Soviet Vietnam...

[Matt Wiser]

The V.1 Soviet Vehicle Guide mentions several Soviet divisions as still being in Afghanistan in 1995, I believe.

[Draq]

I only ask because IRL the main reason the Soviet union collapsed was failing economy. The cold war kept them afloat. Either being directly involved in conflict, or supporting it somehow. Since Stalins restructuring and the industrial proliferation, the ussr was pretty much run as a war economy.

[RN7]

Originally Posted by Draq

I only ask because IRL the main reason the Soviet union collapsed was failing economy. The cold war kept them afloat. Either being directly involved in conflict, or supporting it somehow. Since Stalins restructuring and the industrial proliferation, the ussr was pretty much run as a war economy.

The main reason why the Soviet Union collapsed was due to a loss of massive earning from oil exports in the mid-1980's, and this was engineered by Saudi Arabia. In the Cold War the Soviets only made a profit from the exports of arms and oil, but mostly from oil. In 1985 Saudi Arabia ramped up its oil production and into 1986 the cost of a barrel of oil fell from US $23 to under $12 and wiped out US $20 billion in Soviet oil export profits (that's about $60 billion in todays money).

There are two theories why the Saudi's did this. The first is that Saudi Arabia increased oil production to punish fellow OPEC members Iran and Iraq who kept exceeding their oil quotas for years because of the Iran-Iraq war.

Another theory is that the Saudi's made a secret deal with Ronald Reagan to kill Soviet earnings from oil exports, while America simultaneously embarked on a massive rearmament programme. The result would be the Soviet economy would go bankrupt as they would be crushed by loss of earnings and trying to compete with America. This is basically what did happen and it led to Gorbachev coming to power to reform the Soviet economy and system.

I'd like to believe it was the latter reason, and it is no coincidence that the Saudi's have become very reliant on America to under write their security since that time, while America has been very reluctant to punish Saudi Arabia for exporting Islamic extremists or criticise its medieval laws and social structure.

Win one for the Gipper!!

[Draq]

I'm just trying to find what kept the soviet union alive and somewhat formidible in the v1 timeline(or at least that's how it seems portrayed to me.), as apposed to the anemic shadow of it's former self we had in real life.

[Silent Hunter UK]

I would say no Gorbachev; his attempts to pull away the dead wood ended up bringing the whole house down.

The USSR probably could have kept going another decade or two.

[rcaf_777]

Originally Posted by RN7

There are two theories why the Saudi's did this. The first is that Saudi Arabia increased oil production to punish fellow OPEC members Iran and Iraq who kept exceeding their oil quotas for years because of the Iran-Iraq war.

Another theory is that the Saudi's made a secret deal with Ronald Reagan to kill Soviet earnings from oil exports, while America simultaneously embarked on a massive rearmament programme. The result would be the Soviet economy would go bankrupt as they would be crushed by loss of earnings and trying to compete with America. This is basically what did happen and it led to Gorbachev coming to power to reform the Soviet economy and system.

Maybe it was payback for Afghanistan? After all were'nt the Saudi's and the US funnding the war there?

[Draq]

So the no gorbechev, some degree of victory in Afghanistan, and less oil from Saudi Arabia.

[swaghauler]

Originally Posted by Draq

So the no gorbechev, some degree of victory in Afghanistan, and less oil from Saudi Arabia.

I use a HEAVILY MODIFIED version of the V2.2 Timeline. I allow the US military to degrade just like it did in real life. The Russians never receive the financial bailout from the West that would color Russian politics throughout the 90's. This means that a financially strapped Russia needs money right now. Where do they get it? Rebuilding Iraq. Rearming Iran and North Korea (in violation of UN Resolution). They get money arming South American drug Cartels and the Narco-Puppet States that the Cartels create. They sell arms in Africa and to India. All of these sales allow Russia to rearm with more modern weapons. South American drug cash saves Russia from collapse while making US streets exponentially more dangerous. Indian currency helps too. By rearming the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia, Russia causes the US to "spread itself too thin." making the Twilight War possible. Just look at the real world conflicts going on in the Twilight War timeline:

Operation Restore Hope and the continued civil war in Somalia
The East Timor genocides (a US & UN operation)
Kenya/Uganda peace operation (chasing the US embassy bombers and Al Queda)
Kosovo
Battle for Grozny (I have the US supporting the Chechen rebels to punish Russia)
Revolution in Nigeria
The conflict in Cameroon?
Rwandan Genocide
The conflict in Yemen
The Mexican Drug War
The Guatemalan Revolution

When things really get rolling, The US, with its reduced force structure, is spread paper thin fighting in Africa, supporting Asia, dealing with a resurgent Iraq (backed by Iran at Russian urging) and holding back Mexican drug gangs armed with RPGs and automatic weapons. This worldwide chaos aids the Russian advance in Europe.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by swaghauler

The East Timor genocides (a US & UN operation)

Not quite how I'd describe it...