Alternate History / Timeline: Invading the US

[tanksoldier]

There’s a story by a Robert Heinlein, I forget the title, which has a Soviet invasion of North America in the backdrop.

It’s really about mathematics and probability... how statistically improbable events will eventually cluster together and start to trend. Essentially the improbable or bizarre becomes the norm during this period.

During the story people begin behaving bizarrely, for the 1950s when it was written anyway (some of the behaviors described are commonplace today) begin making strange decisions and life choices. Governments and government officials start doing stupider than normal things...

...but also improbable natural events occur, long dormant volcanos erupt, earthquakes on previously stable or unknown fault lines, extremes of weather and temperature, etc.

It ends with a final improbable natural event, Sol going nova.

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by tanksoldier

There’s a story by a Robert Heinlein, I forget the title, which has a Soviet invasion of North America in the backdrop.

It’s really about mathematics and probability... how statistically improbable events will eventually cluster together and start to trend. Essentially the improbable or bizarre becomes the norm during this period.

During the story people begin behaving bizarrely, for the 1950s when it was written anyway (some of the behaviors described are commonplace today) begin making strange decisions and life choices. Governments and government officials start doing stupider than normal things...

...but also improbable natural events occur, long dormant volcanos erupt, earthquakes on previously stable or unknown fault lines, extremes of weather and temperature, etc.

It ends with a final improbable natural event, Sol going nova.

Not sure if this is the story title, but I keep coming across references to Heinlein's "Crazy Years".

[(E)]

A few ideas to throw into the ring
- Using a nation like North Korea to fire an nuke for EMP effect some time prior to the attack. Even if the initial effect is minor the response to it will be draining on coffers and or military power.
- A well funded and continuing destabilization effort to reinforce the internal divisions within the US.
- Sabotage operations, generally degrade the infrastructure of the US. Sink a ship in a key channel and so forth.

[tanksoldier]

Originally Posted by Randyman

Not sure if this is the story title, but I keep coming across references to Heinlein's "Crazy Years".

The crazy years are part of his future history series:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futu...tory_(Heinlein)

This was more of a short story, and ended with the implied destruction of Earth and humanity.

[Fred Brackin]

Originally Posted by tanksoldier

There’s a story by a Robert Heinlein, I forget the title, which has a Soviet invasion of North America in the backdrop.

.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Year_of_the_Jackpot

Probably this one.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by (E)

A well funded and continuing destabilization effort to reinforce the internal divisions within the US.

That is the method most likely to work, if you can tweak US culture just right, which isn't easy at all for outsiders.

[Tomsdad]

Originally Posted by johndallman

That is the method most likely to work, if you can tweak US culture just right, which isn't easy at all for outsiders.

Yep, outside threats tend to unite a society, and a society no matter how powerful is powerful enough to bring about it's own destruction

[Randyman]

Originally Posted by (E)

A well funded and continuing destabilization effort to reinforce the internal divisions within the US.

Originally Posted by johndallman

That is the method most likely to work, if you can tweak US culture just right, which isn't easy at all for outsiders.

Originally Posted by Tomsdad

Yep, outside threats tend to unite a society, and a society no matter how powerful is powerful enough to being about it's own destruction

1. MICE. Money, Ideology, Conscience, Ego. Any one of those four will motivate almost anyone to betray (which one will work on a given person varies).
2. Once insiders are in your employ, the "outsider problem" goes away. Especially if the insiders then appropriate your ideas as their own.
3. Once your ideas are insider ideas, the "united" effect will reinforce your ideas.

[Anaraxes]

Originally Posted by Randyman

1. MICE. Money, Ideology, Conscience, Ego.

I learned it as "Compromise". But, close enough. Compromise does have better connotations for the external leverage rather than just internally feeling guilty about something you did wrong -- yet no one knows about it . Plus, having a conscience would be a reason not to betray your responsibility, not a reason to do so, unless we're talking about whistleblowers. The usual sense of that word is a little reversed to me.

[tanksoldier]

Originally Posted by Fred Brackin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Year_of_the_Jackpot

Probably this one.

That’s the one.