Soviet Domination - A Red Dawn story

The Soviet Navy, despite some recent new shiny toys, is not capable of challenging US-UK might on the sea. That doesn't mean that some fool will order that. There will be some bad days for the Soviet Navy's surface fleets.
Geography really is the issue. The Pacific route will be a washout though there have been some 'adventures' made in the Atlantic (coming to that really soon); but Spain wasn't meant to be at war with the USSR and that is a big spanner in the works.
The whole rear area in the US is a bad place to be. Information control is something which really will be an issue.




Thank you. GWB is in the oil business after trying (and failing) at politics back in '78. I haven't given him much thought until now. Maybe he'll volunteer somewhere or run for office in emergency House elections.



Thank you. There would have been, the West Germans especially with Luftwaffe units. There would be scatterings of individuals everywhere on staff courses and as exchange officers.
As to desertions, I'd assume there would be. Mass desertions is something I'm not too sure on though. It may seem a good idea at first for those involved but then the reality of fighting a war when your country isn't, in a foreign land with your family back home... Maybe not?

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26th–31st September 1984:

There was no shadowboxing between opposing armies in New Mexico. Across the state, multiple engagements were taking place on the ground and in the air through the last days of September. Each side was actually trying to do exactly the same as the other in their actions undertaken: win before the other side could reinforce with more men. Win now or face stalemate were the only options with the latter sought by neither. Around Albuquerque, the Americans aimed to overcome the Soviet Airborne spread around that city from their base at Kirtland AFB before the Nicaraguans could come and save their bacon. In central New Mexico, the Americans aimed to cut off those Nicaraguans which were advancing and also forestall others whom had been halted from getting going again. The Soviets wanted to hold on in Albuquerque and were relying upon the Nicaraguans blasting their way through American opposition, not just knocking them out of the way to fall back into defensive positions where others could later join them. Everything was being thrown at the fight and that rush would lead to mistakes, victories and defeats.

That contraction of the perimeter which the 76th Guards Airborne Division had previously held saved them from certain defeat. The pulling back closer to Albuquerque and the smashed airhead that they had arrived through meant that their defence could be concentrated better. When the Americans came at them, the Soviet Airborne only had to face one division aiming to overcome them, not two as initially had been the case: another factor which saved them from being overrun. The 1st Infantry Division was redirected southwards and while the 4th Infantry Division kept on coming, the 76th Division only had one threat axis to focus on instead of two. The Americans hurt the paratroopers and did them a lot of damage. They were in a hurry to do the job and used extensive firepower, lots of it, ahead of them with their own artillery and helicopters as well as air support coming from all sorts of aircraft. A feint was made to the east, to suggest that the main effort would come through the mountains which bordered the city in that direction yet the main effort came from the north following the course of Interstate-25 straight down the Rio Grande valley. One brigade was out ahead with two more following, each with a mixture of tanks and mechanised infantry forming their strength. The Americans avoided coming through the city and rolled down that valley and engaged Soviet units all the way. Without much armour of their own, and what they had faced quick destruction, the paratroopers fought on foot with man-portable heavy weapons. Ambushes were sprung as the Americans came onwards and there were multiple sniping attacks – with RPGs and ATGMs used to do that – from the side too. Slow them down, the Soviet Airborne were ordered to do, and that they did. They tried their best to escape from American counterfire and knew that with the city at their back, where there were still all of those American civilians, that should be limited in its scale somewhat. Breaking contact was sometimes successful for the Soviets, other times not. Battered, the Americans drove onwards and made a stop-start approach. The divisional commander was furious at the slow pace of his lead brigade and acted out of impatience when he brought his second brigade forward, looping around further westwards though barren open ground. This manoeuvre was detected and didn’t come in unexpected as intended. That second American brigade ran into the same problems as the first as it tried to smash through a flexible defence. The Americans were held up and lost men. The Soviets lost more and also had to keep retreating: eventually they would have no more ground to fall back into. The fighting moved closer to Kirtland. Soviet artillery near there was silenced by American guns in quick counterbattery fire when it revealed itself. Despite the hold up, the Americans looked ready to win. The 4th Infantry’s reserve was soon to be released, making another looping attack to turn the Soviet’s flank again and that final time they would have been successful: almost all of the 76th Division was committed and had no more reserves of their own. Then the Nicaraguans showed up. There was a full division of them, not coming up directly from the south and through the Rio Grande valley where the Americans were moving to intercept them, but after having travelled through western parts of New Mexico over the last week and having had a devil of a time getting to Albuquerque when the direct route was blocked. Warning was sent late but not too late to the 4th Infantry of what was coming their way. Rather than deliver the coup de grace to the Soviets, they had to turn and face the Nicaraguan attack. The US Air Force let the US Army down by failing to deliver on promises of air support (the Twelfth Air Force saw things a different way when it came to promises) and that affected the fight outside of Albuquerque. American helicopters aiming to conduct reconnaissance in the absence of aircraft above faced SAM after SAM lofted towards them. The Nicaraguans, their 3rd Motorised Rifle Division, were better soldiers than believed too. They weren’t the ragtag force which they were dismissed by many as being. The 4th Infantry came at them piecemeal and fought a good battle to bring the Nicaraguans to a halt yet couldn’t defeat them. Outside the city, each force brought the other to a standstill. The Nicaraguans had made it to Albuquerque and stopped the Soviet Airborne from being overcome. They had also stopped the 4th Infantry cold too.

