Long-Classified U.S. Estimates of Nuclear War Casualties During the Cold War

Wanted to share this with you all, seeing how the subject has been active in our news cycle.

In 2013 President Obama signed off on guidance requiring war plans, including nuclear targeting, to be “consistent with the fundamental principles of the Law of Armed Conflict”: distinction, proportionality, and precaution.
According to the report, if the full force assigned to the SIOP struck the Soviet Union, 54 percent of its total population would be killed, 108 million out of 217 million people. If the smaller alert force (bombers on 15 minutes to 2-hour alert) was used, total Soviet casualties would be 37 percent, or about 80 million. Against China, the full force would kill a smaller proportion because there was a smaller urban population: 16 percent of an estimated 650 million, or about 104 million. Poland, the site of Soviet air defense installations, would suffer over 2.5 million casualties in an attack by the full force. The casualty estimates included those caused by fallout and probably other radiation effects.

When the fireballs are low enough to suck up surface material, they can produce fallout downwind from the detonation. That material would mix with the radioactive fission products from the explosion and condense and settle out as the fireball cooled. Radiation from such fallout could cause fatal radiation illness in the short term and cancer in the long-term. With the Hiroshima and Nagasaki detonations, the fireball helped produce firestorms that seeded the clouds with radioactive ash producing the famous “black rain” effect.



Long-Classified U.S. Estimates of Nuclear War Casualties During the Cold War Regularly Underestimated Deaths and Destruction

Looking like it has always been dems, itching for nuclear war.

Just imagine, what is still classified.

☠️

a reply to: ADVISOR

There's really no point in worrying about the use of nuclear weapons. If nations do start launching, that will be the end of society as we know it.

If you want a look at what it'll be, read a novel by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle called "Lucifer's Hammer".

In that story it's a comet that hits Earth, but nuclear weapons will have the same outcome....and it is not good.

No sane person is itching for a nuclear war.

And stop with the "Dems" want a nuclear war. Most understand that Dems have families too and your comment is simply a knee jerk political reaction.

a reply to: ADVISOR

a reply to: DAVID64
Naah, a more gentle walk in ti Armageddon for people, watch the film "On the beach". If that don't bring it home to you nothing will.

I really wonder what their targeting strategy is? Do they just target military installations or just go all out at cities of civilians as well?

a reply to: DAVID64
hey hey now, I watched the movie the Day After. All we gotta do is take off the first four inches of top soil on our millions of acres of farmland. That shouldn't be so hard. I also saw the Sum of All Fears.

"underestimated deaths" in comparison to what? Other estimates?

There's no way to know which estimates are over- or underestimations without a real-world test, which would of course be, you know... not a good idea.

In recent times it seems TPTB always show the cards BEFORE the play. They always plants the seeds in the zeitgeist so when an event happens the individual is primed to react in a favourable way.

This fear mongering just priming people.
a reply to: ADVISOR

a reply to: Athetos

Could be the keys to 1947 Roswell here.
Israel became a Jewish State in 1948 after the first Nuclear weapons programs completed their missions.
The first SALT talks were hosted in Helsinki 1969, that program did end while Ronald Raegan was in office.
Not sure what we have to gain from the new START hand treaties with our current listening capabilities?

originally posted by: DAVID64
a reply to: ADVISOR

There's really no point in worrying about the use of nuclear weapons. If nations do start launching, that will be the end of society as we know it.

If you want a look at what it'll be, read a novel by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle called "Lucifer's Hammer".

In that story it's a comet that hits Earth, but nuclear weapons will have the same outcome....and it is not good.

I read that book back in the 90's. I also used to read a lot of William W Johnstone's 'Out Of the Ashes series of books too. Amazing similar to the walking dead, except no zombies and better writing and you learn survival skills to boot.

Long Live Ben Raines.

