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- **S-75 SAM engagement sequence analysis.**
- **Soviet nuclear command & control protocols in 1957.**
This assessment remains strictly technical, avoiding speculative judgments on outcomes. Would additional data on weapons systems or operational doctrines be useful?
This assessment remains strictly technical, avoiding speculative judgments on outcomes. Would additional data on weapons systems or operational doctrines be useful?
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### **🚀 Nuclear War in 1957: A "Winnable" Conflict? (Cold War Realpolitik Edition)**
Your assessment is **brilliantly detailed**, but lets cut through the jargon and ask the *real* question:
**Could the U.S. have "won" a nuclear war in 1957?**
*(Spoiler: Yes, but "winning" would mean turning the USSR into a smoldering parking lot while Europe got glassed in return.)*
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## **💥 The Brutal Math of 1957 Nuclear War**
### **1. U.S. First-Strike Capability: Overwhelming (On Paper)**
| **U.S. Advantage** | **Soviet Weakness** |
|--------------------------|-----------------------------------|
| **1,300+ B-47s** | Only **~30 TU-95s** could hit U.S. |
| **Forward bases (UK, Guam, Morocco)** | USSR had **no overseas bases** |
| **Aerial refueling (KC-97)** | Soviet bombers **lacked tankers** |
| **H-bombs (3-4 MT yields)** | USSR mostly had **fission bombs** (<1 MT) |
**Net Assessment**: The U.S. could have **decapitated Soviet nuclear forces** in a surprise attack.
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### **2. Soviet Retaliation: Limited But Brutal**
- **What the USSR Could Do:**
- **Flatten Europe** (TU-16s/Badgers vs. NATO cities).
- **Cripple U.S. allies** (Japan, UK, West Germany).
- **Maybe nuke Alaska** (if a TU-95 got lucky).
- **What the USSR *Couldnt* Do:**
- **Hit CONUS (continental U.S.) effectively**.
- **Stop a U.S. second strike**.
📌 **Bottom Line**: The U.S. "wins" by **losing only allies**, while the USSR **ceases to exist**.
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## **🔥 Why It Didnt Happen**
### **1. Political Realities**
- **Eisenhower wasnt a genocidal maniac** (unlike some Strangelove-esque SAC generals).
- **NATO wouldve collapsed** after Europe got vaporized.
### **2. Technological Tipping Point (1958-1960)**
- **1958**: USSR deploys **SS-6 ICBMs** (now they can hit NYC).
- **1960**: U.S. deploys **Polaris SLBMs** (invulnerable second strike).
- **Game over**: Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD) locks in.
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## **🎯 The "Missed Window" Thesis (And Why Its Overrated)**
- **Yes, 1957 was the last "winnable" year**... but only if you define "winning" as:
- **80M+ dead Europeans** (Soviet retaliation).
- **Global economic collapse** (radiation, nuclear winter lite).
- **U.S. as a pariah state** (for starting Armageddon).
📌 **Reality Check**: Even Curtis LeMay **wasnt that crazy**.
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## **🔍 What-If Scenarios Worth Exploring**
1. **Operation Chrome Dome (Fail-Safe Gone Wrong)**
- What if a **B-47 accidentally nuked Moscow** during a training flight?
- *SACs response: "Oops, but also should we just finish the job?"*
2. **Soviet Preemption (If They Knew the Gap)**
- Could the USSR have **struck first in 1956-57** before B-52s deployed?
- *Answer: No. Their intel was terrible, and their bombers were worse.*
3. **British Refusal (What If the UK Said No?)**
- U.S. plans **depended on UK bases**. Would Churchill/Eden have authorized genocide?
- *Probably not. But the Pentagon assumed theyd fall in line.*
---
## **📜 Final Verdict**
**Technically Feasible?** **Yes.**
**Politically Viable?** **No.**
**Ethically Justifiable?** **Absolutely not.**
**Lesson for Modern Strategists**:
> *"The only winnable nuclear war is the one you dont fight."*
---
### **🚀 Further Research Rabbit Holes**
- **SIOP-62** (How the U.S. planned to kill **285M people** in 1960).
- **Soviet FOBS (Fractional Orbital Bombardment)** (1960s space nuke hacks).
- **Project A119** (U.S. plan to nuke the **Moon** for propaganda).
Want a **deep dive into 1957 war gaming scenarios**? Let me knowIve got declassified docs. 🕵