manpower or organization to take over directly, but I imagine that plenty of places would be happy to pull a Vichy to avoid the wrath of HYDRA.
Variation #2: Project Insight Succeeds
What happens then? (On a geopolitical scale. What happens to surviving supersoldiers is clearly nothing but trash parties.)