In an 1980s nuclear war how badly do Britain and China get nuked and what would remain of their societies?
Why would China get hit at all in a 1980's Soviet-NATO nuclear war?
it's not clear to me why the USSR would attack a neutral power for clearly genocidal purposes.
The rationale for the devastation of Britain seems on a more solid ground than China; it's not clear to me why the USSR would attack a neutral power for clearly genocidal purposes.
The US planned to nuke China in the event of a nuclear war with the USSR in the 1950s so I don’t think their policy would change especially after China had nuclear missiles of their own.Might even get hit by both sides.
I'd expect the UK to be hit hard. They are a geographically small nuclear armed state so I would expect them to suffer a significant degree of damage.In an 1980s nuclear war how badly do Britain and China get nuked and what would remain of their societies?
Perhaps the U.S. might take a wait and see attitude and see if the Soviets attacked China first ? My understand is that in the latter stages of the Cold War the U.S. had a certain ability to detect where nuclear detonations had occurred so it doesn't seem entirely impossible to me that U.S. might take a wait and see attitude ?The USA will hit Chinese nuclear facilities and locations of any missiles or nuclear capable aircraft they have. Maybe a hit on known command and control bunkers. In this scenario anybody left over with nuclear toys and delivery systems, and intact central control of civil and military capabilities is the big dog. If the only effects on China of this are some fallout and perhaps a weapon that went off target, when the dust settles they call all the shots. Intact government, intact industrial plant, nukes and the ability to produce more and at least some delivery systems. In short order South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan will be dancing to their tune or they will see mushrooms - to the extent that these folks have not been damaged (only US bases hit) their industrial output is at the beck and call of China. If the US nuclear umbrella is no longer covering these folks they are screwed...yes in the 80s all 3 countries could make nukes given the time to do so, but they won't get the time.
The reason the Russians would are even more obvious, the Chinese are next door and "claim" lots of Siberia...
Why? China was a US ally vs the USSR in the 1980sThe USA will hit Chinese nuclear facilities and locations of any missiles or nuclear capable aircraft they have. Maybe a hit on known command and control bunkers. In this scenario anybody left over with nuclear toys and delivery systems, and intact central control of civil and military capabilities is the big dog. If the only effects on China of this are some fallout and perhaps a weapon that went off target, when the dust settles they call all the shots. Intact government, intact industrial plant, nukes and the ability to produce more and at least some delivery systems. In short order South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan will be dancing to their tune or they will see mushrooms - to the extent that these folks have not been damaged (only US bases hit) their industrial output is at the beck and call of China. If the US nuclear umbrella is no longer covering these folks they are screwed...yes in the 80s all 3 countries could make nukes given the time to do so, but they won't get the time.
The reason the Russians would are even more obvious, the Chinese are next door and "claim" lots of Siberia...
In the 1950s China was a Soviet ally, in the 1980s they were an American ally, so the plans definitely changedThe US planned to nuke China in the event of a nuclear war with the USSR in the 1950s so I don’t think their policy would change especially after China had nuclear missiles of their own.
The Defense Support Program (DSP) series of reconnaissance satellites.My understand is that in the latter stages of the Cold War the U.S. had a certain ability to detect where nuclear detonations had occurred...