Give me a historical example of a SHTF.

[Will Carry]

I here people on these forums talking about a SHTF scenario. What they mean is a sudden collapse of a great country that is not cause by a 1) plague 2) natural disaster 3) Invasion from outer space 4) invasion by another country. Can someone discuss when a SHTF scenario actually happened in world history? This is not a challenge. I am just interested and want to learn.

[Raoul]

Think about Germany and Spain in the 1930's. Cuba, Venezuela.

[xRUSTYx]

The most recent example ...

Zimbabwe Collapse ... Finance & Economy collapse that is When that went, other things soon followed -- Hyperinflation and Healthcare turmoil (closing of hospitals, etc...)

[Mike.357]

attack of Fort Sumter

[Guest Tusculum]

Google (Randy Weaver)

[Murgatroy]

Look at what it going in in Greece right now, Russia twenty years ago, some would say the Great Depression here in the US. The Spanish Civil war of last century, what is going on in Egypt or Libya right now.

On a smaller scale, Katrina, the LA Riots, etc...

There are lots of examples of SHTF. It doesn't necessarily mean that the blue helmets are running amok on our streets, but just a simple break down of society, even for the short term.

One could use the example of the Blizzard of `93, or any snow scare in East Tennessee as an example of SHTF.

[Guest bkelm18]

When I speak of SHTF I certainly do not speak of a nationwide collapse. A regional incident is far, far more likely. Katrina, earthquakes, etc.

[Major Kong]

Katrina was the first thing that popped into my head.

[Oh Shoot]

On a nationwide scale, the USA's unprecedented living standard by an unprecedented population supported by an unprecedented JIT supply may well render historical examples non-predictive of outcome.

- OS

Edited November 7, 2011 by OhShoot
"scare" = "scale"

[Raoul]

On a nationwide scare, the USA's unprecedented living standard by an unprecedented population supported by an unprecedented JIT supply may well render historical examples non-predictive of outcome.

- OS

Yeah as an example just look at the amount of stuff in the grocery store is gown or produced outside the US.

[G27]

Argentina - economic collapse of a decade ago.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Argentina had a bad economic/fiscal/currency train wreck that lasted maybe 15 years and was especially bad 1999 thru 2002.

Argentine economic crisis (1999

The above article does not discuss law-and-order breakdown but I've read stories describing rather anarchic hard times in some localities.

Reading the Argentina monetary problems, it seems to me that any and all of the Argentina story could happen in the USA if we elect the wrong sequence of politicians.

[oldogy]

Argentina - economic collapse of a decade ago.

And, IMO, the US is doing the same damn things that Argentina did. A very interesting study, the similarities.

oldogy

[Oh Shoot]

Collapse of USSR is the last big example of a super power going bust. Bad as it was, it pales in comparison to what would happen here, due to the ingrained socialist infrastructure that was in place, however poor it may have been.

For a most interesting 20 page or so read, try

Post-Soviet Lessons for a Post-American Century by Dmitry Orlov

He has expanded on this to a full size book, also, keep meaning to find it.

- OS

Edited November 6, 2011 by OhShoot

[DaveTN]

Katrina was the first thing that popped into my head.

My first thought also, of something that actually happened where people armed themselves to protect their homes from looters.

The New Madrid fault was the first thing that came to mind as a SHTF scenario that could happen without warning; it could happen tomorrow. Imagine what it would be like if Memphis was left without power or fresh water and the entire areas infrastructure was destroyed. No fire, Medical, Police.

For days or weeks you could be on your own trying to survive.

Mother Nature is tougher and can act faster than any threat we have.

[UncleJak]

Every great empire we ever learned about in school was taught in past tense. That lets me know that eventually, even the greats all go down. Many of them do still exist in a much smaller capacity, but definitly not as they were in their glory days. I think China is the oldest empire that still has pull today. I think all great countries start off with the greatist intentions. Thats when the greed sets in. Next thing you know, the SHTF....

[Guest pfries]

I agree with all of the above posts.

I feel that preparing for a SHTF scenario is what allowed me to comfortably get through January of 1992 in Michigan when we were without power and heat for 11 days. 11 ½ inches of snow fell and two days later we were hit with ice to finish crippling us. I took in a few of my neighbors within a few days as they were not prepared for any type of event. Now granted there was no looting or anything of that nature but we ate, drank, showered (hot showers) and kept warm for the duration and could have gone for several months like that. After the fact I modified what I had on hand to facilitate longer periods in more comfort. Without having been prepared it would have been ugly.

[Stegall Law Firm]

Historically, the worst have been war-related. Atlanta and Richmond in the Civil War, Stalingrad, Sarajevo, Bahgdad. Bringing war to the people, especially in major urban centers, means desperate times ahead.

Our biggest nemesis today, as already pointed out, is our utter, naked dependence on the power grid. I'm not too worried about hyperinflation or an economic depression. Those take years to develop, and the worst you're going to see is maybe an uptick in crime. I'm thinking of a sudden, virtually overnight event. Could be natural or man-made. Would almost certainly be isolated to a specific area. Not sure how realistic a sudden nationwide shutdown is, like in One Second After. I doubt it would be EMP. Maybe a cyberattack? Maybe some kind of airborne superbug? I'm more worried about an earthquake, tornado, or killer ice storm.

[G27]

Not sure how realistic a sudden nationwide shutdown is, like in One Second After. I doubt it would be EMP. Maybe a cyberattack? Maybe some kind of airborne superbug? I'm more worried about an earthquake, tornado, or killer ice storm.

A large enough solar flare could generate an EMP greater than anything man could ever hope to pull off.

[poak]

I here people on these forums talking about a SHTF scenario. What they mean is a sudden collapse of a great country that is not cause by a 1) plague 2) natural disaster 3) Invasion from outer space 4) invasion by another country. Can someone discuss when a SHTF scenario actually happened in world history? This is not a challenge. I am just interested and want to learn.

Why are you discounting scenarios caused by natural disasters?

[Stegall Law Firm]

Ah, I had forgotten about solar flares. Great. One more thing to worry about.

[bigwakes]

Haiti comes to mind. Things there would be much worse if other nations and nonprofits had not stepped in.

[Guest pfries]

A large enough solar flare could generate an EMP greater than anything man could ever hope to pull off.

Ah, I had forgotten about solar flares. Great. One more thing to worry about.

Probably the most likely wide spread scenario.

Eastern Seaboard losses power Riots ensue

[Mike.357]

i am pretty well worried about zombies. EMP's, nuke attacks. ice and weather, solar flares. You are all paranoid,

[Mike.357]

Haiti comes to mind. Things there would be much worse if other nations and nonprofits had not stepped in.

no big deal there. Haiti being an island is not threat to us.