Growing up in a post World War II, Nuclear World, there has always been Chicken Little types who threaten that the end is at hand. People whether from a religious perspective or fears of a Nuclear Armageddon from something like the Cuban Missle crisis have worried about the conflict between nations. What is seldom mentioned, or considered, though is a far more predictable result of Nuclear Weapons and one just as destructive, if not worse, than death from radiation and massive heat from a Nuclear weapon blast?
One of the byproducts of a Nuclear Blast is actually or could be, more deadly and disastrous to Western Society and people's lives is what I'm thinking about. What I'm talking about is Electromagnetic Pulse or EMP. Some weapons are actually designed more for EMP damage and effect rather than their ability to cause massive destruction. Consider for a moment that it's rumored that North Korea could have satellites capable of inflicting an EMP attack on North America in high orbit, a place that would cause the most destruction. People are so worried about North Korea obtaining missiles capable of reaching the US and sending over a Nuclear Weapon capable of a Cities destruction but, if true, and large enough, then it is possible that North Korea has the ability to attack with an EMP then it isn't cities that could be destroyed but half if not most of the continental United States. These type of weapons, in my mind, are a far more of a challenge to our lives than Nuclear weapons obvious aftermaths due to heat and radiation.
Imagine, if you will, ALL electronic circuitry having their junctions fried in one blast. All of a sudden everything (unprotected) that has electronics, chips, transistors becoming dead as rocks in one moment in time, instantly. Phones and everything stop working. No gas because the pumps are controlled by electronics as are almost everything we use today in life and no cars to drive anywhere with. The crazy thing is the electronic devices would ot need to be on in order to be destroyed but even things unplugged would be damaged.
People would be instantly in the stone age and it could happen to most of the US if not all just by a large enough EMP Nuclear explosion high enough in space. It is also such that the damage couldn't be repaired by replacing the electronics but total replacement of everything would be the only option. The goal, for someone doing such, would not be utter and instant destruction of cities and people but putting everyone into the stone age where anarchy and societal breakdown would occur in short order eventually leading to millions of deaths, most slow and in anguish. Those who would be destroyed by a Nuclear Blast due to heat/radiation etc would be the lucky ones for they wouldn't know much if anything at all. One might think with such potential that we would have manufacturers prepare for such and protect their products.
There are some considerating EMP such attacks but not many and for most people, are ignorant of the threat. To me, our Governmental leaders should all adopt a policy that any such EMP attack would be considered identical to a massive Nuclear attack and responded to in the same way. I believe the only way to adequately deter such consideration of an attack, one of which we may or may not realize the extent of the effect of, is to promise and deliver an overwhelming retaliatory attack using all weapons in our arsenal such that anyone considerating such would know it would mean their utter destruction as well. I believe that the result of such an attack, and it's potential, is far worse than a direct Nuclear attack by anyone because of the ultimate result of a devastating EMP attack if successful. Because of the effect on all of our exposed electronics and systems knocking out all electronics, it is most likely the most probable method of attack a smaller adversary such as North Korea might actually consider.
Yeah, it's like Chicken Little, the sky is falling type thing but today so few people ever consider what the ultimate effect of such an attack would be and the potential is actually there. Most would survive such an attack but it's the life they would be condemned to suffer afterward that would mean almost sure death for most while the geography, buildings, and infrastructure survived. Society would surely break down. So many people believe our high tech military would be our survival but a massive EMP attack would and could take America back to swords and guns and everything that is not electronic and most of our real adversaries surely know that it would be an equalizing factor.