[redpoll]

We seem to have this thing going where every week or so someone posts a story about an EMP attack on the United States. I think that speaks to our fears about our vulnerability, in the same way folks used to talk about nuclear war back in the 1950s and 1960s.

However, I have a different take on this.

Let’s say someone did launch an EMP attack.

For starters, the destruction of electronic equipment would not be complete. There would places where geography (living on the right side of a mountain, maybe) or happenspace (stuff in the basement, for instance) would prevent damage. I live in Alaska, and I our state isn’t anywhere near the initial pulse on the map.

Yes, there would be chaos and death. And that would provoke anger and outrage among the survivors. And those survivors would be focused on revenge. The sweet little passive-aggresive notions of containment and rendition and touching the Koran just right would go out the window and be replaced by warfare that would make Sherman’s march to the sea seem like a Sunday jaunt. And the survivors would do it. I don’t see the collapse of the United States following an EMP attack - I see the creation of Pax Americana on the cinders of the republic, with the gleeful support of the population. Then we would vaporize our enemies in the tradition of the Romans, salting the earth and razing the cities, and establishing ourselves, this time for real, as the world’s policeman.

Oh, yes. The rebuilt electronics would all be hardened against an EMP.

[Sam's Army]

You make some good points about not every device being effected, however, if there is no "juice" running to your outlets anymore it won't matter all that much if your (fill in appliance here) is still ok.

[Nowhere Man]

For starters, the destruction of electronic equipment would not be complete. There would places where geography (living on the right side of a mountain, maybe) or happenspace (stuff in the basement, for instance) would prevent damage. I live in Alaska, and I our state isn’t anywhere near the initial pulse on the map.

True, not everything would be destroyed either plus the EMP would be channeled more to the south, not as much as east or west from what studies I have read. EMP is a bit overrated, it is not an 800 lbs gorilla, more like a 500 lbs one. Yes it will disrupt a lot of things but your car should still start and your transistor radio should still work. The Navy did EMP tests on cars and only a couple did not start afterwards. A few more did sustain damage to the dashboard where the gauges did not work or did not work correctly but they still started up and were driveable. The big problem is the power grid though and the circuit breakers at various points, those will have to be reset or replaced. Maybe eve then, there will be islands of electricity and so on. The big problem is getting gas afterwards, unless the gas station has a generator, a 12 volt pump or a hand pump, it will be hard getting gas.