The Flash (as it is colloquially know, officially The 2082 Soviet-American War) was a nuclear exchange between the USSR and the USA sparked by an incident in the Gulf of Mexico, which would eventually drag in many other countries and mark the destruction of civilization on Terra. The incident was sparked during the Mexican Civil War (link this) and the shipment of Soviet weapons to the communist Mexican guerilla fighters in Veracruz. The Soviet freighter group Begichev was en route to Veracruz carrying Soviet weapons when an oil leak caused an explosion on the vessel while American destroyers were nearby. The explosion was interpreted as an attack on the freighter by the accompanying Soviet nuclear armed submarines, and due to a communications blackout the submarines fired nuclear warheads at American ships in retaliation. Early warning systems picked up the nuclear explosions, and automated nuclear strikes were launched.
The spark that started the flame
2/5/82 1:56 A.M EST Soviet freighter group 2/82-17-A “Begichev” enters the Caribbean 28 miles East of Cuba accompanied by 2 Buran class submarines.
2:44 A.M Freighters dock in Baracoa Cuba to refuel and drop off shipments of arms while submarines patrol the area between Cuba and great Inagua
6:44 A.M After significant delay due to mechanical issues on freighter Moscow, the group the continues to its destination in Veracruz Mexico with the submarines following closely behind.
6:48 A.M Destroyers Kennedy and jones depart from Kingsville Texas to patrol the Caribbean for unreported freighters heading towards the Mexican coast to and attempt to ward them off from reaching the coast.
7:01 A.M Freighter Moscow has an engine malfunction, and the group must slow in order to not leave the vessel behind while American vessels patrolled the waters. The group will is estimated to be 6 hours late to Veracruz. Onboard the Moscow the engine problems increase in severity and fuel begins the leak unnoticed into one of the lower compartments where MBT ammunition is being stored. The Moscow fails to inform the rest of the group of the worsening in problems to avoid reprimand by higher ups.
8:59 A.M The American destroyers make radar contact with the Soviet freighter group but not the Soviet submarines accompanying them.
9:01 A.M the 2 hidden Buran submarines (S166 and S87) detect the American destroyers 9 miles away from the group.
9:48 A.M The freighters make visual contact with the destroyers out of the storm that had descended on over the area
10:24 A.M A significant amount of fuel has leaked into the MBT ammunition storage bay
10:58 A.M The Moscow has a rudder malfunction caused by damage from Cuban engineers working on the engine leading it to pivot uncommanded towards the American destroyers while ship begins to lose power.
11:09 The Moscow loses electrical power and so is unable to contact Buran S87
5:33 PM Because of this neither S87 or S166 attempt to contact the American destroyers about the freighters intent. No other freighter noticed the change in course as all focus was put on the rapidly approaching destroyers.
11:29 A.M It is not known how exactly a spark was generated, but combining the fuel that had leaked into the bay and munitions stored there resulted in a massive explosion aboard the Moscow towards the bow of the ship.
11:31 A.M U.S.S Kennedy fires upon the freighters believing the Moscow explosion was caused by the launch of a torpedo from U.S.S Jones. Miscommunication comes from radio silence between the two destroyers and the anxiety induced by the sudden head on trajectory by the Moscow
11:34 A.M S87 detects multiple explosions from the freighters and receives reports of being fired upon by the Americans. S87 relays this information to S166.
11:38 A.M S166 moves to engage with the destroyers while S86 attempts to contact Soviet high command to inform them about the incident so that it may be resolved diplomatically. However cannot due to an ongoing solar storm.
11:39 A.M S87 perceives the inability to contact Soviet high command as an indicator that war has broken out. S87 relays this to S166 who immediately fires its nuclear tipped torpedo’s towards the American destroyers.
11:57 A.M Soviet and American early warning systems detect nuclear detonations in the Caribbean and perceive it as full scale launch from the other. Full scale mutually assured destruction ensues. Total casualties from the event known as “the flash” are unknown however it is thought that 2 billion died in the initial launch’s and 7 billion from the fallout and nuclear winter. The currently estimated population on earth stands at around 259 million or less