AHC: Soviet Military Operation in USA... with a Twist!

[Incognito]

So it is not uncommon to see Soviet military invading the United States of America in various AH, military thrillers and sci-fi works. The original Red Dawn, Red Alert games, Amerika TV miniseries, etc., etc., etc.

So here is a challenge for you: you have to come up with a scenario whereby USSR conducts military operation in USA... but rather than this being an act of war, the operation has to have the support of USA government.

So what can you think of? I think if USSR lived on and there was a thaw in relations than maybe you could get a situation similar to OTL when Russia provided humanitarian aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy in USA. But can you guys think of more interesting scenarios?

 

[Marc Pasquin]

So it is not uncommon to see Soviet military invading the United States of America in various AH, military thrillers and sci-fi works. The original Red Dawn, Red Alert games, Amerika TV miniseries, etc., etc., etc.

So here is a challenge for you: you have to come up with a scenario whereby USSR conducts military operation in USA... but rather than this being an act of war, the operation has to have the support of USA government.

So what can you think of? I think if USSR lived on and there was a thaw in relations than maybe you could get a situation similar to OTL when Russia provided humanitarian aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy in USA. But can you guys think of more interesting scenarios?

wargames as Russia and the US build closer military links over their mutual fear of Greater China?

 

[Meadow]

So it is not uncommon to see Soviet military invading the United States of America in various AH, military thrillers and sci-fi works. The original Red Dawn, Red Alert games, Amerika TV miniseries, etc., etc., etc.

So here is a challenge for you: you have to come up with a scenario whereby USSR conducts military operation in USA... but rather than this being an act of war, the operation has to have the support of USA government.

So what can you think of? I think if USSR lived on and there was a thaw in relations than maybe you could get a situation similar to OTL when Russia provided humanitarian aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy in USA. But can you guys think of more interesting scenarios?

In the late 1980s, terrorists in Alaska take control of a nuclear device somehow. At the request of POTUS, Gorbachev sends a naval task force equipped with helicopters and Spetsnaz operatives to the region and provides support for a Navy SEAL operation to recover the device.

A little Tom Clancy, but you could probably do something similar without the nuke necessarily being involved. Something that's an enemy to both, and is in a region where there's a geographical relevance to the USSR.

 

[Ramso]

Civil war and intervention is the only novellesque plot I can think of lol

 

[I want to learn]

My first thought was some kind of false flag attack. Or rather, a terrorist attack conducted secretly by the Soviets, that the United States government has knowledge of but allows to go through for political purposes. Like Operation Northwoods, but with actual communist terrorists. But to my knowledge, the Soviet Union never planned any such attacks.

One difficulty with this AHC is there weren't many military operations conducted in the United States in general during the existence of the Soviet Union. The wars the United States fought were mostly a good distance away from United States territory. The reverse of this AHC has been fulfilled IOTL: American bombers flew a few missions from Soviet territory. It's one thing to suggest the Soviets dispatch token units to display solidarity with their allies on a remote front; but there was virtually no combat going on in or near the United States. Maybe Soviet planes fly U-boat patrol from the Eastern Seaboard? The best I can come up with is Japan and the USSR go to war, and Soviet soldiers assist the defense of Alaska.

Other conflicts present the same problem. Even if the USA and USSR team up to fight South Africa or Israel or China or somebody, there's no reason to think any meaningful combat could occur in United States territory, much less any that the USSR could contribute to.


Super ASB idea: In a Nazi victory scenario, the Soviets fight on from Britain, which has been annexed to become one of the United States.

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

Would a Soviet Army relief effort count? Otl, the Canadian Army made it to New Orleans to help before the US Army did, iirc....

AN-124s would be a huge help airlifting humanitarian supplies in to somewhere that needed. E.g. somewhere in the Aleutians, or even Peurto Rico or the US Virgins.

 

[Incognito]

Would a Soviet Army relief effort count? Otl, the Canadian Army made it to New Orleans to help before the US Army did, iirc....

AN-124s would be a huge help airlifting humanitarian supplies in to somewhere that needed. E.g. somewhere in the Aleutians, or even Peurto Rico or the US Virgins.

I did mention this possibility in the OP:

I think if USSR lived on and there was a thaw in relations than maybe you could get a situation similar to OTL when Russia provided humanitarian aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy in USA. But can you guys think of more interesting scenarios?

 

[Orville_third]

Perhaps if a Soviet satellite or spacecraft accidentally crashes in the USA, there could be a joint operation.

 

[Alamo]

Would the Pacific island territories of the US qualify?

 

[Incognito]

Would the Pacific island territories of the US qualify?

Sure, why not?

 

[Evan]

Perhaps, in a world where the Soviet Union declares war on Japan earlier, a Soviet battalion helps retake the Aleutian Islands? Alternatively, a Soviet ship gets caught at Pearl Harbor or Manila Bay by the Japanese surprise attack and, in a fit of zeal, helps fight back?

 

[B_Munro]

The USSR sends troops to help Obama keep the American nuclear arsenal in the Midwest out of the hands of the Jesusland rebels...

Bruce

 

[WarPlanInfrared]

Red Yawn, anyone ?

 

[Kalki]

How about yellowstone blowing up in 1980 instead of mt.st.helens? Lets say it was more of a fizzle than a full blown supervolcano event. But the fizzle nonetheless pretty much devastates CONUS. The Soviet Union provides 'humanitarian assistance'.

I know its kinda ASB, but hey soviets in US is even more so

 

[wietze]

How about yellowstone blowing up in 1980 instead of mt.st.helens? Lets say it was more of a fizzle than a full blown supervolcano event. But the fizzle nonetheless pretty much devastates CONUS. The Soviet Union provides 'humanitarian assistance'.

I know its kinda ASB, but hey soviets in US is even more so

well the yellowstone eruptions had different sizes, the last one was a VEI8, but the one before that a VEI7. However yellowstone did have smaller eruptions between the big catastrophes.

But recent research has shown that the magma chamber is bigger than expected. But could go with a smaller eruption.

this was the smallest of the yellowstone eruptions
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesa_Falls_Tuff

 

[Dilvish]

A right-wing Great Britain and Canada see the election of FDR as signs of communism taking hold in the USA. This, along with the already perceived threat of the USA to the Empire, bring about war and an invasion of the USA.

 

[Dilvish]

Would a Soviet Army relief effort count? Otl, the Canadian Army made it to New Orleans to help before the US Army did, iirc....

AN-124s would be a huge help airlifting humanitarian supplies in to somewhere that needed. E.g. somewhere in the Aleutians, or even Peurto Rico or the US Virgins.

It may be that US law makes it easier for foreign militaries to help in civilian emergencies than the USA's own military. I don't know. Though the local units would have already been busy helping in their immediate areas.

Hmm, Siberian seperatists launch an attack into Alaska for some reason? Oh, high Soviet officials are being held hostage on US territory. A joint US-USSR rescue is called for.

 

[whitecrow]

Not sure if true but I've read somewhere around here that Lenin wanted to sell Russian Far-East to USA in order to foster conflict with Japan or something. Say this happens and during World War 2 after Pearl Harbor Japanese Army overruns the US garrison in the Far East. Soviets than declare war on Japan and liberate the region from Japanese occupation.