The Squishy Problem Facing World War III Writers-Part II

A colleague and friend published a reply to the ‘Squishy Problem’ Part I on 24 January. I was originally going to publish the conclusion last Wednesday. However, I wanted to include the reply in this part. So, I diverted for a couple of days, published a book review and worked towards wrapping up some more Central Front business. Now, here we are. A few days late, but no harm.

My colleague’s name on social media is Coiler and his blog is titled Fuldapocalypse Fiction. He reviews anything and everything about the Third World War and does an excellent job. Aside from the blog, Coiler is a top-shelf wargame scenario designer. I highly recommend trying out some of his CMANO/CMO scenarios. He is also an author and pens some very good alternative history and speculative fiction work. He’s certainly worth checking out and I strongly recommend that you do.

Now, down to the business at hand. Coiler brought up some very good points. The main one I want to address came in his response post and was directed at a specific section in Part I of the ‘Squishy Problem.’ That paragraph is reposted below with quotation marks and Coiler’s rejoinder is right below it.

“You see, the majority of popular NATO-Warsaw Pact, Cold War World War III novels, movies and other types of fiction end in either nuclear war or the overthrow of the Soviet general secretary and politburo just moments before the Kremlin decides to launch an all-out nuclear strike on the US and Europe. Other novels and fiction incorporate aspects of both options in their concluding chapters, creating an ending that is somewhat different from those above, but lacks the creativity to be considered entirely new and exclusive.”

Ok. I’m going to argue that this is the most realistic and sensible part. Because the loser is likely to go nuclear. And if not, some plot contrivance is necessary to stop that. I guess you could have some kind of negotiated surrender, but I can understand why readers wouldn’t find that very satisfying. The alternative is either a Red Army-style clean OPFOR win or just making a horrible squash, the latter of which is not exactly appealing.

This is a fair point that holds more water in 2024 than it did back in the later Cold War years. Back then the prospect of a US-Soviet conflict going nuclear was quite real in the eyes of most readers, authors, and publishers. In the pre-internet age where authors could only publish their novels through traditional publishing houses, the freedom to publish essentially whatever you wanted…. for a fee…. did not exist. Publishing houses were the only game in town and when it came to WWIII fiction, the good guys were expected to pull out a win. So, the hardline politburo falling from power just hours or even minutes before launching a nuclear attack scenario played well with readers and sold a lot of books. The 1980s were also a different time.

Today, authors can write whatever the hell they want. 😊 An alternative history fiction book about a NATO-WP war in Europe set in the 1980s and resulting in a nuclear holocaust is no longer considered taboo by many publishers. If this is what you’re aiming to publish, you have a good chance. To be fair, your publisher will probably not be Random House but who cares? You’ll be published. The internet has changed everything, flooding the market with a tidal wave of e-books in dozens of genres. Some are good. Some are not. Taboos have been lifted on countless subjects by new generations of readers who, frankly, couldn’t care less. Instant gratification is the name of the game. If a reader wants a book about World War III breaking out during the 1980s, he has multiple choices pick from at the touch of a finger. Some will be novels that contain writing styles and plots that have not handled the ‘Squishy Problem.’ Nor did the writers ever intend to.

Not to say the issue has vanished. It remains in the corner of the World War III fiction genre like a white elephant. At some point the ‘Squishy Problem’ will become a problem for WWIII genre writers again, but not until the genre goes through its periodic popularity spike. Should late Cold War era alternative history be part of it, the ‘Squishy Problem’ will return for authors looking to break into the genre and look to use it to branch out. All in all, a very ‘squishy’ problem to deal with. Below is a brief cross section of World War III novels and blogs from 1978 through to the present day. My intent is to give examples of writings that handled the issue well, disregarded it completely, or something in between.

Third World War, 1978, by Sir John Hackett- Sir John’s book started it all off and helped push WWIII fiction into the mainstream. Sir John is also partly responsible for creating the ‘Squishy Problem.’  NATO halts the Warsaw Pact thrust into West Germany. Dissent in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union simmers. After the nuclear destruction of Birmingham and Minsk, an anti-government revolt starts in Moscow. A coup launched by Ukrainian nationalists overthrows the Politburo and the Soviet Union collapses. Yes, you read correctly, Ukrainian nationalists. Sir John, what did you do?? 😊

Red Storm Rising, 1986, by Tom Clancy- This book needs no introduction. It was released early enough that its ending of a military coup to stop the Politburo from using nuclear weapons, seemed fresh and original at the time.

Red Army, 1989, by Ralph Peters- Another classic WWIII technothriller from the 1980s. Peters bypassed the ‘Squishy Problem’ entirely with a plot that concluded with a Soviet victory against NATO. No coup and no nuclear weapons used by either side. Hence, no apocalypse.

WWIII Series, 1990-1991, by Ian Slater- Not my favorite series. I realize Slater published over seven books in the WWIII series but I have only ever considered the first three to be legitimate World War III books. Book 3 ends with nuclear weapons being traded by the US and Soviet Union. Then, out of the blue the SAS launch a daring raid on the Kremlin to stop the Politburo from issuing orders that would broaden the exchange immensely. Hmmmm… SAS commandos drop on the Kremlin and save the day. Sounds familiar.  Still, Slater’s series is confined by the ‘Squishy Problem.’

Cauldron, 1992, by Larry Bond- A post Cold War WWIII novel that saw France and Germany united and invading Poland, while Russia was heading in that direction. No nuclear weapons were used but there was the assassination of Russia’s military leaders and the formation of a new government. Bond tried to evade the problem and half succeeded.

Arc Light, 1994 by Eric Harry- The ‘Squishy Problem’ reversed. The novel starts off with Russian generals taking over the civilian government, bringing about a limited nuclear exchange between Russia and the US. War in Europe eventually starts with the US rapidly pushing into Eastern Europe and eventually Russia. The Russian military leaders panic and threaten a counterbalance strike if US Army forces enter Moscow. Tense and exciting moments ending with a just-deposed Russian Army general and the US National Security Adviser taking control of the nuclear codes and halting any chance of a full exchange. Multiple nukes and coups throughout the book.

World War III 1987, 2017-2024, by Mike Cee-   Okay, I just had to include my own blog here.

I nuked Moscow with a pair of low-yield warheads on a pair of Pershing IIs. The Kremlin and KGB headquarters were vaporized and thus ended the Romanov regime before it was able to escalate the nuclear exchange to the next level. Not exactly a coup, but still. There were anti-Romanov Soviet leaders waiting to pick up the pieces. So, nukes, threatened massive escalation and a coup. I landed smack dab in the middle of the ‘Squishy Problem.’  Hi Pot, I’m Kettle. 😊