The catch with an alpha strike is that it would have to be comprehensive.

This, in theory, would prevent the enemy from retaliating with their entire arsenal, cutting projected deaths to more “acceptable” levels (albeit still in the millions, in most cases). This leads us to the concept of the “alpha strike.”Īn alpha strike is a preemptive attack on a hostile enemy, first targeting their nuclear weapons and military assets. More bombs, after all, meant more destructive power and, in turn, deterrence to keep the enemy from attacking. Under this principle, the US and USSR rapidly accumulated nuclear weapons during those years. Essentially: you shoot your nuke at me, and I’ll shoot back until no one’s left alive in either country. But it’s also simple enough for any schoolboy to understand. Practical Protection for a Nuclear Attackĭespite the technological sophistication of nuclear weapons, the doctrine dictating their use- “mutually assured destruction” (MAD)- is caveman-simple.Ĭoined by military analyst Donald Brennan in 1962, the concept was robust enough to maintain a nuclear stalemate between the USSR and America throughout the Cold War. Which is all the more reason to do everything you can to understand these weapons -to prepare yourself and your family for the nightmare scenario of an all-out nuclear attack.Ĥ Steps to Surviving the Immediate Aftermath of a Nuclear Attack So much so that the concept of a “megadeath” (or one million dead from a single attack) was coined to discuss the topics we’re about to cover today. Ultimately, there’s no way to cover this topic without touching on some exceptionally dark material, as the immense power of these weapons is unlike anything else in human history. ( Image courtesy of US Department of Energy) So today, we will show you what that nuclear attack map might look like for 2023.Īfter that, we will dive deep into the specific strategies and weapons most likely to be deployed and the fallout that would result in the aftermath.īut before we begin, a word of warning: what you’re about to read will be grim. After all, it can shape your response in those crucial early moments of crisis and help you plan your response beforehand. In reality, the target of a nuclear strike would vary based on the aggressor and the type of attack.īut as you’re about to see, certain regions of America are at far greater risk than others.Īnd knowing where it will happen -before the nuclear bomb ever goes off -is a potentially life-saving advantage in the face of a cataclysmic nuclear attack. In that case, you’d know exactly when and where the bombs would fall first -and which cities, bases, or locations might be hit in secondary attacks. What if you had a nuclear attack map before the first warhead went off? ( Image courtesy of Princeton University/Nuclear Futures Lab)

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