In the Fallout universe, in those two hours, every country was hit, every major city targeted. Sure no nuclear winter, but the acidic rain would kill off nearly all plant life, not to mention most forms of tree were most likely killed off.
I do not believe this is scientifically accurate, and it really makes no sense why a country like Chile or Argentena or Turkey would have, "All of their cities bombed". It really makes no sense. What makes alot of sense is that the US, China and their allies totally destroy one-another with nuclear bombs. But to say Every Major City was targetted - seems pure fantassy to me.
(The anexation of Canada was for the large forests it still possesed in the timeline, the lumber would be a massive advantage in favour of the united states. Reasons for Canada still having a large lumber stock would it its small population and military in relationship to it, in all likely hood, they had shared thier dwindling coal and oil resources with the states in order to maintain relations until the annexation began with soldiers traveling through Canada to anchorage, later justified by the military by the attempted sabotage of the Alaskan oil pipeline.) China would have likely clear cut through the forests in asia in order to keep up with the U.S. over the battle for the remaining oil pockets. As an aside to a post I read earlier in this topic, the United States were not the sole possixrs of Powered Armour. The Chinese military had developed and were feilding its own form of Powered Armour in responce to the american deployment of it. And as said he New Plauge was a massive detriment to the population before Armageddeon, if it survived afterwards in other nations (There no information to confirm or deny this) it would have been devistating to surviving population.
No way Canada would survive a war like that. If it has trees, most countries would also have them. No problems with Canada retaining a forest, but only if forest exists all over the planet. If one country had lots of lumber, then others would too. And the idea that No Rain falls 200 years after the war is insane - unless the Canon story has the Oceans boiled-off too?
200+ years after the war, the world would look much more like Fellout's depiction. The US and China might still be soaked in radiation, but not the entirety of the world. Thus alot of placed would have trees, brush, etc.
Addendum to this, It is theorised in Fallout, and seemingly confirmed Fallout 2, all residents of Earth at this point in the Fallout timeline, Save still sealed vaults, and the Enclave, have been infected by a mutated form of FEV dispersed into the atmosphere when West-Tec was destroyed and its FEV tanks shattered.
Hmmmm. Again it works well in the fantassy-world of Fallout, but not in the real world. In the real world, It is very difficult for diseases to jump oceans unless it hitches a ride with a human crossing the pond. Thats why ancient populations that first met with humans from another part of the world would "Bring" new diseases with them. After nuclear war with no-one flying around the world anymore, the spread of disease from continent to continent would virtually come to a stand-still.
I love Fallout3.
I just don't think the "Canon" version should be taken for Anything other than one Game-Team's depiction of the post apocalyptic world. The Fallout3 team went their own way, and I suspect future Fallout games will to. Its all in good Fun, but it's definitely not True in the real world.
M