Australia and New Zealand in World War Three

[wtw]

I am wondering what would have happened to both nations if world war three occurred in either 1963 or 1979? How would they fair? What would have been nuked? I have some ideas and info and I am wondering if you all can add to it. Thanks

 

[Lalli]

At least during Cuban Missile War Australia and New Zealand are quiet safe. Soviets hadn't much of chances nukes them so the countries would suffer only few of damage if suffers any damage all. But it is possible that them have take much of refugees from Europe and from that which was USSR before the war.

 

[Riain]

At least during Cuban Missile War Australia and New Zealand are quiet safe. Soviets hadn't much of chances nukes them so the countries would suffer only few of damage if suffers any damage all. But it is possible that them have take much of refugees from Europe and from that which was USSR before the war.

I agree, in 1963 what delivery systems they had the could reach ANZ would be aimed at the US, they would have none to spare.

As for 1979 the situation is different but still much better for ANZ than most other places. The USSR would have ~1400 ICBMs, ~800 SLBMs and a few hundred bombers that could reach ANZ, but these are the same weapons with the range to hit CONUS and the vast majority would be aimed there; ANZ would only get the dregs of the Soviet arsenal that were't lost in counter-force fighting, expended against hard (1000 ICBM silos for starters) and soft targets in the US and held in reserve for later. Maybe we get 5 of the Soviet's shittiest SLBMs; 4 for Australia's East coast cities and one on Auckland, but certainly nothing like fancy MIRVs.

 

[BigBlueBox]

If the Indonesians don’t get nuked, could they try to invade crippled Australia? I know that would be a bad idea with few benefits, but who knows what kind of leadership changes Indonesia could go through.

 

[Father Maryland]

If the Indonesians don’t get nuked, could they try to invade crippled Australia? I know that would be a bad idea with few benefits, but who knows what kind of leadership changes Indonesia could go through.

Maybe not a formal invasion but I could see chaos in Indonesia bringing about massive waves of refugees some of them armed.

 

[Gunnarnz]

In New Zealand After a Nuclear War, a 1983 publication from the New Zealand Planning Council, it was thought unlikely that New Zealand would be directly targeted. Quite frankly, there was nothing here that merited the use of one of the relatively scarce inter-continental delivery systems. It was thought highly likely that Australia would be targeted, though, with something in the region of 5 targets directly attacked and a high-altitude burst to cover the whole area with EMP (which would cover NZ as well, and be pretty devastating in its own right). This was likely to be tasked to Soviet Pacific Fleet SLBMs that weren't expended against US allies and bases in the Northern Pacific Rim and East Asian regions.

Personally, I think it's about 50/50 whether all those attacks would actually reach their intended targets. It would require one or two out-of-date boomers to get close enough to launch their missiles, do so without being taken out, and for all the missiles and warheads to work as advertised. Australia and NZ would certainly get off lighter than other areas, and although Australia is likely to receive at lest a few successful strikes mistakes in targeting might mean the damage isn't too bad.

 

[Dave Howery]

but.... if Australia isn't heavily nuked, how will you ever get to the Mad Max world?

 

[BigBlueBox]

but.... if Australia isn't heavily nuked, how will you ever get to the Mad Max world?

In the Mad Max timeline, civilization in Australia began falling apart long before the nuclear war due to a war between Iran and Saudi Arabia that destroyed the Middle East’s oil. The nuclear strikes were a coup de grâce.

 

[Dave Howery]

In the Mad Max timeline, civilization in Australia began falling apart long before the nuclear war due to a war between Iran and Saudi Arabia that destroyed the Middle East’s oil. The nuclear strikes were a coup de grâce.

true, but I'd think that a massive nuclear strike on Australia could do the same thing...

 

[Riain]

If the Indonesians don’t get nuked, could they try to invade crippled Australia? I know that would be a bad idea with few benefits, but who knows what kind of leadership changes Indonesia could go through.

In a WW3 scenario where Australia cops a few nukes the majority of the ADF would be intact and mobilised. If Indonesia began to threaten Australia it would be attacked with all the resources Australia could muster, which would likely cause Indonesia to balkanise.