AHC: Sino American Nuclear War during Cold War

Between 1956 and 1991 make United States of America and the Chinese People's Republic to be engaged in a direct, nuclear war without Soviet (direct) participation.
 
Between 1956 and 1991 make United States of America and the Chinese People's Republic to be engaged in a direct, nuclear war without Soviet (direct) participation.
Make the Vietnam war a re-run of the Korean, but have either of the principles over-react when their backs are to the wall.
 
Between 1956 and 1991 make United States of America and the Chinese People's Republic to be engaged in a direct, nuclear war without Soviet (direct) participation.
Something in the Straits goes very bad in the 80's.
A war starts over Hong Kong in the 80's. There was a timeline about that somewhere in the forum.
 
Between 1956 and 1991 make United States of America and the Chinese People's Republic to be engaged in a direct, nuclear war
The main problem with that I think it is if China can launch/transport nuclear weapons over the US mainland. And when this capability has been reached by Bejing.
without Soviet (direct) participation
Easy. No Soviet leader in the period you described have been an hardliner, and the Sino-Soviet split has consumed at the beginning of the period. I think that more than thinking about how to make USSR not attacking the US, the problem is thinking how to make USSR not attacking China. But overall is not too difficult to find something.
 
The main problem with that I think it is if China can launch/transport nuclear weapons over the US mainland. And when this capability has been reached by Bejing.

More tense Sino-Soviet split can lead to the greater focus on Chinese ICBMs to protect themselves from potential invasion.

Easy. No Soviet leader in the period you described have been an hardliner, and the Sino-Soviet split has consumed at the beginning of the period. I think that more than thinking about how to make USSR not attacking the US, the problem is thinking how to make USSR not attacking China. But overall is not too difficult to find something.

Well, if Chinese began to nuke United States, nuclear war between two states would last for days, no more. Then, Sino-Soviet War is vastly different conflict.
 

nbcman

Donor
More tense Sino-Soviet split can lead to the greater focus on Chinese ICBMs to protect themselves from potential invasion.



Well, if Chinese began to nuke United States, nuclear war between two states would last for days, no more. Then, Sino-Soviet War is vastly different conflict.

As the first ICBM the Chinese developed IOTL that could reach the US mainland wasn't fielded until 15 years after the final year of the OP (DF-31 - operational 2006, first test flight 1999), it would take a massive acceleration of Chinese ICBM technology to be able to strike the US mainland by 1991. So the Chinese for almost the entire period stated in the OP would be similar to North Korea now - capable of striking US bases and US friendly nations in the Western Pacific but incapable of hitting the US mainland. Maybe the POD would be a greater and earlier Chinese penetration of the US and USSR's nuclear and missile development - see this article which reported on Chinese espionage in the 1990s.
 
Are we talking about a war in which China attacks the USA with nuclear weapons as well or a nuclear war involving the USA and China? Because if it's the latter, all that's needed is for the USA to conduct a preemptive nuclear strike on China when it becomes clear China is developing nuclear bombs after making sure the USSR wouldn't retaliate.
 
Are we talking about a war in which China attacks the USA with nuclear weapons as well or a nuclear war involving the USA and China? Because if it's the latter, all that's needed is for the USA to conduct a preemptive nuclear strike on China when it becomes clear China is developing nuclear bombs after making sure the USSR wouldn't retaliate.

War in which two sides are using nuclear weapons. So, both China and United States are hit with The Bomb.
 
Important question: what missile launch detection capability did China have during the Cold War?

If they couldn’t detect US incoming warheads until shortly before impact, good chance the US wipes out China’s mostly liquid fueled missile arsenal of the Cold War before it can launch.
 
The President's Plane Is Missing

Get some ass like Rip Torn's character into a position of power, thinking a pre-emptive strike is needed
 
China's liquid-fueled ICBM's never get off the ground.

They would have taken TWO HOURS to fuel up. The US would have detected the fueling and launched greetings via ICBM or SLBM long before they were ready to fire.
 
War in which two sides are using nuclear weapons. So, both China and United States are hit with The Bomb.

Won't happen under the OP restrictions - if the US knows it's going to be hit, it'll expand the war to the USSR to prevent them taking advantage of the damage and temporary reduction in throw weight the US will have suffered.
 

Marc

Donor
Then there is Herman Kahn's extrapolations on asymmetric delivery systems; his famous (well to Rand Institute and other Strangeglove folk) "Chinese tramp freighter" scenario.
Simply: pre-position freighters with nuclear devises entering U.S harbors - They actually don't have to be Chinese officially, flags of convenience and so on.
Ships are just one transport, but a nice utility.
 
I read one very long and excellent TL somewhere called the Ussuri River War. It postulated a late-1960s conflict with the US and Soviets fighting together against Mao's China.
 
Won't happen under the OP restrictions - if the US knows it's going to be hit, it'll expand the war to the USSR to prevent them taking advantage of the damage and temporary reduction in throw weight the US will have suffered.

I don't think anyone "sane" in the US would order full nuclear strike on a neutral country - even if it is Soviet Union. It would require full genocidal maniacs in the White House, Cabinet, Congress and the USAF. Threatening them with nuclear war if they intervene is another option.
 
The "tramp steamer" option only works if China is planning the war, it takes time to set up. If the US "plans" to do this, therefore first strike, China delivers zero bombs to the USA. They might fly one one way to US bases in Japan or Korea, possibly even Guam. The H-6 bomber (the Chinese copy of the Badger) has a range of 3200nm which is over 1000nm short of a one way trip to Hawaii. Depending on when this happens they could refuel, but it would still be a one-way trip. Getting to the US mainland is really a no-go, they need their ICBMs for that.
 
The "tramp steamer" option only works if China is planning the war, it takes time to set up. If the US "plans" to do this, therefore first strike, China delivers zero bombs to the USA. They might fly one one way to US bases in Japan or Korea, possibly even Guam. The H-6 bomber (the Chinese copy of the Badger) has a range of 3200nm which is over 1000nm short of a one way trip to Hawaii. Depending on when this happens they could refuel, but it would still be a one-way trip. Getting to the US mainland is really a no-go, they need their ICBMs for that.

Pretty much, and I just can't see China being that crazy. "Okay so we can.... blow up a dozen port cities. And in return the Americans will blow up every single city or town in China."
 

BigBlueBox

Banned
I don't think anyone "sane" in the US would order full nuclear strike on a neutral country - even if it is Soviet Union. It would require full genocidal maniacs in the White House, Cabinet, Congress and the USAF. Threatening them with nuclear war if they intervene is another option.
China’s nuclear arsenal was unable to destroy the United States so I don’t think they would do that. If it was the reverse and the USA and USSR had a nuclear war then both parties would have probably nuked China though.
 
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