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Old 05-10-2009, 05:43 PM
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Webstral Webstral is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Grimace
Well, truth be told, the Soviets hold the bread-basket of Alaska by holding the Anchorage area. Not only do they have access to port facilities, but they've got rivers that have fairly large salmon runs each year, AND they have the Matanuska Valley for growing their own foods. So food isn't necessarily one of their problems.
Excellent points. And as mentioned in the un-quoted bits, where exactly is Eleventh Army going to go and for what reason? By the same token, as they already own some of the best agricultural land in Alaska, it's easy to see the Soviets becoming quite conservative. If they were to push up to Fairbanks and lose big-time, they might lose the whole show. Given that the Soviets have lots to lose and comparatively little to gain by attempting to capture the rest of Alaska, it's not hard to see why they have allowed themselves to be penned into the Anchorage cantonment.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Grimace
So yes, while it might be hard for the Soviets, it would be even tougher on the Americans trying to hold the Soviets in.
No doubt. Perhaps the whole idea that US forces have the Soviets bottled up at Anchorage is a bit of a euphemism. A few shots exchanged now and again with the Americans would serve to justify keeping Eleventh Army right where it is. The illusion of modest pressure by the Americans might help keep the Soviets somewhat cohesive without there being major actions. In turn, the Americans might keep small groups in the Anchorage vicinity so they can feel that something is being done. As is suggested in US Army Vehicle Guide and Howling Wilderness, by 1999 the whole show may have devolved into a pretense in which the real focus is to hold what everyone has and make it through the next long winter.

Webstral
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