I want to start a timeline but I don’t know when to place it, I want it To either take place in the 60s or the 80s. Both have their pros and cons and both have their own vibe to them. Hopefully by listing the pros and cons of each that you can decide for me which decade for me to place my timeline in.
The 60s have JFK and LBJ alongside the two Soviet leaders Nikita Krushchev and Leonid Brezhnev. There is also multiple points in the 60s that could have sparked the Third World War in some shape or form, the Berlin Crisis, Cuban Missile Crisis, Six Day War, Prague Spring, Sino-Soviet Border War, and of course to some degree, the Vietnam War. The 60s also had many technological achievements alongside it, like the space race and the race to land a person on the moon between the United States and the Soviet Union. There was also many developments in arms technology, like the IFV and the attack helicopter coming into practice by the late 1960s. This is also the time where Communism was at its heyday as mulitiple wars would be fought for and against Communism. There is also lots of culture surrounding the 60s as well, the civil rights movement, anti-war sentiment, and tons of recognizable music tracks. There is some cons with the 60s though, some armies in the West and the East simply were not ready for a Conventional World War, the West German Army was just barley formed, the Japanese army barley existed, and Most African countries were under colonialism. There is also the dilemma of wether to have nukes involved or uninvolved in your timeline, which goes for the whole Cold War. Realistically, nukes would get involved right when the war would start because Warsaw Pact and NATO doctrines relied on them very heavily to stop the other. And if you don’t use nukes, your timeline becomes a little ridiculous as both sides have the means to totally annihilate the other side, but not using them.
Now the 1980s, where most people’s timelines are placed in. Pros of the 80s are that they have Reagan as the US leader for most of the decade, who was hellbent on taking down Communism. There is also British Prime Minister Margret Thatcher who had the same ideals and Reagan. This is also when the Technology gap between NATO and the Warsaw Pact became even wider with the introduction of the Abrams and Bradley tanks, The teen series of fighters like the F-15 and F-14, and overall better radar systems. This was also when the most armies where developed in the Cold War period, the West and East German armies, the Japanese self-defense force, China, and most Western and Eastern nations. As you very well know, the 80s also has tons of culture surrounding it as well. Music, TV, Movies, Video Games and tons of different genres of entertainment. As well as the 80s vibe we all know and love. There is also some cons for the 80s as well. This time is also when the Soviet Union was at its weakest, fighting in the Soviet Afghan War, and the policies introduced by Gorbachev. There also was no ideal Soviet leader at the time, with it going from Brezhnev from 1980-82, Andropov 82-84, Chernenko 84-85, and Gorbachev 85-91, and while Gorbachev is the longest serving Soviet Leader during this decade, he was more bent on peace than war with NATO. There is also less technological advancements you could tie in to the timeline as well.
Overall, it all comes down to personal preference for when you want to place your WW3 timeline. But I am having trouble finding which decade to place mine in. Hopefully you can help me settle this and finally come up with an answer of when to place my timeline.
The 60s have JFK and LBJ alongside the two Soviet leaders Nikita Krushchev and Leonid Brezhnev. There is also multiple points in the 60s that could have sparked the Third World War in some shape or form, the Berlin Crisis, Cuban Missile Crisis, Six Day War, Prague Spring, Sino-Soviet Border War, and of course to some degree, the Vietnam War. The 60s also had many technological achievements alongside it, like the space race and the race to land a person on the moon between the United States and the Soviet Union. There was also many developments in arms technology, like the IFV and the attack helicopter coming into practice by the late 1960s. This is also the time where Communism was at its heyday as mulitiple wars would be fought for and against Communism. There is also lots of culture surrounding the 60s as well, the civil rights movement, anti-war sentiment, and tons of recognizable music tracks. There is some cons with the 60s though, some armies in the West and the East simply were not ready for a Conventional World War, the West German Army was just barley formed, the Japanese army barley existed, and Most African countries were under colonialism. There is also the dilemma of wether to have nukes involved or uninvolved in your timeline, which goes for the whole Cold War. Realistically, nukes would get involved right when the war would start because Warsaw Pact and NATO doctrines relied on them very heavily to stop the other. And if you don’t use nukes, your timeline becomes a little ridiculous as both sides have the means to totally annihilate the other side, but not using them.
Now the 1980s, where most people’s timelines are placed in. Pros of the 80s are that they have Reagan as the US leader for most of the decade, who was hellbent on taking down Communism. There is also British Prime Minister Margret Thatcher who had the same ideals and Reagan. This is also when the Technology gap between NATO and the Warsaw Pact became even wider with the introduction of the Abrams and Bradley tanks, The teen series of fighters like the F-15 and F-14, and overall better radar systems. This was also when the most armies where developed in the Cold War period, the West and East German armies, the Japanese self-defense force, China, and most Western and Eastern nations. As you very well know, the 80s also has tons of culture surrounding it as well. Music, TV, Movies, Video Games and tons of different genres of entertainment. As well as the 80s vibe we all know and love. There is also some cons for the 80s as well. This time is also when the Soviet Union was at its weakest, fighting in the Soviet Afghan War, and the policies introduced by Gorbachev. There also was no ideal Soviet leader at the time, with it going from Brezhnev from 1980-82, Andropov 82-84, Chernenko 84-85, and Gorbachev 85-91, and while Gorbachev is the longest serving Soviet Leader during this decade, he was more bent on peace than war with NATO. There is also less technological advancements you could tie in to the timeline as well.
Overall, it all comes down to personal preference for when you want to place your WW3 timeline. But I am having trouble finding which decade to place mine in. Hopefully you can help me settle this and finally come up with an answer of when to place my timeline.
