It’s a notion which 10 years ago would have been unthinkable: that America might be on the brink of a second civil war. Yet, as the 2024 election approaches, high-profile Republicans are discussing a “national divorce”, leading academics are examining the possibility, and Hollywood is cashing in. The trailer for Alex Garland’s upcoming film Civil War has recently been released and it paints a truly dystopian picture, from the Lincoln Memorial shrouded in black smoke to the federal government conducting air strikes on its own citizens. But is it realistic? Were a second civil war to erupt in 2024, would it really play out in such a blockbuster fashion?
