Chapter 30-Short Term Memory part 2

[HorrorHiro]

Wait...why does bombing L.A. even matter? Hasn't it been confirmed that this has happened all over the world? What would nuking L.A. solve?

[Cabbage Patch]

Using nukes against the Mallers/Colony is a desperation move, there are much easier methods for raining violence upon them if needed. And if the entire country is over-run, what's the point in nuking zombie concentrations in LA?

On the other hand, if Ground Zero is the sole source of the global outbreak, or if LA is the unique home of the non-standard zombies and you can identify the "factory", then you might have a target worthy of nuclear escalation.

[HorrorHiro]

Using nukes against the Mallers/Colony is a desperation move, there are much easier methods for raining violence upon them if needed. And if the entire country is over-run, what's the point in nuking zombie concentrations in LA?

On the other hand, if Ground Zero is the sole source of the global outbreak, or if LA is the unique home of the non-standard zombies and you can identify the "factory", then you might have a target worthy of nuclear escalation.

Neither the zombies (regular or irregular) nor the Mallers/Colony are a good enough reason for nuking that part of the country. And ground zero can't be where it started because Kimmet said that it started in the East.

Vast majority of human race is either dead or apart of the creatures/zombies/whatever the fuck you want to call them. Even if every concentration of them was nuked off the face of the earth they would still greatly outnumber the living.

[UndeadSweeper]

Why is nuke the only option? Could they napalm or non-radioactive options?

[7oddisdead]

Why is nuke the only option? Could they napalm or non-radioactive options?

that's what I'm saying...i think hinting at nukes was done to accomplish one thing....scare. Mission success

[Loyal Retainer]

Anything in particular you are trying to recall? There's Fuel Air Thermobaric, GBU43/B MOAB, GBU-57A/B MOP and of course everyone's favorite, Napalm.


Walking Dead Spoiler:

SPOILER 

After all, they napalmed Atlanta in a failed containment effort when things really started getting bad.

Not necessarily... With Ground Zero II, pick a target, pick a yield and bombs away. The B53 "Crowd Pleaser" the largest in the US stockpile had a nominal yield of 9Mt and would still have been in the arsenal in 2009. (The last was decommissioned in 2011, at Pantex, of course.) You could "sterilize" 90% of LA with three by targeting Anaheim, Lynwood and West Hollywood. I checked the fallout paths, assuming that the wind would drive it inland and Irwin would be in the clear.

Sorry if I'm hitting too close to home there for you LA.

Good. So I wasn't the only nerd that looked up blast maps and fallout patterns to see if a nuke would send fallout the 160 miles to Ft. Irwin? The only bomb I could find that would send fallout to the fort was the Czar Bomba (50 MT) which isn't available to anyone. My problem with nuking L.A. Is yes you may get rid of the infected but you're also destroying tons of valuable resources and any survivors left in the city. When you start deploying nukes that's an end game move when you have no hope left, which I don't think they've reached yet.

[Witch_Doctor]

Neither the zombies (regular or irregular) nor the Mallers/Colony are a good enough reason for nuking that part of the country. And ground zero can't be where it started because Kimmet said that it started in the East.
Vast majority of human race is either dead or apart of the creatures/zombies/whatever the fuck you want to call them. Even if every concentration of them was nuked off the face of the earth they would still greatly outnumber the living.

Are you sure? Where does Kimmet say that? I heard Kimmet say that he believes it started in hotspots on the west coast, L.A., San Fran., Oregon. The whole country was over-run a day and a half latter. They lost contact with the eastcoast about a week after the west was hit.

[Privateer]

Theres no reason to nuke LA that overcome the vast reasons /not/ to nuke LA. Reason for: Yeah, its not the only concentration of zombies, but it is, by far, the closest and most dangerous to what may be the only operating military facility in the continental U.S. Reason against: Its the closest to the only operating military facility in the continental U.S. There's Morale to think of, because it is a last resort option, and any time you send a soldier south he's gonna have to have a radiation suit. You make an absurd amount of resources unavailable. Not just oil reserves, but factories, infrastructure, scrap metal, etc. And, its unnecessary. What is the zombie population... Really? Victor and Saul have driven through vast swathes of L.A. Without having to deal with any, and how big is the occasional horde? Beyond that, hordes show very little threat to Irwin. With awesome visibility, scouts, and radios, they'd see any concentration heading towards them a long ways off. And they can evacuate.

[IamPaul]

Also thinking, any massive bombing in the area could shift tectonic plates or open more cracks along the LA side of the Ring of Fire. Not that that matters since the population is basically gone now anyways. I praise all the people that take the time to research everything for this show. It is what makes the show and the fans so great.

[Red Shirt]

I just realized I play the devil's advocate so hard that I should have a varsity letter for it.

Should LA be nuked? Absolutely not. As I and many others have said, there are too many resources to be had. Most notably the active oil wells and the refineries that are in LA. Those are going to be extremely important going forward IMO.

But what if that decision has been made and those scouting teams aren't looking for targets and reasons to, but in fact, are scouting for reasons NOT to?


Put in that situation, I'm only a Staff Sergeant he's a Colonel... I'd follow orders. "Hey Sergeant, you seem to have a bizarrely eclectic knowledge set of esoteric minutiae. I need to, ahem, sterilize LA. Can you figure it out for me?" "Sure sir. It's a very bad idea, but with B53's here, here and here, you can get it done quite handily. Now,if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go find a quiet corner to hide in."