WI: 1990s, after 1980s Atomic War?

The 1980s was probably the decade when the Cold War was at its tensest in several decades. And there was the possibility that the tough talk between powers and their posturing (Reagan's talk and arms build up made the Soviets suspect he was going to try something) could have erupted into World War 3.

My question is not so much about the world war itself, but rather its aftermath. What do the 90s look like if the 80s go that way?

The 1980's were probably the decade when the Cold War was the Most Tense in several decades.
 
The 1980's were probably the decade when the Cold War was the Most Tense in several decades.

A decade is a single unit. Hence was. Decades are multiple units, which would be were. I used decade.

tensest
superlative of tense (Adjective)

Adjective:
  • (esp. of a muscle or someone's body) Stretched tight or rigid.
  • (of a person) Unable to relax because of nervousness, anxiety, or stimulation: "tense with excitement".
 
Hm, I'd always thought it was "most tense", though "tensest" makes more sense now that I think about it. How about we just use "most tenseful" instead? :D
 
I addition to the loss of the actual food production, you also have the loss of fuel for transport. There are a finite number of fuel refineries, they were/are Category 1B targets (after missile and bomber bases but before population centers) as well as a fairly limited number of major oil loading facilities, all of which are clearly targets that would require denial of access.

It really doesn't matter if Mombassa survives the exchange untouched if it has no food and no modern transport. There isn't a major population center on the Planet that is more than a week from starvation.
Even if the evohl commies destroy every single refinery on Earth, there are still a lot of rural communities and small cities relative near or in, agricultural regions. New refineries can be rebuilt. In the long time it will take to rebuild them, there are existing oil stocks, which any government will promptly confiscate. Sail boats and horse driven carts can deliver non perishable foods. Agriculture can go back to more expensive, less efficient, manual and animal labour. Biogas can be made faster than refineries can be built and land vehicles can use it with existing (and manufactured) compressed natural gas kits. Engines capable of running on alcohol can be manufactured, even if they are less than ideal. Liquified coal is another option, albeit a slow to develop one. Oil, electrical power and food are likely to end up heavily rationed. A lot of people will still die of starvation and related diseases. Governments will probably need to write off large cities and let them to die. But, still, a lot of people will make it.
 
Even if the evohl commies destroy every single refinery on Earth, there are still a lot of rural communities and small cities relative near or in, agricultural regions. New refineries can be rebuilt. In the long time it will take to rebuild them, there are existing oil stocks, which any government will promptly confiscate. Sail boats and horse driven carts can deliver non perishable foods. Agriculture can go back to more expensive, less efficient, manual and animal labour. Biogas can be made faster than refineries can be built and land vehicles can use it with existing (and manufactured) compressed natural gas kits. Engines capable of running on alcohol can be manufactured, even if they are less than ideal. Liquified coal is another option, albeit a slow to develop one. Oil, electrical power and food are likely to end up heavily rationed. A lot of people will still die of starvation and related diseases. Governments will probably need to write off large cities and let them to die. But, still, a lot of people will make it.

How many people today can knock together refineries or the materials to build refineries or engines to run on alternatives to oil or the equipment to build and keep the equipment to keep the fuel to those engines going - take away those who have died through incineration, blast, disease and you are looking at quite a small pool of people who may not even be in the right place or live long enough in the anarchy after such an attack to be able to help.

People will live but you are talking 1800 levels at best and that is before any artificially created diseases start to spread.
 
Scientists, engineers and technicians living in countries not involved in the war. It's pretty unlikely a team will be able to build a refinery in Holland. However, begin looking for retirees, people on leave or on another job in Venezuela who therefore survived the destruction of the Venezuelan refineries, and you may be up to something.
 
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