Alternate History - morbid reading for a monday!

[Colinjb]

Say Pearl Harbour had never happened, that was mentioned earlier in the thread, that would be a very interesting one.

 

Japan would continue their rampage across Asia and it would be a straight scrap between the Uk/Russia and Germany.

 

Japan would surely have focused it's energies on supressing China and then expanding into Russia forcing the Red Army to fight on two fronts. This would take the full heat off of the German effort in Europe, Russia would have fallen and then innevitably so would the UK.

 

The Axis powers would effectively have controlled Eurasia leaving the US exposed and isolated, war would then have followed, America would then have eventually folded.

 

Maybe.....

[Petersfield Saint]

All interesting stuff but what about the scenario from Post #1?

 

Was engrossed reading an alternate history forum the other day - all the possibilities, theories and opinions from a broad spectrum of knowledgable and some not-so knowledgable people. Regardless, it was an entertaining read which really left me wondering "what if" - so I wondered if anyone else had contributed or was at least interested in 'alternate history' theories?

 

http://www.alternatehistory.com/

http://www.atomicarchive.com/Example/Example1.shtml

 

So, without further adieu, the first 'what if' - and serious answers only please - what if, say, terrorists deemed Southampton an easy and viable target and detonated a stolen russian nuclear bomb (50kt) in the city, say outside Fawley PP? What would our government response be? How would the local emergency services counter-act this? What would be the response be from the international community, in particular the United States and our 'allies?' What would be the damage and casualty count be? What about the fallout? Where would citizens be evacuated to?

 

Of course, thankfully this is only for hypothetical reasons but I'd have to wonder exactly what would happen if it were our city? If that is a little too 'close to the bone' then I apologise, but after reading a myriad of interesting and varied responses from that forum, I know there is plenty of intelligent and 'clued-up' posters on here who could give an equally measured and realistic explanation of events as they unfold :-o

 

Don't know if I've broken any rules here with this topic, though I have skimmed the forum guidelines and couldn't find anything which indicated that this topic is a breach of forum rules, though delete this if so. Morbid topic, but genuinely curious...

[Colinjb]

Ok, using this: http://www.carloslabs.com/projects/200712B/GroundZero.html

 

I have dropped a 400kt bomb on Hythe (Near to Fawley) Hythe would be destroyed, totally vapourised therefore there would be significant fallout and blast turbulence damage effecting the whole of Southampton, the New Forest and the Isle of Wight.

 

The city would have to be evacuated and would cease to be habitable, an Evacutaion of the IOW, Southampton and Neighbouring villages would take place, it can be estimated that about 700,000 people would need to be relocated. Immediate casualties would probably number the total population of the immediate Hythe area and a fair proportion of Southampton, say 50,000 or so.

 

There would be no city anymore, imagine a Pripyiat type wasteland. Eventually, say 50 years or so repopulation could occur, but only after the radiation had returned to background levels, I wouldn't imagine a full relatively quick rebuild a lá Hiroshima or Nagasaki would occur.

 

The fleeing poplace would have to be scattered to Wiltshire, Somerset and Berkshire. Any relatively open space (Salisbury Plain etc) would be set as immediate evacuation areas with Winchester and Bournemouth/Poole acting as redeployment centres. I would expect rapid growth of places such as Basingstoke, Newbury, Oxford and Yeovil, maybe through the relatively sparse West Country as the refugees scatter.

 

Internationally, there would be outcry. There would be a UN response but I would expect the US would want to use this as the catalyst for an invasion of Iran/Pakistan and any associate nation that could be perceived as having a Nuclear threat and terrorist associations.

 

As for what happens next, buy 'Threads' from Amazon.com. I could see total horror should anyone blink and fire the first weapon.

[Petersfield Saint]

Hmmm, sobering stuff - though I'm not absolutely convinced that the USA would come as quickly to our aid as we did for them; just imo. And as for Threads - still have vivid memories of it even more than twenty years later :shock:

[Smirking_Saint]

Ok, using this: http://www.carloslabs.com/projects/200712B/GroundZero.html

 

I have dropped a 400kt bomb on Hythe (Near to Fawley) Hythe would be destroyed, totally vapourised therefore there would be significant fallout and blast turbulence damage effecting the whole of Southampton, the New Forest and the Isle of Wight.

 

The city would have to be evacuated and would cease to be habitable, an Evacutaion of the IOW, Southampton and Neighbouring villages would take place, it can be estimated that about 700,000 people would need to be relocated. Immediate casualties would probably number the total population of the immediate Hythe area and a fair proportion of Southampton, say 50,000 or so.

 

There would be no city anymore, imagine a Pripyiat type wasteland. Eventually, say 50 years or so repopulation could occur, but only after the radiation had returned to background levels, I wouldn't imagine a full relatively quick rebuild a lá Hiroshima or Nagasaki would occur.

 

The fleeing poplace would have to be scattered to Wiltshire, Somerset and Berkshire. Any relatively open space (Salisbury Plain etc) would be set as immediate evacuation areas with Winchester and Bournemouth/Poole acting as redeployment centres. I would expect rapid growth of places such as Basingstoke, Newbury, Oxford and Yeovil, maybe through the relatively sparse West Country as the refugees scatter.

 

Internationally, there would be outcry. There would be a UN response but I would expect the US would want to use this as the catalyst for an invasion of Iran/Pakistan and any associate nation that could be perceived as having a Nuclear threat and terrorist associations.

 

As for what happens next, buy 'Threads' from Amazon.com. I could see total horror should anyone blink and fire the first weapon.

 

Lol

 

Look what happens when you asteroid southampton

[Colinjb]

Hmmm, sobering stuff - though I'm not absolutely convinced that the USA would come as quickly to our aid as we did for them; just imo. And as for Threads - still have vivid memories of it even more than twenty years later :shock:

 

Have to agree that the US wouldn't come to 'our' aid per sé. I would expect them to send a token relief force but most logistical and financial help would probably come from the EU. The US would just use this as a case for further war and a case study as to why more action needs taking against rogue nations.

 

Further repurcussions at a time when the UK is at it's knees could include a new Argentine invasion of the Falklands, Spanish pressure for the return of Gibraltar (in exchange for 'aid') and cherry picking of any further remaining colonies. The British Commonwealth could cease to exist as the independant nations within it could see no further economic point in remaining tied to it.

 

What a stunning film Threads is though, if anyone needs a reason for Nuclear Dissarmourment, that is surely it. The choice to die in a painful drawn out way or instantly, which would be better?

Edited 1 December, 2009 by Colinjb

[Crab Lungs]

Wow, some really, really interesting stuff on here - I concur with many who have said so before me!

 

OK, for today's poser:

 

What if ze germans had developed and succesfully piloted a jet fighter by the end of 1940? Would that have made a significant difference post battle-of britain? would that have enabled them to turn the tide back in their favour?