The grim reality of a nuclear attack on America has been placed in sharp relief by a new video simulation from YouTube's The Infographics Show, which graphically illustrates what would happen in the opening 20 minutes of an attack.
Five US states identified as high-priority targets
As per the simulation, the enemy attack would start with the counterforce targets and facilities that would weaken America's nuclear warheads before they are able to strike back. The Great Plains would be the first target due to its extensive system of missile silos. The Infographics Show theorized that since the silos are spaced roughly 1.5 miles from one another, it would take several warheads to destroy them efficiently.
The Pacific Coast would also be one of the first to be targeted because of its strategic economic and military significance. The video pointed out that bringing down the Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, and Silicon Valley's technology firms, could freeze both trade and creativity.
Cities, economy, and government also under threat
The Midwest, though having fewer military bases, would be vulnerable due to its industrial and financial hubs. Chicago, as defined in the video as a crucial finance and transport hub, would be attacked as a countervalue target.
The South would experience attacks on its military bases and oil refineries, which, if destroyed, would cause fuel shortages and cause a massive blow to the US economy.
A high-value target for debilitating governance and demoralizing civilians was The Northeast, which is where Washington D.C., the Pentagon, Norfolk Naval Base, and New York City are located.
According to journalist Gerrard Kaonga, who wrote for Newsweek, the simulation is intended to illuminate the magnitude of destruction modern nuclear weapons have the potential to unleash, while emphasizing the hope that such an event should never materialize.
