1950 Nuclear Target List

[Footslogger]

This is an interesting article to read.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/1950s- ... &ocid=iehp

[btd64]

Interesting. I use to know an Air Force Major who was on a B-52 crew. He use to fly the 3 plane route along the arctic. I can't remember the code word they used. Talk about Stress....GP

[Jonathan Pollard]

Even more chilling IMO is the fact that in 1962 the Joint Chiefs of Staff wanted to target US civilians in order to create an excuse to invade Cuba. In its own words, "We could develop a Communist Cuban terror campaign in the Miami area, in other Florida cities and even Washington." http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/news/20010430/

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Footslogger

This is an interesting article to read.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/1950s- ... &ocid=iehp

I don't know why anyone would find this surprising. Or chilling. Or really an insight.

[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Footslogger

This is an interesting article to read.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/1950s- ... &ocid=iehp

I don't know why anyone would find this surprising. Or chilling. Or really an insight.

I did develop some insightful observations, mostly that msn.com is a garbage news site.

[BBfanboy]

Without seeing official target lists, I always knew my current home city of Winnipeg would be on the USSR target lists. When Canada and the US formed NORAD one of the first things they did was pay for lengthening the main runway at Winnipeg to 10,000 feet so it could handle B-52s on dispersal from Grand Forks AFB.
Of course those B-52s would be pre-loaded with nukes .... and the USSR would be well aware of the longer runway and guess the purpose.
Even barring that, as a major rail centre for NA, Winnipeg was going to be targeted.

I put it in the same "worry" category as living in an earthquake zone - you know it's there but you can't do anything about it so carry on with life.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

I recommend a book "On Thermonuclear War" by Herman Kahn to anyone interested in the topic of nuclear warfare. It was quite interesting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Thermonuclear_War

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

I recommend a book "On Thermonuclear War" by Herman Kahn to anyone interested in the topic of nuclear warfare. It was quite interesting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Thermonuclear_War

I think Kahn's ideas are represented by a fictional character in "Failsafe", at least the movie version. Played by Walter Matthau.

[Jorge_Stanbury]

Kahn is also one of the real life models for "Dr Strangelove"

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

I recommend a book "On Thermonuclear War" by Herman Kahn to anyone interested in the topic of nuclear warfare. It was quite interesting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Thermonuclear_War

Studied that in university Poli Sci class. He uses game theory to look at the differing scenarios for nuclear war and try to calculate the best outcome for any particular strategy. But all strategies involved millions of dead and maimed people. At the time (1970s) there was a real fear that some Soviet Union leaders might be capable of writing off millions of people to gain world domination.

[Lecivius]

Very strange to have a nuclear target list next to a Merry Christmas thread [&:]



[:D]

[bomccarthy]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

Very strange to have a nuclear target list next to a Merry Christmas thread [&:]



[:D]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t039p6xqutU

I like the scene with the picnic party diving under the blanket.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

Very strange to have a nuclear target list next to a Merry Christmas thread [&:]



[:D]

OK, if it makes you feel better, Santa's workshop and SOSUS base can be on the target list too!

[Amoral]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: Jorge_Stanbury

I recommend a book "On Thermonuclear War" by Herman Kahn to anyone interested in the topic of nuclear warfare. It was quite interesting

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_Thermonuclear_War

Studied that in university Poli Sci class. He uses game theory to look at the differing scenarios for nuclear war and try to calculate the best outcome for any particular strategy. But all strategies involved millions of dead and maimed people. At the time (1970s) there was a real fear that some Soviet Union leaders might be capable of writing off millions of people to gain world domination.

To be fair, as far as history knows, only the US has considered the option of starting a nuclear exchange. The USSR almost bumbled into it a few times, but not as a political decision.

[Big B]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

ORIGINAL: Footslogger

This is an interesting article to read.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/1950s- ... &ocid=iehp

I don't know why anyone would find this surprising. Or chilling. Or really an insight.

I did develop some insightful observations, mostly that msn.com is a garbage news site.

Couldn't agree more.
I find it noteworthy that the author of this "chilling" story can't comprehend that the entire idea of deterrence is to make using them unthinkable.
To do anything less, to be more 'humane' in a target list - would only invite actually using them!

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: Amoral

To be fair, as far as history knows, only the US has considered the option of starting a nuclear exchange. The USSR almost bumbled into it a few times, but not as a political decision.

I don't see the distinction. The USSR was in the process of considering to use nuclear weapons during the Yom Kippur War for example. Messages were sent through back channels that they would be responded to if this happened. Is that a military or political decision?

The USSR considered the use of nuclear weapons as part of their general war planning in Western Europe for decades. This is in open documents these days, but we knew it at the time as well. The Trident missile was developed in part to counter this tendency. Its accuracy was intended to counter tactical use of nuclear weapons, and was a change from earlier SSBN weapons which were area attack in nature, mostly due to technology but not only that.

[Kull]

ORIGINAL: Bullwinkle58

I don't know why anyone would find this surprising. Or chilling. Or really an insight.

If you want chilling, it's the view ahead, not the one in the rearview mirror.

A really long article, but very interesting.

[Mike Dubost]

This thread reminds me of a funny story my father told me a few years ago. He was working with some Ukrainians on a
project, and one of them asked where he lives. When my father mentioned the city, the Ukrainian said "Yes, you are
near [name redacted] Air Force Base". It turned out the Ukrainian had been a Soviet MIG pilot and had studied the
potential targets, so his knowledge of U.S. geography was based on Air Force bases.

[geofflambert]

ORIGINAL: General Patton

Interesting. I use to know an Air Force Major who was on a B-52 crew. He use to fly the 3 plane route along the arctic. I can't remember the code word they used. Talk about Stress....GP

I'm thinking 'talk about boredom', which is scarier. I think the US, Rus and China are struggling with that and it needs to be solved. Can you imagine being in one of those crews in N DAK?
I'm amazed we've survived this long.