"Thus removing the United States of America, as such, from a prominent position in the world picture," Ilaria said.
"Yes. I can't understand it. Everything just folded up. SAC didn't even get off the ground. And Colonel Lollabrigida, by then Commander-in-Chief of the UN forces, sent fifty planes, each with one A-bomb, over the Kremlin. One was shot down over Vladivostok, but the bombardier pulled the firing pin as the ship crashed and most of Vladivostok was destroyed. Six other planes made it to their destinations and dropped their loads. I can't remember the cities ... one was a new super airbase near Moscow. Five of the planes returned. None had managed to reach Moscow. Half the world was in ruins. The Pope begged that the War be stopped."
Ilaria snorted. "He knew they'd hit Rome!"
Jay looked at him. "Is that what you think?"
Ilaria shrugged and flashed that quick, winning smile. "There are no other motives, are there?"
Jay stared. What changes had taken place in religious philosophy in this hard-bitten world of 2054?
Kevin Ilaria shrugged, smiling. "That's unimportant. Let's go on with the history lesson. Then what?"
"Uh—oh, yes. As I remember Julius Lollabrigida, to be trite, launched an 'all-out offensive' against Communist forces everywhere. People were afraid of Russia, but they were afraid of Lollabrigida and Rome, too. So they joined him. Aid poured into the UN. Czechoslovakia was taken and Poland and Hungary and finally only the old Russia of pre World War II days was left. And in they went.
"Then Lollabrigida's saboteurs exploded an atomic bomb in the heart of Moscow. After that it was pretty easy sledding."
"Astounding how a nation seems to fall apart when its capitol and its leaders are gone," Ilaria remarked.