What is the original Watchmen about?

Let’s start with the basics: set in an alternate-universe in 1985, Richard Nixon never resigned and went on to serve as president for another two terms, during which the US won the Vietnam War and turned the country into the 51st state of the union.

Doctor Manhattan, a regular guy turned blue-skinned superhero (after a freak accident) pledges his powers to the US, helping it to become an even bigger superpower.

The US and the Soviet Union are on the fringe of global nuclear war, when Doctor Manhattan deserts Earth for a life on Mars, leaving the US exposed to the very real risk of a nuclear attack. Then Doctor Manhattan is framed for an attack on New York city killing millions of civilians, which appears to have been (but was not actually) caused by an alien attack. This threat alone unites the US and Soviet Union against a greater common enemy.

In fact, we later find out the attack was orchestrated by Adrian Veidt, who feared the conflict between the two superpowers would ultimately lead to global destruction so hoped the “alien attack” would put an end to these tensions - which it did.

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