Rourke: The following post was originally published over at PrepperRalph.com. Consider it a “scenario” post with a possible narrative of events that could transpire should war break out relating to North Korea.
The North Koreans have been on the minds of the US literally for decades. From the first onsets of the Korean War when we were fighting Communism, the remain a credible threat to US interest in the Asian Pacific. Now years after the United States developed and dropped the first atomic weapons the Norks now possess their own. Through economic sanctions around the world, we’ve done our best from allowing nuclear weapons on the peninsula. Whether a failure in diplomacy or plain carelessness, they now have those weapons.
Starting with the creation of an intercontinental ballistic missile program, there has been steady concern that the North Koreans could somehow mount an attack on Pacific US territories. Though for decades that threat remained low and in many cases laughable, they Norks have the capability to not only launch a rocket across the ocean to the US mainland but also to place satellites in orbit. It has gone through many prepper’s minds and surely those of the military that they could have somehow launched a warhead into orbit. They now have a hydrogen bomb that is up to 10 times the power of the ones we dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima. So what is in store for the US and a nuclear powered North Korea?
If North Korea does manage to launch an attack and land a bomb on a US territory, you can expect a very swift but diversified response. This would start with the absolute shock and condemnation of the international community. Nations would call for a new series of sanctions or military operations to cut the ability of the Koreans to further attack. Japan, Taiwan, Russia, China, and many other countries would more than likely see this as an immediate threat to their nations. The United States will have scrambled fighters and bombers to begin attack operations throughout the demilitarized zone, and more than likely an army of Norks will have started running towards South Korea.
The following day you would see a dramatic change in the US economy and stock markets. With the declaration of War by the current administration, fuel prices would start to rise again as the American war machine started to move towards the Korean peninsula as well as other commodities. A possible dip in employment rates could also occur. You may see lending practices change in the banking world, construction and infrastructure taking a dip. Silver prices would surge as would gold and other precious metals. US debt would also start to increase faster as the buying of munitions and equipment goes into full swing.
As the North Koreans continue to be bombarded by the American and South Korean air forces, their Armies would continue to flood south towards Seoul, ultimately taking most of the city. There would be large amounts of urban combat and many thousands of civilian deaths. Bodies, debris, and litter would cover the streets and the people fled the city. The American base nearby, as well as the naval ports, would be areas of high contention. If we can’t fly in or set anchor, that would limit the US response initially.
Russia may start air sorties into the northern parts of the country with China possibly assisting. Iran, one of the Norks closest allies would more than likely stage an attack on nearby US allies. Israel may take this time to attack neighboring areas and reclaim Biblical lands. If Jerusalem was not nuked by Iran initially, they surely have been by now. Britain, France, Germany, and a host of other countries then start jumping into the fight.
India may take this time to start an invasion of Pakistan. With Pakistan’s country threatened by an Indian incursion, they’ll use their own nuclear weapons to launch on India pulling the US into a three-sided war. Russian cooperation with the US on the Korean peninsula would cease as many of their largest buyers are now fighting on multiple fronts. Australia joins the mix as allies of the US and Britain. Many middle-eastern countries, on the heels of Israel’s attacks, may take this time forge a new Caliphate and become united. There is now World War within weeks of North Korea’s initial attack.
The average US household continues with their usual day-to-day activities… Except half the 18-30 population has begun to be drafted. The further downturn in the markets closes business doors as skilled workers are pressed into military service.
Unemployment at home continues to rise. Eventually, it will slow and employment rates will increase with the sustained war effort. Corporations buy huge tracts of American land for its resources to continue the war effort. The world as we know it is quickly changing. Allegiances on both sides of the war change and morph as territory, munitions, and souls are traded for the insatiable appetite of war.
But then again… Maybe we come to terms with a nuclear North Korea. South Korea decides to join the North and unite the nations under special agreements. Facing an enemy that can kill most of its population in a matter of minutes, what choice will it have had?
