Replies

I would much rather be a survivor in the United States, than one in Russia, over the following decades.

And I doubt that the area known formerly as Russia, would ever escape having been absorbed by China.

I know there would be scattered, isolated communities in Siberia east of the Urals that would survive, but they would most likely be on their own for a long, long time. Also, you would run into the Chi-Coms or what's left of them and/or the muzzies who live in the "stans" to the South. I remember talking about this with fellow "Twilight: 2000" role playing gamers. I think you're right, a U.S. survivor would be better off plus with two oceans and the Gulf of Mexico, trade would be easier with any surviving nations in South America.

I know there would be scattered, isolated communities in Siberia east of the Urals that would survive, but they would most likely be on their own for a long, long time.

Just to play devil's advocate: Russia has invested massive amounts of resources in creating huge, underground facilities for the event of nuclear war. These underground complexes are the size of cities, and are apparently well stocked (I would take all public information with a grain of salt, of course), and are apparently designed for both military and civilian populations. These are not mere bunkers -- they are essentially well-stocked underground cities.

Second, a primitive economy is generally more tolerant of overwhelming shocks than more advanced economies. People are generally used to a certain state of poverty; they are more self-sufficient (by necessity); and they won't have hordes of people wholly unsuited to a more primitive existence (the vast majority of US citizens would fare quite badly if the economy fell apart -- most people don't even know how to darn their own socks, let alone feed a family without going to a supermarket). In much of Russia, life would go on pretty much as it is now, since they are largely independent of the larger economy.

Third, they should have no real fear of China. They could nuke China into oblivion (especially with the way their population is clustered), and can resort back to their underground cities should China try to retaliate.

Fourth, while obviously people in rural and semi-rural areas would fare reasonably well, for a while, there would be a lot of survivors in the cities and suburbs. Basically, it is almost inconceivable that American society wouldn't splinter. If you think that this country has major divisions now ...

By contrast, Russia would be housing much of their urban population underground, with the more rural areas already relatively self-sufficient; barring a major disaster in their military and police, they would have little difficulty maintaining order (relative to the US).

Russia never bought into the idea that nuclear war was unwinnable, or that it was an extinction event. Unfortunately, we fell for that hook, line, and sinker. This puts us at a tremendous disadvantage, should it ever come to that. While they prepared, we listened to fools. I just hope we never pay the price for our hubris.