Before the Great War, otherwise referenced as World War III, the world of Fallout was one similar to ours. Pre-war history took a different turn in terms of technology, but other than that, it's very recognizable, so players can fathom countless possibilities that may have taken place.Those familiar with the franchise will tell you, "war, war never changes." Yet, what caused it? What exactly happened? We know a nuclear event took place leveling the earth, but what else? Connections and information about that day can be found throughout each game, but here are some you may not have scrounged up.
7 Sino-American War
The United States and China were at war over resources for over a decade. Resources were thin, and both America and specifically the People's Republic of China were fighting over that last main supply. The Sino-American War ended with The Great War, making the Sino-American War the deadliest in history.
To put these said resource shortages in context, have you ever noticed several cars or vehicles scattered about rotting away? Well, if you ever wondered why they aren't up and running or being utilized, it's because gasoline became a commodity of very high regard. Oil superpowers soon followed.
6 Operation Anchorage
Those familiar with Fallout 3 may remember the first of many DLC add-ons: Operation Anchorage. This playable pack let players experience a significant turning point of the Sino-American War, eventually leading into the Great War. In this DLC, players help take back Alaska from Red Chinese troops through a virtual reality simulation.
Thanks to the introduction of the T-51 Power Armor, the remaining Brotherhood of Steel Outcasts and the Lone Wanderer overtake Alaska. Alaska's capture led to the last stalemate over resources and ultimately resulted in the drop of atomic bombs.
5 Robert House Predicted It
Robert Edwin House is the President and CEO of the popular robotics company in the Fallout series, RobCo Industries. Utilizing his casino, The Lucky 38, and its defenses, Mr. House managed to disable 68 of 77 warheads targeting Vegas. Thanks to his foresight, he eventually works to spare most of Vegas, leading to his new world empire.
Mr. House's actions saved many lives as a lot could then reach vaults in time before the inevitable. Mr. House's preparations didn't stop there. He also placed himself in a microbial-free chamber, allowing him to bond with and control the subsystems of the Lucky 38 via a cerebral interface and granting him immortality of a sort.
4 The President Retreated
The man responsible for completing the Power Armor project, President Dick Richardson, rose to power thanks to his father's meddling. He was first elected in the year 2220 and served his first of many terms. When playing Fallout 2, you actually encounter President Richardson in-game and may or may not directly affect Fallout history.
As it turns out, President Richardson fled to supposed safety in March of 2077. Preparing for the hypothetical attack, thought to be nuclear or biological at the time, he ran to an Enclave oil rig. It is from here that President Richarson fired the supposed retaliatory strikes while in DEFCON 2.
3 October 23rd, 2077
On this day, as the narrator would say, " the storm of the world had come again." The Great War took place on Saturday, October 23rd, 2077. Survivors would observe that all clocks had stopped at 9:47, telling the exact moment the bombs dropped.
The old world may have ended, but the new irradiated world was birthed on the same day. Surprisingly, the entirety of the war took place over a single day. In fact, it only lasted a measly two hours. It didn't take long for atomic annihilation to take full effect.
2 Who Shot First?
The U.S. would tell you that the Chinese fired first. The Chinese would say that America swung first. In all honestly, it is unknown who initiated the Great War. It makes sense that both of the leading players in the war would have conflicting reports pointing the finger.
However, Chinese soldiers were quoted to have seen bright lights in the sky, leaning towards a fun theory from fans. Maybe neither of them fired the first nuke. The theory states that maybe Mexico fired first since they weren't annexed by the states and were also fighting to get oil in the war. This could have been a last-ditch effort in spite. All parties were admittedly spiteful, but this theory makes you think.
1 FEV Virus History
It may not be mentioned a ton, but variations of biological warfare launched by China led to early versions of the FEV virus before the Great War. It originally started as a potential cure for what people dubbed the New Plague. However, the truth was that the U.S. government was looking for those immune to the New Plague.
They hoped they could strengthen and potentially evolve these specific people. This truth eventually led to outrage and China leaning heavily on biological warfare as they neared the inevitable Great War.