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Europe has a very similar rail setup. Both France and Germany have very good high speed rail connections with their TGV and ICE. You connect into those from London, Brussels and Amsterdam via Eurostar and the German ICE.

> why doesn't anybody else build this?

I mean, most of Europe has, China has, it's not really a case of "nobody else" doing it.

Having your country destroyed by bombs makes it a lot easier to do greenfield infrastructure projects

That has absolutely nothing to do with it: these projects are mostly through rural areas. The Tokaido shinkansen line is largely underground, in tunnels through mountains. The new Chuo shinkansen maglev line currently being built is 90% underground.

What's missing in America is national unity and political will.