In the new book "Nuclear War: A Scenario," Annie Jacobsen, a Putlizer-nominated investigative journalist, details what would happen if America got nuked.
The thrilling account just shows how deadly and devastating nuclear strikes could be.
What If America Got Nuked?
For an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to travel from one side of the planet to the other, it would take roughly 30 minutes.
A counter offensive would then be launched by America. According to the investigative journalist, up to five billion people could be wiped out in just 72 minutes. This could be the case if the worst were to happen.
The investigative journalist notes what could happen at 3:03 p.m. up until 4:14 p.m. It would start with the launch of a North Korean Hwason-17 ICBM from a 22-wheeler.
The journalist's accounts also cover the political discussions that involve the commander of the Strategic Command (STRATCOM) Headquarters and the President. It also covers the responses and counter-launch of America and how Russia may see America's ICBM counter-launch blaze through its skies.
Jacobsen also notes that America could also counter the attack with some weapons launched by a submarine. Moreover, with the further involvement of Russia, more defensive moves may take place.
The details are based on exclusive interviews with political figures, high-ranking officials in the military, and leading experts, such as designers of nuclear weapons.
Nuclear Weapons
Nuclear weapons generally depend on the possible energy that atom nuclei could release.
Fission, which refers to atomic splitting apart, and fusion, which refers to the joining of atoms, are types of nuclear reactions that could happen within the nucleus.
For every nuclear weapon at present, the basic method of yielding a massive number of fission events via multiplied chain reaction is employed.
Nuclear weapons generally capitalize on the energy of the nucleus as they are broken apart or joined together. Explosives usually compress nuclear material, triggering fission that releases huge energy amounts in X-ray form. This ends up creating the high pressure and temperature necessary for fusion to be ignited.
Just one warhead of modern nuclear weapons, which utilize both fusion and fission, could end up releasing more explosive energy in just a fraction of a second. This is compared to a combination of all the weapons that were used during World War II.
The very existence of nuclear weapons poses a danger, as they are the world's most dangerous weapons. Nuclear strikes are capable of destroying an entire city.
Because of this, millions of individuals could end up being wiped out. The environment could also be left in a catastrophic state.
Across history, these weapons have only been used twice for warfare purposes.
However, all over the world, around 14,500 nuclear weapons are still present. Over 2,000 nuclear tests have also been performed.
The best way to safeguard against such dangers is through disarmament. However, it has been incredibly difficult to achieve such a goal.
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