EMP Aftermath Scenario -Fighting for Dwindling Resources -

EMP AFTERMATH SCENARIO: After the botched Afghanistan pull-out, the world perceives a weaker US under Biden, emboldening its enemies. If an enemy launched an EMP attack against the US, the whole free world allied with it would face awful consequences.

EMP means electromagnetic pulse, a powerful pulse of radiation. If a nation or terrorist group managed to launch a nuclear bomb high in the US atmosphere, an EMP effect would result. It would not kill the people below. But it could fry the electronics in an area with up to a 900-mile radius. That would reach Belize if such bomb exploded over southern Texas or southern Florida.

This would instantly disable not only the whole power grid, but multitudes of devices that use electronics. That includes cars, trucks, buses, trains, planes and ships, wiping out most transportation. That also includes cellphones, computers, TVs and radios, wiping out communications and media. It also includes refrigerators and freezers, wiping out most food storage. And finally, it includes ATMs and credit & debit cards, wiping out our usual way of paying for whatever useful items remain after an EMP attack.

You can find many novels about EMP that show how a local community tries to cope with its effects, with rising death tolls. But you can find little literature about how a whole nation would cope.

19^th century-style war

If a few bombs were to disable electronics in the US, gangs would rove about fighting over diminishing resources. But what would they fight with? They would lack any transportation except horse- or mule-drawn vehicles to transport bombs or heavy weaponry—or very old non-electronic vehicles.

That would mostly limit them to early 19^th century Napoleonic warfare. For long-range artillery to attack or defend, they would have to use lighter-weight cannons—whether field guns, howitzers, mortars or shoulder-fired missiles. For medium range they would use rifles, a variety of guns, grenades, spears, and arrows. Finally, at close range they would use swords, bayonets, and knives.

Factories would not manufacture weapons or vehicles until after a long conversion to purely mechanical production without electronics. Gangs would fight over increasingly rare non-electric field guns, howitzers, mortars, tanks and land mines. They would also fight over rare non-electric cars and other vehicles, and fuel to run them.

But before long, world powers such as China and Russia would show up in the US. They could bring all kinds of electronic vehicles and weapons to take over. But the lack of electricity, functioning business and navigable roads would limit them. In the meantime, multitudes around the world who depend on US products and services would greatly suffer.