USA vs. Russia who would win do you think?

So recently been debating the relative merits of the two nations military capabilities with some members on here but since it usually drags said thread wayyyyy off topic i thought a nice thread dedicated to it might be interesting.
So if the two went to war be it nuclear or conventional [be sure to specify] Who would win do you think? Before you answer though do take into consideration all factors not just a knee jerk response of America because it has a carrier fleet or what have you..
America technicologically ahead of Russia in many fields but with Russia not far behind examples to consider;
Russia's nuclear arsenal is larger and newer than Americas and their missiles far newer and more advanced [they have penetration aids unlike trident for instance]
Russia is starting to produce its answer to the Raptor/Lightening 2
Most modern MBT
whilst America has;
several carrier fleets
advanced stealth aircraft
a military infrastructure that hasnt had to be rebuilt
larger budget

So take your pic between ground war or nuclear war whose better?

Reply 1

Plagioclase

21

Original post by Soldieroffortune

So recently been debating the relative merits of the two nations military capabilities with some members on here but since it usually drags said thread wayyyyy off topic i thought a nice thread dedicated to it might be interesting.
So if the two went to war be it nuclear or conventional [be sure to specify] Who would win do you think? Before you answer though do take into consideration all factors not just a knee jerk response of America because it has a carrier fleet or what have you..
America technicologically ahead of Russia in many fields but with Russia not far behind examples to consider;
Russia's nuclear arsenal is larger and newer than Americas and their missiles far newer and more advanced [they have penetration aids unlike trident for instance]
Russia is starting to produce its answer to the Raptor/Lightening 2
Most modern MBT
whilst America has;
several carrier fleets
advanced stealth aircraft
a military infrastructure that hasnt had to be rebuilt
larger budget

So take your pic between ground war or nuclear war whose better?

Nobody would win. If it really did come down to the absolute worst case scenario of an all-out nuclear strike and neither country managed to disable the other's nuclear infrastructure then a greater proportion of the US population would be killed than in Russia (off the top of my memory, I believe Cirincione gave an estimate of around two thirds of the US population being killed in comparison to one third of the Russian population) because of the much higher population density and urbanisation in the United States, so if you use that as a kind of macabre measurement of "success" then Russia would initially "win". However, in either case, both countries would have pretty much terminal damage to their infrastructure and complete social collapse would probably be imminent. On top of that, you'd have a global nuclear winter, the death toll of which would probably eclipse the initial toll from the nuclear strike.

Given those consequences, I don't really think you could say that either country would win, bearing in mind that both would be incapacitated to the point of international irrelevancy and it would condemn the entire world to the greatest humanitarian disaster than the human race has experienced since Lake Toba. It could very possibly lead to global social collapse although whether it would be terminal to the human race, I'm not sure about. It's unlikely.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 2

Aj12

18

Nuclear the world loses. Conventional russia destorys in a defensive war but would lose in an offensive one.
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Reply 3

goobypls

14

No one because the world would be gone.

Reply 4

zippity.doodah

3

with nukes? america, assuming they had better capabilities of blocking out russian nukes before they hit the US, along with the fact that the US simply has more/better nukes
without nukes? USA - more soldiers, better technology
with allies? USA - russia would probably have china and some additional small countries, but america would have NATO, japan, saudi arabia, SK, probably india, canada, etc, so USA

Reply 5

Rakas21

21

Nuclear - Everybody loses.

Conventional 1 on 1 - Not even close in terms of the air and sea war - clear US victory, Russia's size, terrain and tanks would probably prevent the country being taken if they relocated their capital further inland though Moscow would be in rubble from the air attack.

Reply 6

Pegasus2

16

Yes Yes, another Russia STRONK thread.

Most Rus nuclear infrastructure is from the USSR days, aging, poorly maintained and under funded. No rus weapons are not more advanced or newer and don't have any fancy magic penetraiting systems just because Putin says they do.

Also they have the newest MBT, not the most advanced. It also has to be towed off the parade ground. It also has no battlefield experiance.

Literally, no one cares about Russia, yet it always makes out like America is always trying to destroy it.

US also has Allies too, somthing Russia doesn't.

Reply 7

The Warsmith

18

Original post by Pegasus2

Yes Yes, another Russia STRONK thread.

Most Rus nuclear infrastructure is from the USSR days, aging, poorly maintained and under funded. No rus weapons are not more advanced or newer and don't have any fancy magic penetraiting systems just because Putin says they do.

Also they have the newest MBT, not the most advanced. It also has to be towed off the parade ground. It also has no battlefield experiance.

Literally, no one cares about Russia, yet it always makes out like America is always trying to destroy it.

US also has Allies too, somthing Russia doesn't.

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Reply 8

Pegasus2

16

Original post by Ser Alex Toyne

'murica

oh yeah, thanks

...ahem they have Captain America too.

Reply 9

Drewski

19

Nuclear: nobody wins.

Conventional: depends where the fight is. America can travel, Russia can't.

Reply 10

NathanAllen

12

If Russia was to go to war with out nuclear weapons the USA would win without doubt. I say so because Russia does not have much technology that can defend against any of the U.S. attacks. If Russia was to go to war with the USA then Russia would pair up with China because with current relationships between the USA and China is horrible. The USA would send groups of war ships each consisting of (frigates, battle ships, submarines, 1 aircraft carrier, etc. )to Russia and China then Japan would if needed back up the USA and when super powers collide there WILL BE A WORLD WAR 3... So the USA would send ships in war formation to China and Russia. The USA would send a few thousand of personal and a ton of navy seal teams. So when all thats all done Russia and China would be done for.

So in order for any country to want to use nuclear weapons they have to have no other resorts to go to for help. But with the USA they will use nukes when they feal there citizens are in harms way.

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Reply 11

NathanAllen

12

Original post by zippity.doodah

with nukes? america, assuming they had better capabilities of blocking out russian nukes before they hit the US, along with the fact that the US simply has more/better nukes
without nukes? USA - more soldiers, better technology
with allies? USA - russia would probably have china and some additional small countries, but america would have NATO, japan, saudi arabia, SK, probably india, canada, etc, so USA

Yes the USA has bigger allies.

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Reply 12

NaturalProduct

2

The post has been deleted.

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 13

Davij038

13

Militarily? Not even a contest I think the USA could take Russia and China on and win.

The real war is a cultural one if hearts and mind between the liberal western countries and authoritarian ones:
http://www.economist.com/blogs/erasmus/2015/07/un-and-family-values

Reply 14

Illiberal Liberal

2

In a few decades time if Russia were to ally with China I think they could, in tandem, compete in all aspects of a total war with the USA.

Reply 15

Aj12

18

Original post by Law-Hopeful

In a few decades time if Russia were to ally with China I think they could, in tandem, compete in all aspects of a total war with the USA.

Never really put much stock in the idea of a Chinese russian alliance. America unites them but in many ways they are rivals. Russia would clearly be the junior partner in any alliance and I think that would grate too much for their superpower ambition.

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Reply 16

Illiberal Liberal

2

Original post by Aj12

Never really put much stock in the idea of a Chinese russian alliance. America unites them but in many ways they are rivals. Russia would clearly be the junior partner in any alliance and I think that would grate too much for their superpower ambition.

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China wouldn't just sit there and let the USA eviscerate Russia, and in the context of any war with the USA I doubt Russia would rather go it alone and lose than be the lesser partner with China and have a chance to not lose. The SCO and AIIB both lend credence to the view that Russia and China are trying to, and succeeding in, shifting the geopolitical balance of the world east.

Tbh these threads are all fanciful speculation of incidents that will never occur, but it's a way to pass the time I guess.