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The conflagration lasted for weeks, perhaps even months. The intense thermal radiation from the bombardment set much of downtown Washington on fire. The densely urbanized center of Washington was spared most of the direct impact. In the end, it did not make much of a difference, as the future Capital Wasteland was saturated with nuclear weapons, coming in multiple waves. Its disappearance from the grid acted as an early warning, allowing civilians to get to shelter, and the armed forces to mobilize. When nuclear weapons began to land on American soil, the West Coast was struck first. Most servicemen were not briefed on the imminent threat. The most highly trained units were dedicated to Washington, D.C., to assist and evacuate the civilian population. National Guard units and their auxiliaries were mobilized and deployed throughout the nation. The situation came to pass in October, when the American offensive pushed deep towards Beijing. īy March 2077, in the light of the recent advances by the American military against the Chinese, key military, civilian, and corporate leaders abandoned Washington and the United States, expecting a retaliatory nuclear strike. The last monument to be erected within the city is the Anchorage War Memorial, situated on FDR Island in the Potomac River it was constructed after the conclusion of the Anchorage Reclamation. Buildings were reinforced with armored layers to deflect the blast wave and preserve their structural integrity and safeguard the legacy of the American nation, while infrastructure was upgraded and modified to become fully automated and capable of working even after centuries of no maintenance. As the Sino-American War drew to a conclusion, the city was increasingly fortified against a nuclear attack. The city of Washington and the surrounding environs were the heart of the pre-War United States and, as a result, a prime strategic target for the People's Republic of China.
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