The worst-case scenario has come to pass: a nuclear strike has crippled America. Gangs, looters, and vandals have seized the streets. The decent few can only pray for a leader to protect them. Luckily, one of the survivors is Ben Raines.

Rebel mercenary, retired soldier, and tireless patriot, Raines is searching for his missing family in the aftermath of this devastating war. His relentless pursuit through the ruined cities of the west unites him with the civilians of the Resistance forces. They become his recruits for a revolutionary army dedicated to rebuilding America. Then comes the final outrage: an armed attack by government forces. With the fate of America's New Patriots hanging in the balance, Raines vows—government be damned—to survive, find his family, and lead this once great nation out of the ashes.

An excellent series written in the 80s and 90s combines apocalyptic survivalism, science fiction, and political intrigue. Ben Raines, an ex mercenary, survives a nuclear war and through his trials and tribulations creates a new country out of the the former United States that is founded on the Founding Fathers principles of less government and conservative values. If your a solid conservatives, pro military or an open minded liberal the series is a great read. Sometimes far fetched but its amazing how close the author predicted the current state of political affairs.

1. Out of the Ashes
2. Fire in the Ashes
3. Anarchy in the Ashes
4. Blood in the Ashes
5. Alone in the Ashes
6. Wind in the Ashes
7. Smoke From the Ashes
8. Danger in the Ashes
9. Valor in the Ashes
10. Trapped in the Ashes
11. Death in the Ashes
12. Survival in the Ashes
13. Fury in the Ashes
14. Courage in the Ashes
15. Terror in the Ashes
16. Vengeance in the Ashes
17. Battle in the Ashes
18. Flames From the Ashes
19. Treason in the Ashes
20. D Day in the Ashes
21. Betrayal in the Ashes
22. Chaos in the Ashes
23. Slaughter in the Ashes
24. Judgment in the Ashes
25. Ambush in the Ashes
26. From the Ashes
27. Triumph in the Ashes
28. Hatred in the Ashes
29. Standoff in the Ashes
30. Crisis in the Ashes
31. Tyranny in the Ashes
32. Warriors from the Ashes
33. Destiny in the Ashes
34. Enemy in the Ashes
35. Escape from the Ashes
36. From The Ashes: America Reborn

a reply to: ADVISOR

AN ACCEPTABLE CASUALTY RATE

""radiation illness in the short term and cancer in the long-term""
please dont SUGAR COAT IT!

you forgot,..all the chemical mixtures into our water supply from
places like, manufactures, storage, distribution warehouses,
sewage treatment plants blown up and spread for miles,
sh*t from farms, PLUS tons of medical stuff, or bio-labs
pet farms, vets offices,

all those fracking wells in the vicinity that constantly LEAK...
thats gas we cannot even smell, because the sulfur additive
wasnt mixed in yet.. catching fire and we get fire TORNADOS,
plus all the forests and grasslands catching fire for miles around
the circumference of the blast.. houses, all them chemicals in
rail cars violently exploding, like east palestine usa

gas stations, propane tanks and cars in everyones yard,
then all those buried pipes underground carrying natural gas,
water and sewage.. ever see a whole neighborhood explode
from a ruptured gas pipe? there will be ALOT of those...

i am sure i am missing alot of others, like the THOUSANDS
of chemical, and biological waste storage places too..
then theres the battle for edible, non iradiated FOOD
and CLEAN water, no chemicals or sh*t in it

irradiated animals on the loose, some even on fire
spreading fire far and wide.. a few million cars with
highly toxic lithium and cobalt batteries catching fire
battery warehouses, recycling facilities...
oh, and a few recycled city dumps catching fire
burning lots of toxic stuff, and dont forget PLASTICS

burning plastics creates DIOXIN,
the MOST TOXIC forever chemicals
and plastics are EVERYWHERE, maybe a few pounds
in every room of your house.. burnt to ash and spread for miles

but my point is......
the nuclear explosion and fallout
IS THE LEAST OF OUR WORRIES

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