Into the fighting for the White Sands the 1st Infantry Division had gone when the XVIII US Corps had ordered them southwards to find the Nicaraguans. That they did, just not those whom they had been sent looking for. The Nicaraguan First Army had its 2nd Motorised Rifle Division in there trying to shake off the constant attacks over the Sacramento Mountains from the 101st Air Assault Infantry Division. The Nicaraguans were making a flank attack with one of their regiments to go around the northern end of those mountains and come down towards the 101st Air Assault on the other side and hit them unexpectedly. They were caught while doing so by the Americans, on the ground and from the air. That regiment was taken apart. All of work by Cuban and Eastern Bloc training teams to build Nicaragua an army had paid off elsewhere but not when a unit like this was caught out in the open. The Battle of Carrizozo was a disaster for the Nicaraguans: all of the Soviet-built tanks, correct regimental organisation and political officers in the world didn’t save them from an unfortunate meeting with the Americans where they were smashed apart by the 1st Infantry doing what it was trained for and what it would show that it excelled at. The 1st Infantry drove onwards after that fight, reaching the Socorro–San Pedro area where they were meant to find the Nicaraguan 3rd Division; the 2nd Division’s one regiment had been a lucky encounter. There were no Nicaraguans were there was supposed to be. They should have been there but they were by that point approaching Albuquerque. New Mexico was big. The state was huge and somewhere where it was easy to get lost (the Nicaraguans had many navigation problems) as well as easy to lose track of an opponent. The US Army would rage at the US Air Force afterwards for missing the Nicaraguan move up through western New Mexico but they had been unable to find them themselves. Socorro–San Pedro was a washout for the 1st Infantry. The XVIII Corps issued new orders: go southwards once again and finish off the Nicaraguan 2nd Division spread between Alamogordo and El Paso. That they did, tearing into the Nicaraguans there and forcing them back, very far back indeed and right past Alamogordo. There the 1st Infantry was ordered to stop when in the middle of its advance. This was because the 101st Air Assault had been given a new mission and ultimately failed in that.

That new mission was Carlsbad. It was the earlier advance towards that town, in southeastern New Mexico along the Pecos River, where the Nicaraguan 1st Motorised Rifle Division had been brought to a halt when the 101st Air Assault first arrived in New Mexico. They had focused upon the closer threat to them in the White Sands with their raiding and ambushes with a defendable mountain range in front of them though kept a watchful eye on their own flank. It was towards Carlsbad where the Nicaraguans started moving towards again. They would want to roll up to Roswell afterwards, from where the XVIII Corps had its centralised forward command & supply base in New Mexico. The Americans engaged the Nicaraguans through more heliborne raids and air strikes but they kept on coming, shaking off loses and driven onwards. Their mobile SAMs were busy and there was a heck of a lot of anti-aircraft fire which joined the fired missiles to take down as many American helicopters as possible. One regiment moved away from the main body of the division and to the east, distracting the Americans who worried over what it was up to. What was correctly assumed was the intent to make a dash forward on the flank; what wasn’t known was the Nicaraguans got lost and their seemingly cunning behaviour was actually confusion. The rest of the Nicaraguan 1st Division reached Carlsbad and then moved onwards to take Artesia next. They were closing in upon Roswell. American aircraft showed up, far too late as far as those on the ground were concerned, and they found the Nicaraguans spread about all over the place and not bunched up like hoped for: helicopter attacks by the 101st Air Assault had lead to great dispersion in movement. They couldn’t be stopped. They were coming towards Roswell. More aircraft joined the fight – those redirected from Albuquerque – and caused delays yet the huge base of operations around Roswell Airport was faced with a ground attack. National guardsmen with tanks, coming in from across the Great Plains and being attached to the XVIII Corps, were too far away and it was tanks that were needed if Roswell as to be defended. It couldn’t be and so had to be abandoned. When the decision was made, it was rather late. Men and much equipment was pulled out yet what was unable to be withdrawn from Roswell in time was so much recently arrived ammunition and other stores that couldn’t leave with the Americans who were going north and east. How the Nicaraguans would have loved to capture all of that for they would have made good use of what was there. Instead, Roswell Airport and the storage sites all around it were blown up in their faces.

