It's not a 1950s world. It's a world of the future as imagined by 1950s pulp sci-fi.



A wrong one, at that.

And according to the very Fallout 1 intro, the main resources being fought over were petroleum and uranium.

It's also pretty reasonable to assume that any fusion reactor would likely need oil-derived materials in order to be produced too.

I think it was overpopulation, the intro to fallout 2 states that there was too many humans, not enough space or resources.
They could be fighting over oil to make fertilises and things to feed a nation when oil runs out the oil powered agricultural industry collapses and populations starve, causing a military response.

i chose other, but by other i meant everything except for vaults and nuke and... MISTUR BURKEE

Just because the US had well developed fusion technology, it doesn't mean that Western Europe, or even the nations behind the Iron Curtain did. Also, I would be a bit weary of "functioning" Soviet fusion technology(you have to look only as far as Chernobyl to see their "quality" work).

Chernobyl wasnt a just a fault of Soviet Technology. Although there was some flaws in the design, Operator error (and lack of training), The operators not being told by the builders about the known flaws in the plant, and safety constrains were instrumental in setting off that powder keg. Arguably, thanks to the "Proft Motive" driving a demand for "cost savings" (read: shortcuts) such flaws could equaly exist in western plans, if not more so.

At the end of the day, the Russians had Hypersonic civilian transport first, and realised the shuttle would be a failure (on the grounds that it was build - to save money) and cancelled theirs before manned flights.

China became very upset with the U.S. over the continued arguments over who killed who, Chuck Norris or Bruce Lee, in The Way of the Dragon.

Strangely, Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco but China held the belief he was National Citizen and Hero.

Mister Burke !!! :clap:

The best Option, Why? Because he already Started A Resource War here, Why wouldn't he have caused the one in Fallout ?

Frankly:
None of them. Everything Ends Someday. oil ended in Middle East in 2060, this crippled the World oil Supply. In 2074 US Refuses to Sell / Give Oil to the other nations of the World. 2077: America and China Go to hell and God Knows what happened to the Rest...
Worst Cause of Resource Wars were The Europeans (As Always) as they Answered with Military action to the Rising Oil Prices in 2052, and Eventually Fighting with Middle-East until Both are Destroyed.
I think if there Was no Military action, There Could Have been a Slight chance in Preventing the Holocaust...

Oil is used in the production of plastics. Almost every technological device in the FO universe would need plastics... computers, car components, missiles, packaging. Oil isn't just about fuel. I'm pretty sure that the rescource wars were over oil, that's why the Middle East was involved. That's just my take on it (I know there are other ways to produce plastic but oil is still the most convenient/profit effective).

Way to make this thread nice and political...

Actually, from recollection, that is a summary of the official FO timeline for the resoruce wars.

From what I can recall from the Resource Wars description, was that the war was fought over exactly that. The European Commonwealth attacked the Middle East, not for their huge sandbox, but for what was under that big sandbox. So yes, a part of the Resource Wars were obviously fought for Oil. Just like every other war, in modern day.

Mister Burke did TGW

10/23/77 never 4get

To quote the campaign slogan... IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID!

Other
I think its the age old conflict of, "you have it so i want". Europe probably saw the Middle East as a power, with gallons of oil at its disposal and the fact that its practically connected to Europe through Turkey, Europe felt cornered so they started the Resource Wars.Probably the larger and more powerful European countries like France and Germany led the way, carving through Turkey.No doubt there goal would have been Saudi Arabia. I doubt Europe had any idea what they would do with the oil they captured. If they had won the war i don't think it would have made the future any different.If the European's had one they would have no doubt destroyed themselves anyway fighting over the captured oil.

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned the most important resources of them all. Clean water and food.

