nukes are still localized enough that the most lethal effects are limited to a small area
That's not realistic. While the US and Russia may not cover every square inch of each other's country with nuclear explosions, there's no restraint in nuclear war. Every meaningful population center and piece of infrastructure will be destroyed. Nuclear detonations fry electronics, satellite communications and navigation will be destroyed. How will you gather, train and deploy an army drawn from across rural America (because that's all that's left) when your logistics are reduced to the same level as the 1800s?
Yes, large scale warfare was waged in the 1800s and earlier, but that wasn't really my point. There's a vast difference between living in the 1800s and living in the 2020s and being reduced to 1800s technology.
For example: There are only a tiny handful of seaworthy sailing ships of the type that conducted commerce and warfare in the 1800s left in the world. There's probably even less people that have the requisite skills to crew them and there are zero people that have the requisite skills and tools to build them.
Wagon makers, blacksmiths, coopers, shoemakers, tailors, etc. are all professions vital to everyday life in the pre/early industrial revolution era that are effectively extinct. We no longer have machinery to forge metal or manufacture clothing without having an industrial electrical supply.
As to your belief in a limited nuclear war, we'll have to disagree. Once you start melting major cities, the other side is going to reciprocate with all they have if for no other reason than to take revenge.
That's not realistic. While the US and Russia may not cover every square inch of each other's country with nuclear explosions, there's no restraint in nuclear war. Every meaningful population center and piece of infrastructure will be destroyed. Nuclear detonations fry electronics, satellite communications and navigation will be destroyed. How will you gather, train and deploy an army drawn from across rural America (because that's all that's left) when your logistics are reduced to the same level as the 1800s?
Yes, large scale warfare was waged in the 1800s and earlier, but that wasn't really my point. There's a vast difference between living in the 1800s and living in the 2020s and being reduced to 1800s technology.
For example: There are only a tiny handful of seaworthy sailing ships of the type that conducted commerce and warfare in the 1800s left in the world. There's probably even less people that have the requisite skills to crew them and there are zero people that have the requisite skills and tools to build them.
Wagon makers, blacksmiths, coopers, shoemakers, tailors, etc. are all professions vital to everyday life in the pre/early industrial revolution era that are effectively extinct. We no longer have machinery to forge metal or manufacture clothing without having an industrial electrical supply.
As to your belief in a limited nuclear war, we'll have to disagree. Once you start melting major cities, the other side is going to reciprocate with all they have if for no other reason than to take revenge.