How the Military Could Have Survived the Zombie Apocalypse

Understanding the Backstory

Prior to the initial zombie outbreak, Fear the Walking Dead shows that there was a fast spreading and lethal flu pandemic. This would have severely strained public services and led to government breakdowns as fewer people were able to go to work. Once the flu entered the military, it would have spread even quicker due to close living quarters. A single infected soldier could have easily turned an entire aid station behind blockade lines. Critical infrastructure workers collapsing from infection and turning could have caused widespread blackouts and water issues. plausible zombie outbreak scenarios military response plans

Chaos Spreads from the Cities

Urban dwellers typically only have 3 days of supplies, so once distribution stopped, riots and looting would start numerous fires. All the sick who died in their homes would rise as zombies and attack families. Survivors from inner cities, like organized gangs, would pour into suburbs seeking resources. The turned dead from cities and conflicts followed, overwhelming suburban defenses. zombie urban outbreak civilian survival preparedness shelter-in-place

Logistical Challenges Are Overcome

Contrary to the notion that logistical breakdown doomed the military, they had many advantages to survive long-term. The military maintains its own stores of weapons, ammunition, food and medicine. While infections spread, many remained uninfected with potential to join the effort. A national draft could have bolstered numbers with safe zone recruits and volunteers seeking to defend their communities. Police also had motives to keep fighting alongside their cities. zombie military response continuity of government non-combatant support civilian integration

Rural Areas Provide Resources

Abandoned towns and warehouses would be low-hanging fruit for resupplying the military. Rural populations are too sparse for massive hordes, and any runners could be spotted from a distance. Farms provide food, and towns could become defensible strongpoints. Local gun owners would rush to join volunteer militias. Nearby fuel and vehicle stores solve mobility issues. rural community defense agriculture logistics infrastructure dispersed populations

Urban Fighting is Mostly Avoidable

While overrun at first, cleared urban streets and buildings provide firing lanes against disorganized zombies in the open. Established safe zones attract volunteers in droves to protect their own. Military equipment like tanks and artillery shred masses of exposed zombies from a distance. Aviations assets like gunships decimate clustered undead with precision munitions. urban combat fire support populated combat air support close air support

Continued Survival is Plausible

With plentiful recruits, abundant local supplies and superior force multipliers, the military could have endured battles and maintained governance. The greatest threats stem from human failures, not the limited capabilities of mindless, disorganized infected. Ongoing counterattacks whittle down zombie numbers over time. The worse the outbreak, the more people fight alongside military stabilization efforts. Grid by grid, block by block, communities are retaken through coordinated might and solidarity. long term survival rebuilding civilization coordinated response community resilience military civilian partnership

Securing Infrastructure Bolsters Operations

Power plants, water treatment and fuel facilities are top survival priorities. Once operational, blackout and sanitation issues end, freeing up manpower. Reconnected communications coordinate wider reconnaissance and resupply beyond immediate safe zones. Reopened road and rail transportation multiplies military mobility across domains. Stadiums and large buildings house vast numbers of civilians sheltered under armed protection. critical infrastructure protection sheltering logistics command and control lines of communication

Airstrips and Seaports Enable Growth

Fixed-wing and helicopter sorties expand beyond visual line of sight, scouting for survivors while engaging distant threats. Resupply via unaffected regions reinvigorates stockpiles. Seaports repair and dock ships carrying aid, hopeful refugees and exiled military assets to rejoin the counteroffensive. Smart utilization of all transportation modes gradually reconstitutes national defenses from the local level up. aerial reconnaissance sea/land/air logistics refuge refugee support international cooperation reconstituting the national military In conclusion, the outbreak depicted on Fear the Walking Dead relies too heavily on unrealistic logistical breakdowns and failings of will to reasonably explain how the military could be overwhelmed by zombies. With reasonable precautions, tactical flexibility, integration of civilian support and use of force multipliers, military and government institutions could have endured and turned the tide through coordinated counterattacks over the long-term. The greatest threats to stability come from human mistakes and discord, not the limited capacities of mindless infected. An organized defense prioritizing critical infrastructure and mobility need not spell defeat in the face of even extensive zombie hordes.