There have already been plenty of wars over these most basic of things (Rome vs. Carthage for example was over who controlled the main food supplies for the region). The 1950's heralded new mass food production methods (using oil based chemicals) that gave rise to the fast food diner (It began as a way of providing a marketplace for all that extra beef) and the frozen or dried ready meals which are common today, had they not occured, food shortages would be very common in the western world. In the fallout universe there is some evidence that this also occured, but to a much lesser degree. With no Common Market or United Nations to share the technology with other nations and no state leglislation to force the companies to share the technology (The fallout mega companies are all monopolies) , food shortages would have been inevitable.

Also to add to your list of things that require oil. Other important uses include medicines, food preservatives, road building, fertilisers and pesticides (vital for food production), detergents, insulation, weather proofing buildings (as well as the paint), man made fibres for clothing (since food production would demand most of the productive land, cotton and hemp would be in short supply), ink and dyes, toothpaste, fishing nets and line. and on and on.

Modern (1950's) life was developed around oil. Prior to us digging oil from the ground, we used to send men out in boats to hunt whales en mass for the stuff. We've been doing it on an industrial level since the 1600's. Given how depandant we are on the stuff, it seems insane that we are using it for such trivial things as powering motorcars.

Population size around the world was too high,and the infastructres consumed too many resources to provide for them.

The other reason for American involvement in the Resource Wars was the country twisted and insane view of what defined America. Just like in the real 50's,the average American was raised to believe that America was about apple pie,baseball,and REALLY...BIG CARS! Instead of being the sanctuary for freedom and democracy.

At the time of the oil shortages no one suggested,"Hey,lets walk to the store instead of driving." Instead they said,"Lets just invade Mexico and Annex Canada so we can keep up our wasteful lifestyle." If anyone said different they were Commies. Just that simple. It just made more sense to them to invade and pillage other countries and take away their freedom then get a compact car. They were just indoctrinated to believe in these false principles of America.

Like my sister once taught me. "There are people in this world who are so afraid of change,that they would rather have the world burn,then see it change." History is filled with those people,and I have personally met them myself.

Oil is also important for lubrication. Don't underestimate the importance of petroleum products in ensuring things run smoothly!

It's also used in asphalt! Needed to pave roads!

Also, if you go to the fuel stations, there are also gasoline tanks underground. You can tell because if you look at the ground there's a sign saying "Petroleum spirit-Highly flammable"

So some cars used gas. Maybe some corvegas were equipped with gas engines?

The red rocket gas stations confused me right from the beginning.
There are only nuclear powered cars in the Capital Wasteland so it would be logical to assume that the Red Rockets were service stations for nuclear powered cars. The only gas operated vehicles are the motorcycles one can encounter here and there.

But then, as you already said, there is this strange petroleum sign on that underground storage.

So even if these tanks were meant for petroleum ... Where are the gas pumps ?
The Red Rockets dont have a single one.

So the logical assumption is that these storage tanks are not for gasoline but for nuclear fuel rods.
And if they are petroleum tanks and the Red Rockets offered service for both type of cars , combustion and nuclear..... where is the service part for the nuclear powered cars ?

I take it that the nuclear powered cars of Fallout 3 were directly inspired by the suggested Ford Nucleon from the 1950's. Ford had the idea to built what they called service stations which were like gas stations except that they dont offer gas but repair and maintenance services for their nuclear powered cars, replacement of depleted fuel rods or the entire reactor etc.

That huge "Rocket" seems to be more than just a brand sign. It looks like the cars were supposed to drive underneath it. Maybe there was a pulley in it which could lift a nuclear reactor or its fuel rods out of the car ?

But somehow this sign and the highly strange layout of the Red Rockets doesnt fit to each other.

I think a more logical solution is to look at what happens when a Gas/Petrol station closes. The underground tank stays there because its a pain to remove. The pumps get removed as they can be used somewhere else.

Ok, thats an idea. But what were these stations doing then at all ?
There is nothing else on them.

No car workshop, no storage area for fuel rods or anything like that. Its as empty as a parking lot. :huh:
I wish the artist who created them would had also made some sort of poster ad on which you can see what kind of service these stations once offered.

It could be that the stations were automated, with arms coming down from the rocket and doing all the work for you. A pipe would also come out if you had a gas vehicle.