# How long could the U.S. last against an enemy of collective nations? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 18, 2007, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404 "2007-01-18T02:15:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2026, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404/81 "2026-01-01T11:37:46Z")
Unless hostilities go from 0 to 60 in like a week, all non-defensible bases (which is most of them) will probably be evacuated long before fighting starts. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2026, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404/82 "2026-01-01T16:40:04Z")
There may be no political desire to withdraw from forward bastions. An extended dare, if you will… “we’re not going away, so shut up or put up.” Many overseas bases were basically tripwires. They’re the obvious target for the first wave of combat, and having American lives at stake makes sure the American people and political organisms are riled up for a fight. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404/83 "2026-01-02T02:04:22Z")
> [@pool](#): > > Let’s say that every other nation that has an army that is worth a damn suddenly decided to collectively attack the U.S. How much of a fight could the U.S. put up. Would it possibly survive? How long would the US. last? Assume that the majority of our citizens are actively for us winning the war. What would the results be in Nukes are involved? If every other nation agreed to fight the US? The US would lose. The US is separated by oceans but we have a huge land border with Mexico and Canada. Nations could move troops and supplies to Mexico or Canada (I would assume) to prepare for an invasion. It may take a while, but I think eventually the US’s navy would be so worn down that it became far easier to transport goods and troops across the atlantic ocean and across the Bering sea. Eventually the US’s coasts would be open too. The US has 340 million people, the rest of the world has about 7.5 billion. Many other developed nations produce world class military materiel and have world class training, just like the US does. About 10 nations on earth have nukes, so the US’s nukes wouldn’t give them an advantage. Happy 2026 ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404/84 "2026-01-02T03:03:04Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > About 10 nations on earth have nukes, so the US’s nukes wouldn’t give them an advantage. We have more and better nukes but after they have been used, it won’t really matter who won. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404/85 "2026-01-02T03:37:24Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > About 10 nations on earth have nukes, so the US’s nukes wouldn’t give them an advantage. It means that invading armies can simply be incinerated, if nothing else. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404/86 "2026-01-02T06:08:18Z")
It also means the other 8 nations with nuclear weapons can destroy all of the US’s manufacturing facilities, military storage sites and population centers. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404/87 "2026-01-02T06:16:53Z")
And then they all die, and nobody wins. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2026, 10:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404/88 "2026-01-02T10:36:26Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > If the most insignificant developing nation is left even slightly intact they win by default . Zimbabwe to the rescue! World domination awaits! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-long-could-the-u-s-last-against-an-enemy-of-collective-nations/388404.md?page=4)