Invasion of Alaska

[John Farson]

Originally Posted by chico20854

I just found this litle gem, from the CIA's declassified translation of the secret Soviet military journal "Military Thought" from 1965:

"It is inadvisable to include in the given [Far Eastern] theater the Chukchi Peninsula, Kamchatka, and Alaska. In these areas it is impossible to employ
operational formations [army-size] of ground forces both because of the severe natural conditions, the inadequate economic development of the area, and the scant availability of routes of transportation, and also because of the absence of major enemy ground forces in Alaska."

Interesting. I guess this means that IRL if things had come to a head between the US and USSR that there wouldn't have been a Soviet invasion of Alaska? And vice versa, of course. This does fit my own personal canon of T2K where I just pretend that the Russian invasion of Alaska and Queen Charlotte Islands (Canada) never took place. After all, why invade something as impassable as Alaska when you can just nuke the important bits? Of course, the US would do exactly the same to Siberia. Them nukes and long range bombers would sure be swarming over the Bering strait.

I also have my own opinion about the feasibility of the Mexican invasion of '98, but maybe it's better for a separate thread.

[fightingflamingo]

just to add to Chico's orbat we do assume that the 10th Mountain Division is airlifted back to the Pacific Northwest at some point during the summer of 1997 and is available for this campaign. Probably sometime after the failure of the Kola Offensive.

[Abbott Shaull]

Well I always wonder why the Soviet would invade Alaska for the last couple years. Watching the various series the History had aired about Alaska, it seemed pretty senseless for the lack of road network. Considering the Russia discovery of Alaska was a costly mistake in itself.

What would of made sense was if they were securing base to leapfrog down the west coast until the hit the populated areas of Western Canada and US. Locations such as Fort Wainwright and Whitehorse are so far off the beaten path, they are easier to bypass and let them come and attack you if they had chosen too.