This is just a scenario that could play out easily in many many ways. The truth is that no one knows what will happen. We may wake up tomorrow and face a radioactive Guam, or new, tighter sanctions causing the Norks to abandon their current programs for the time being. No one knows…
What do you think will happen?
One thing we as preppers or survivalists need to remember is that fall\winter is just a few short months away, what a perfect double punch someone could give the nation. Spring\summer doesn’t bother me if the grid goes down. It’s the winter months that scare the heck out of me here in the north.
The grid going down at any time is disastrous if it is any more than a short outage. Here in SW Florida our hearts are in our throats with Hurricane Irma cranked up to 180 mph sustained winds with gusts to 220. The beast is forecast to be on our doorstep Sunday morning. Some things are just beyond our control. I have done all I could to be self sustaining and self reliant. My lovely solar arrays will not handle a monster like Irma so … Time for prayer and hoping for the best.
I’m just glad family is not in the state at the moment. But friends who have family there aren’t taking this seriously. Is it possible to get them off the roof or secure down with ratchet strapping with eyebolt sunk into rafters?
I’m glad you are out of harm’s way jh. I’m scared to death of this thing. My arrays are so large (45 panels in twin arrays) I can’t imagine what I might be able to do about this. I’m recovering from a bad episode with my back which has been broken twice. I have to be careful with my movements. The forecast update just looks worse for us here in coastal Ft Myers. It looks like the European model had the best read on it and that it will make it into the Gulf and then carve right into us. I’m trying to get the charter boat hauled out tomorrow.. Folks that have some place to go should be getting out of here immediately before I-75 turns into a parking lot. Strongest storm on record and heading this way. Not cool!
WHY do we still buy & or trade with them, Just stop the trade NO embargo just stop buying.
my 2 cents.
The United States has always maintained a policy stating that an attack on the U.S. would result in immediate and massive retaliation. If North Korea was foolish enough to launch a nuke at the U.S., U.S. territory, or U.S. Military Base, there would be little of the North Korean government of military to follow up.
Actions by Kim Jong-un are of one who is worried about losing control. He fears being deposed like Nicholae Ceausescu, Benito Mussolini, and a host of others. He fears not only his people but by now his praetorian guard as well. Needs to create a distraction, a show to divert this energy away from himself. War or the threat of war is the usual remedy, but that also creates even more distress as he has no alliances that will not condemn him or his country into oblivion if he acts irrational. The smart thing to do would allow a dialogue to develop between NK and some other country, China, Russia, whomever, USA if calm minds persevere. What does he really want? He does want something. In the process if it succeeds, he solidifies his position and the threat of the insanity of war diminishes. We cannot just nuke NK, China will not allow that to go unanswered, in fact they might nuke NK themselves to alleviate Armageddon. And judging by all the recent incidents of the US navy hitting large ships (in close proximity to China btw) despite all our supposed technological superiority, not to mention the USS Donald Cook in the Black Sea being shut down by a Russian fighter via electronic warfare speaks volumes to our vulnerability, and perhaps NK is capitalizing on this information. All of this is conjecture of course but smarter folks than I have written on these topics. Is not a dialogue better than a mushroom cloud or EMP? I firmly believe that if an EMP occurs and as a result the grid goes down, no guarantees for anything after that. Period. JWRawles also believes that as well along with many others.
Where is the harm in a dialogue? The old axiom comes to mind, ‘sticks and stones will break my bones …..’. Let us all pray for some divine intervention, and for the folks in Texas, and Florida too.
I’ve been thinking the same as jh. In a grid-down situation, we’d have to make our way to a neighboring county. Hard enough in nice weather, while hauling supplies, but virtually impossible after a snowfall. We have cold weather gear there, but no food. At least if something happens during the spring or even early summer, we’d still have a chance to plant and raid the nearby woods. I’m spending a lot of time these days trying to re-think our plans, and I really don’t know what we’d do.