Soviet Nuclear Missile Targets in the United States
On the morning of October 27, 1962, an American U-2F spy plane was shot down by a SAM missile launched from Cuba killing United States Air Force Major Rudolf Anderson(Tolchin). The death of Anderson along with detailed photo reconnaissance of operational U.S.S.R. IRBM (Intermediate-range ballistic missile) and MRBM (Medium-range ballistic missiles) bases, situated in Cuba, led the U.S. to take military action. Within a week, an invasion of Cuba was initiated in order to halt the growing threat to the national security of the American homeland. The U.S. faced a prepared joint force of 43,000 Soviet Union troops and 270,000 well-trained Cuban troops (Pereira). Within a few hours of the assault, Cuba launches IRBMs and MRBMs from operational bases in Sagua la Grande, Remedios, and San Cristobal in an attempt to repel the invasion (Burr). U.S.S.R. submarines armed with nuclear weapons, outside of the embargo zone, shortly follow Cuba’s actions by shooting their deadly cargo towards the US. Targeting major cities, production grounds, and military bases. Subsequently, in the first day an estimated 16 million people are killed during the nuclear strikes in cities such as New York, Washington DC, and Los Angeles reducing the metropolises to ruble (Tolchin). This massive destruction of essential social infrastructure would take years to be re-constructed. Food production grounds in central United States are struck by nuclear bombs as a strategic plan to further hamper the American people and its forces, resulting in widespread internal panic for the lack of food supply. Soviet airstrikes target thousands of military related sites that would involve the launch of retaliatory counterattack. Specifically nuclear missile silos, launch centers, key military industries, and facilities (M). In the Cuban front the U.S. sustained over 18,500 casualties within the first 10 days of the invasion as efforts are made to destroy remaining IRBM and MRBM sites (Burr). Among all the chaos, U.S. breaks political and economic ties with Soviet and Cuban allied nations. In the end, the American invasion of Cuba was paid with the catastrophic loss of human life and vast destruction across the lands of continental United States.
Shorty after the launch of Soviet IRBM and MRMBs from Cuba the U.S puts into action the SIOP (Single Integrated Operational Plan) war plan (Exposing). The SIOP calls for a "countervalue" attack in retaliation to the Soviet attack as apposed to a precision attack. The "countervalue" attack is an all out bombardment of the Soviet Union by U.S with the use of SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missiles), Jupiter IRMBs and ICMB (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles) designed for the maximum amount of mass destruction possible (Burr,Exposing). ICMB launched from the Western U.S reach Moscow in half an hour while IRMBs in Turkey and SLBMs are simultaneously launched, targeting other major Soviet cities, military bases and high value targets. Remaining weapon silos, nuclear enrichment facilities and heads of state are targeted in Russia and other Soviet Nations in attempts to cripple the Soviet Union. In Russia alone there are an estimated 50 million dead or injured because of the "countervalue" attack tactic implemented by the U.S, that is half of the Russian population or one third of the entire Soviet Union population (Exposing). The U.S full scale nuclear attack is effective and eliminates Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union. Not having any clear leadership during this catastrophic hour causes even more mayhem to occur in the Soviet Union. Internal struggles begin to occur as former leaders and other important political figures such Georgy Malenkov, Leonid Brezhnev and others try to assume the position of Premier. They finally for a troinka to stop fighting and address more pressing matters. Most major U.S.S.R cities have been reduced to rubble and most of the infrastructure has been destroyed effectively crippling the Soviet Union as the the U.S had planned to do with its full scale nuclear attack. Rebuilding of the infrastructure and cities needs to begin immediately although it will take decades to successfully rebuild the Soviet Union and have it attain to its former glory and power.
Shorty after the launch of Soviet IRBM and MRMBs from Cuba the U.S puts into action the SIOP (Single Integrated Operational Plan) war plan (Exposing). The SIOP calls for a "countervalue" attack in retaliation to the Soviet attack as apposed to a precision attack. The "countervalue" attack is an all out bombardment of the Soviet Union by U.S with the use of SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missiles), Jupiter IRMBs and ICMB (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles) designed for the maximum amount of mass destruction possible (Burr,Exposing). ICMB launched from the Western U.S reach Moscow in half an hour while IRMBs in Turkey and SLBMs are simultaneously launched, targeting other major Soviet cities, military bases and high value targets. Remaining weapon silos, nuclear enrichment facilities and heads of state are targeted in Russia and other Soviet Nations in attempts to cripple the Soviet Union. In Russia alone there are an estimated 50 million dead or injured because of the "countervalue" attack tactic implemented by the U.S, that is half of the Russian population or one third of the entire Soviet Union population (Exposing). The U.S full scale nuclear attack is effective and eliminates Nikita Khrushchev, leader of the Soviet Union. Not having any clear leadership during this catastrophic hour causes even more mayhem to occur in the Soviet Union. Internal struggles begin to occur as former leaders and other important political figures such Georgy Malenkov, Leonid Brezhnev and others try to assume the position of Premier. They finally for a troinka to stop fighting and address more pressing matters. Most major U.S.S.R cities have been reduced to rubble and most of the infrastructure has been destroyed effectively crippling the Soviet Union as the the U.S had planned to do with its full scale nuclear attack. Rebuilding of the infrastructure and cities needs to begin immediately although it will take decades to successfully rebuild the Soviet Union and have it attain to its former glory and power.