The Soviet Airborne had been pushed to the verge of defeat and was left almost beaten before last-minute salvation had come. Kirtland was still in their hands yet quite useless as had taken too much damage from air attacks. The Nicaraguans were spread all over New Mexico from Albuquerque to Alamogordo to Roswell and had taken major casualties in doing what they had while also seeing their centre collapse like it had. As to the Americans, they had failed to retake Kirtland and lost Roswell while at the same time showing that when they were able to effectively get at the Nicaraguans, with the right forces in the right circumstances, they were able to win overwhelming victories. New Mexico was a mess for both sides. The second week of the war, especially the weekend at the end of that, had seen those fighting in New Mexico claim success in places yet suffer what was seen as humiliation in others. The follow-up fighting across the state in the coming weeks, when October came around, would be affected by what happened at the end of September on the edges of New Mexico. To the south, the Nicaraguan Second Army (with Guatemalans attached too) was approaching El Paso and ready to come northwards. To the east, the 35th Infantry Division with its national guardsmen would show up late yet be welcome and provide the Americans with much-needed reinforcements of their own. And off to the north, Pueblo was captured for a second time by those Nicaraguan & Cuban paratroopers who refused to be beaten as they held onto their little bit of Colorado: they cut the supply lines coming down from Fort Carson and beyond (more national guard units from Idaho, Montana and Wyoming were meant to be on their way) for the XVIII Corps’ fight in New Mexico.

Some defection will be possible, but i don't expect a massive exodus of entire units, as it mean being discharged with dishonor, being branded as traitor and leave family and friends behind probably forever...so it will not a decision taken lightly. Stranded unit will be recalled immediately and it's very probable that the european neutrals first collective mission will be bring back military and civilians stranded in North America(and other war theatres) and also evacuate the greatest number of piece of value that they have sent in the USA and Canada (on the other side, the US goverment can think that 'redeploy' important asset as gold and piece of art in more safe zone it's a good idea and hitch a ride)

Do you know about this, it might be orbat of 1989 but it looks cool.

Literature on the topic

So a country (USA and to a lesser extent Canada) is fighting a full scale war on their home territory and they also have to deal with a major city destroyed by nuclear missiles and several rural areas are nuclear wastelands. How the hell are they going to cope? Katrina and Sandy pushed the government to the breaking point so I just cannot see the US not falling into complete chaos. Maybe the invasion will focus the population to pull together but I have my doubts.

As for foreigners trying to leave? The US is likely thinking "if you can find your own way home then fill your boots. We've got bigger problems. We aren't lifting a finger to help you. So either pick up a rifle or a shovel or get the hell out."

The USA are not the only country being invaded in history, the goverment will cope...plus Reaganeconomics and years of Republican hortodoxy that declared the goverment as the only thing that stop the achievement of economic, social and personal prosperity and so need to be downsized as much as possible has not happened. Katrina and Sandy had not transformed New Orleans and New Jersey in Somalia or wasteland, and more importantly for now the bulk of the effort of the goverment it's to repell the invasion, rescue effort come second and left more to the locals authority, except for the bigger cases.







Some? Yes, a massive number? Very very unlikely for a ton of reason. Regarding US troops and equipment returning, well the europeans have already agreed to let them get back without problem, so menacing will be extremely unproductive. As any civilian rescue operation in this situation, there will be the nations interested at send the mean to get them home, the various embassy and consulate will try to coordinate effort and spread news...but i expect that this effort will nothing short of epic due to the sheer numbers of people involved, not considering that the various europeans goverment will also desire bring back assets left in the USA, as piece of arts and gold reserves. The US goverment will be asked to at least not block this effort, but in reality rage posturing aside, it's in the best interest to Washington to at least give an hand as:

- mean that there will be no troubles for the us troops to get back (and before anyone menace to use the force, fighting in europe to get back in the USA it's just a waste of time and resources, for extreme stupid reason)
- while there is a lot of european civilians in the USA, well...the contrary it's also true, so being a bastard with them mean that your citizens stranded in foreign land will be on their own.
- Your gold reserve and various important asset need a safe place and in this continent are very few in the moment, asking the Euros to keep something will be helpfull; yes it's very strange, usually are the foreigner coming and begging but the world had just turned upside down so the USA will need to adapt.

I expect that the soviet will not block the european humanitarian effort as for now keeping Western European happily neutral it's foreign priority from one to five due to the nuclear intimidation having failed, plus i expect that the convoy will be heavily escorted and the finger on the trigger very hitcy. Both French Aircraft Carrier and the Italian carrier Garibaldi will be used to send a message to stay at distance and not interfere, even if i expect incident to happen. Said that, as stated before the effort will be massive and will need coordination from all the europeans neutrals, plus i expect a lot of ships will come bringing some gift in the form of 'much needed' humanitarian help