On Invading America

[Roland Wolf]

Sorta what Germany did in the book 1901.

On invading the United States in the post-1950's world, I think that the main problems are the American navy, air force, and nuclear arsenal. The navy and air force can be dealt with: just set up several nasty insurrections in countries vital to US interests, and wait for the realignment of forces. As for the nukes, the best I can come up with is a surprise first-strike, but I don't know how much warning time the Americans would have, and if they could fire stuff off before they're hit. Of course, the opposing country could get really lucky and acquire the missile codes, but that would be near-ASBish in terms of luck.

The only way I see around that is a TL a bit like "Red Alert", no Adolf and a far more agressive USSR (Probably with Trotzky at the helm) The Red Army overruns Western Europe in 1940 and forces Great Britain into a Finland-like status.
That derpives the US of a lot of the scientists they needed to get both the Manhatten Project as well as the ICBM`s build.
Lets say the US gets the nuke anyway, but relies on strategic bombers and Carriers to deliver them. In such a situation the USSR could get the idea that this is the last chance to deliver socialism to all the needy. A couple nuclear tipped 25inch torps (the November-class subs were originally planned around such a monster) take care of a large part of the US fleet. From here it gets interesting.

 

[Adam Parsons]

Well, if the American atomic arsenal is limited to bombers and short-range missiles, then it isn't much of a problem. Sure, Volgagrad and Kharkov will glow in the dark, but the rest of the country should be okay.

With world-spanning ICBM's, the only possibility is a secret, working SDI system and a lot of luck.

 

[robertp6165]

I thought I heard that Zimmerman was a false document produced by the British to get us in? I mean I know their was an agreement but I thought that the actual letter was a fake.

The evidence for it being real is pretty conclusive. The best study of it (at least IMHO) is still (even though it's a bit old) Barbara Tuchman's THE ZIMMERMAN TELEGRAM. If you haven't read it, you should. It's very, very interesting.

 

[wkwillis]

Nuke Winter in 1961 when the Cuban missile crisis goes hot. Russia loses half it's population to nuclear attack, but has enough food to feed them dispite losing the next harvest. The US doesn't and collapses. While the farm areas are fighting the urban areas over food, Russia just walks in on Europe offering food for neutrality.
In 1965 the Russians invade what was the US and a guerilla war develops. Lots of people die.

 

[David S Poepoe]

Nuke Winter in 1961 when the Cuban missile crisis goes hot. Russia loses half it's population to nuclear attack, but has enough food to feed them dispite losing the next harvest. The US doesn't and collapses. While the farm areas are fighting the urban areas over food, Russia just walks in on Europe offering food for neutrality.
In 1965 the Russians invade what was the US and a guerilla war develops. Lots of people die.

I think that is very optimistic. I don't think in the scenario given that the US has to worry about invasion until at least 1991. I would think that both it and the Soviets (or whatever government comes to power following this nuclear apocalypse) would have alot more to worry about than continueing the war.