What would happen if the United States were to be completely destroyed?

Before or after radiation fallout and nuclear winter causes worldwide apocalypse?

I used to think, even after Vietnam and Cambodia, that the United States was a force for good in the world. I now doubt that. Every problem in our complex world is seen by the United States as a military problem with a military solution. Destruction of countries, of property and of lives by aerial bombing is what the United States has been and is doing. The end justifies the means, the violence has become normal and is not even reported on any more.

The emergence of Trump has seen a decline in the respect other countries have for the US. He is a comical figure, impossible to take seriously despite the enormous power he has been given. But does this all mean we want to see the United States obliterated. No. of course it doesn’t. Despite everything we still like America.

You are such a tease.

You are right; it is an unrealistic question. No matter how many missiles struck our country, its vast size would make total annihilation impossible. Even if the super-volcano under Yellowstone erupted, which would be far more destructive than a rain of nuclear weapons, our presence would not be erased.

However, accepting the premise of your question, the reaction of other nations to our extinction at the hands of an enemy would be act militarily against them as quickly and thoroughly as possible to prevent a similar action being taken against them.

The populous of the coalition of aggressive countries would cheer at first, but their military leaders recognizing the inevitable worldwide retaliation would immediately regret their actions. Attempting to escape from the predictable revolt the nations’ leaders would try to flee, but would meet the same consequences at the hands of their own people as did Mussolini and his party.

No nation would be free from the economic devastation that an interdependent world would experience at the loss of a major source of wealth and resources, and civilization would dissolve. Unlike the dark ages, when a major culture isolated from the collapse of the western world preserved the arts, literature and science, societies would be reduced to stone-age tribalism.

@Ragingloli would have to learn Russian.

The United States is a major part of the world economy so for sure it would have a significant impact financially on the rest of the world. We import and export a lot of resources and that would hurt other countries’ economies. We assist with other countries’ defense (for example, Israel) and that would leave them vulnerable.

The effects of the US being totally destroyed would probably also mean the destruction of all life on the planet.

The biggest effects of a massive nuclear attack on the US would not be merely economic, but truly catastrophic in terms of global radiation, followed by a nuclear winter that would cause world wide crop failure. (but it might offset global warming!)

If it were nuclear weapons, I think the radiation would be a problem for the entire world. Destruction to the plants and animals would also have ecological effects, and the balance of economies and military power would be altered.

If the humans just died, for example due to bio weapons that only affect humans (perhaps distributed in GMO food), then there might be some positive environmental effects as so much consumption and pollution would stop, as would a lot of ridiculous political arguments, and lots of pop media. So there would be a few bright aspects.

I could just simply move back to my home country. Problem solved.

@Zachary_Mendes123: If there were no planes, airports, ship terminals, etc., how would you move back to your home country?

@jca
Via Canada or Mexico

It’s a good thing this hypothetical nuclear holocaust has the etiquette to respect borders.

@jca I would walk.

After everyone else got through laughing there’d be a shit load of prime real estate up for auction