alternatehistory.com

Stuart Slade wrote an (in)famous work of alternate history called The Big One, which involved the UK falling to the Nazis, the war in the eastern front becoming a bloody stalemate and the US finally winning the war by launching a massive atomic attack on the Reich.

There are numerous issues with the work.

- Why does the US declare war on the Reich after Britain falls?
- Why isn't the USSR more prepared for Barbarossa?
- Why doesn't Japan attack Pearl Harbor or attempt to seize European colonies in Southeast Asia?
- Why does the US send ground forces to the eastern front, and why does the USSR accept them?
- Why does Zhukov overthrow Stalin, and why does the USSR abandon Marxism-Leninism?
- By the time the story takes place, the US and USSR had been fighting Germany for six years, with precious few gains. Why does the US remain in a never-ending unwinnable conflict?
- Why does the US build a fleet of hundreds of B-36s? Ignoring issues of technology, financing and logistics, why would the US do this? The few strategic raids the USAAF conducted were massive failures. Wouldn't the US invest more in the tactical use of aircraft?
- The Germans shot down only one B-36, which was a weather craft if I remember correctly. The Germans only manage to cause minor damage to a couple of bombers, no bombers are forced to return due to mechanical problems, and every bomb successfully detonates on target.
- Why are the bombers sentient?

I'm sure there are many other issues (especially with the sequels).

Given these issues, is it possible to come up with a more plausible story involving a massive atomic attack on the Reich?
Top