Caribbean Sea Region in the Year 2000

[Olefin]

I think a non-nuclear attack that damaged the Canal earlier in the war but that led to it being able to be repaired by early 1999 so it was functional again makes a lot more sense as to how the canon mentions it. It could explain why the USN didnt move the Virginia and its DD's earlier to the Atlantic - i.e. they didnt have the fuel to spare to send them all the way around South America after the nuclear strikes (the destroyers couldnt have made the trip), the Canal was still being repaired so they stayed where they were. Once they had it fixed they ordered them back - but they ran into the Soviets on the way.