Quote:
Originally Posted by Raellus
I'm not trying to justify the decision by either the v4 writers or their characters, but the USS Truman isn't sent into the Baltic during a shooting war between the USSR and NATO. It's deployed after the Soviet invasion of the Baltic States, but before the war starts in Poland. It's saber rattling, meant to send a signal to the Soviets that continued aggression vs. Eastern European states will not be met with insouciance. From the v4 referee's manual:
"The newly commissioned USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier sails into the Baltic Sea, a bold move – called ill-advised by critics – meant to send a
strong statement to the Kremlin."
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This is an important point. Google 'tons of diplomacy' and what you get are lots of pictures of U.S. Aircraft Carriers (and the occasional Imperial Star Destroyer
).
We benefit from knowing that the timeline will result in a shooting war. So obviously we can look back and can easily criticize every non-optimal choice. But... in the real world, the calculations are not so easy.
Had the Soviets backed down after a carrier strike group entered the Baltic, it would be hailed as a brilliant diplomatic move. Of course we'd probably be playing a very different RPG from such a timeline...
Life in the wide world goes on much as it has this past age 2000.