Attention: Russian State TV Threatens Nuclear Strike on US

[F2d5thCav]

Snarl--

There is a low mountain near Fulda upon which was a radar station which could 'see' very far into what was then East Germany.  You're correct that the air defense gear is a very sensitive and critical component in terms of 'being ready'.

The nuclear war stuff is just arcane.  It is hard to predict anything beyond the first missiles landing.

Cheers

[Snarl]

The nuclear war stuff is just arcane.  It is hard to predict anything beyond the first missiles landing.

I stood in the wings or at the back of the room for briefings. But ... I wasn't deaf ... LOL.

I heard this one guy poo-poo the accuracy of the Soviet Union's missiles. You know ... the proverbial 'dumb question' anyone is allowed to ask. And, this Air Force two-star's immediate dissertation on how naïve people can be when it comes to the destructive force of strategic nuclear weapons and their effective deployment.

During those times I came away with my own concerns and insights: The after effects of EMP strikes ... pretty much welcome back to the Stone Age; What strategic targeting 'really' means; Planned radioactive fallout and follow-on invasions; Who is gonna be in charge of what & where after. The levels of planning and consideration were shocking ... to a point where when you considered, who was being briefed and why, that you knew they were serious as shit about 'doing it' at some given point.

[F2d5thCav]

Snarl--

I saw the other side's plan (one of them, at least) on a map in a former Warsaw Pact C2 bunker.

Western Europe was blanketed with little mushroom cloud symbols.  The 'softening up' of NATO to ensure a Soviet victory.

But the question that remained in my mind was, what kind of victory?  A destroyed, radioactive landscape without functioning cities and shattered communications, transportation ... everything.  The Soviets would have had to hunt feral bands of humans for years, and even after that, there wouldn't have been much worth having.

Headquarters wargames and planning are one thing.  Reality is rather more unforgiving.  On a hugely reduced scale, the USA found that out in Afghanistan.  Dedicated bands of locals were willing to play 'shoot and scoot' for as long as it took us to get tired of it all.

Cheers

[Snarl]

what kind of victory? 

Reality is rather more unforgiving.

Unless all you're after is victory ... or threat reduction. I could see Fat Kim launching a spread of EMPs over us.