The Military's Role in The Walking Dead Universe - From the Outbreak to the Civic Republic

[@neofulcrum5013]

As many suspected, the military did not get overwhelmed by the outbreak. Oh sure some units were engulfed in the hordes. But they mostly splintered; from those compliant with orders to commit scorched earth methods to units going rogue and fighting each other. To those who straight up embraced desertion based on the writing on the wall and joining other communities.

[@gametvon98]

Make sense Operation Cobalt really makes your Military lose moral especially you doing it within American Soil

[@randomcoyote8807]

That's what I'm thinking, too... that National Guard squad that the Governor's troops wiped out were clearly rudderless and searching, which indicates to me that a lot of units were left out of the plan and were as confused as the civilians.

[@TWDExplained]

all good points

[@tridentanimation2981]

The very fact that the entire or most the Pennsylvania National Guard mutinied, perhaps under the authority of the state government would have caused panic in the higher command. The commencement of a civil war would have caused individual desertions, unit mutinies, local commands to disconnect from the higher commands and possibly even the High Command to fracture and fragment. Applying the Second American Civil War back across the franchise historical events during the initial outbreak and spread in the United States of America, explains why the Contingency Plan of Operation Cobalt was the last significant military action. The military apparatus of the United States of American, all forces, branches experienced during Operation Cobalt distrust, lack of civil cooperation, dissidence from civilians, resistance. During the later stages abandonment by other units, support networks, organisational breakdown, desertions, betrayals, mutinies and the mass hordes of infection vectors destroyed the Intuition, organisation and the nation-state it served.

[@scarl1003]

The whole Cobalt thing makes me really wonder just how many walkers we see in the cities, notably Atlanta and New York, actually turned from bites. It seems to me that at least a large chunk of them were victims of Cobalt, or had died from other means than a bite.

[@formally727]

if I recall from TWD Dead Island the main survivor mentioned how Manhattan had been completely over run, and doing it as a last-ditch effort. Though this is just the case for New York being over run, I doubt that all of the major cities fell completely in a day - we could've seen a lot more people possibly surviving, but definitely a lot less walkers in populous areas if people were given time to run, regardless of if they'd live or not.

[@scarl1003]

@formally727 I do think that Manhattan was overrun faster than other cities because of it being an island. And I think that the military had a massive role in the city being overrun faster. Given that the Army had enough time and presence to stuff likely hundreds of thousands of walkers, neutralized or not, into the sewers, they certainly had to have been functioning, even if barely, for at least some time. Then they got overrun by both the naturally accruing hoard, and by reanimated civilians they may have decided to "humanely terminate" and stuff into the sewers as the situation went to shit and the Army just began shooting everything that moved out of panic, unable to tell the difference between the living and not in such a chaotic environment.

[@xJDMWaRRi0Rx]

it just makes more sense that the walkers, hearing and seeing the explosions from as far as they could, gathered all of them up into the cities afterwards and like we were shown with the quarry near Alexandria, it became a never-ending cycle of attracting more and more zombies to it due to the noise. It also helps explains how the groups can go on for almost entire episode lengths in the woods without encountering any walkers

[@syzionaurifex5383]

They dropped the bombs before Dr Jenner found out it was airborne. Inevitably sealing the world’s fate.

[@killaxero86]

I love how the CRM is basically the Enclave and the Brotherhood of Steel rolled into one entity.

[@jeremyscungio16]

The enclave and most brotherhood chapters are staunch isolationists

[@thereclaimer2945]

So true! For some reason I cannot see the CRM as the bad guys. I know that’s really weird but I can’t see them as bad. 😂

[@supermanfan3113]

Same ​@@thereclaimer2945

[@Italkmadshitlol]

Literally this. Their entire storyline and destruction felt like a rehashed watered down Fallout 2 plot. The Commonwealth? NCR lol.

[@sui1162]

​@thereclaimer2945 well, the CRM arent bad guys. Its just the dudes with the red tape that were the bad guys. They even say that everyone who didnt have that red tape didnt take part or have any knowledge of what they did.

[@3rdBrigadeCombatTeam1978]

These are the topics I like in the walking dead universe "The military topics"

[@Jackmoment-u8w]

me too

[@tyrionlannister4920]

For the most part i consider myself a TWD fan, but if im honest, im bored of watching people trying to grow crops, and killing each other while the whole world is in shambles... Id much rather see and follow the story of like 200 american, russian, chinese soldiers who go ham on zombies 🔥🔥🔥 Or to make it more appealing for a general audience, lets take some UN battlegroup mixed from different nations... They were deployed somewhere, shit hits the fan, loose contact to superiors... Same old story.... A few desert, the rest moves out to somewhere... No overpowered stuff like air support or tanks, just some BTR's and Toyotas 😂 And yes, in the beginning they would be, like any military or similar heavily armed force very overpowered... But a mistake here and there, an BTR getting stuck in zombie guts, a dozen soldiers making a last stand so the rest can smash/break through and over time their number/equipment gets less and less... You can add additional drama and conflict with the soldiers of different nationalities starting to mistrusting each other or blaming each others governments for the apocalypse n stuff... The zombie threat would have to be worse than walking zombies... More like 28days/weeks later rage zombies... Loved those movies. First one with the british and second with the american/UN soldiers getting overrun and absolutly fffffckd was way more thrilling and realistic than some civillian groups who got nothing better to do than sloughtering each other.

[@aOldRustyTruck]

Best example of zombies vs military, where eventually the military wins, being a good story still is the book World War Z

[@dfmrcv862]

No, I'd say the best example is the Korean show "All of us Are Dead". World War Z had *so* many misconceptions about the military and overall combat doctrine, and the amount of misconceptions and myths about the US military it's spawned and pushed forward are still painfully felt to this day.

[@aOldRustyTruck]

@@dfmrcv862 The book isn't just the US military though, and which misconceptions are there, can you elaborate?

[@dfmrcv862]

@@aOldRustyTruck oof, where to begin? Yonkers? For as well researched as the book is, the military aspects, *all* military aspects, are horribly researched. Okay, so... let's grant the zombies all the silly basics, where the book notes that "so long as you got a working thinker and some mobility" (horrible line by the way), and that the barrage they faced really didn't do the damage they expected. First problem, and Todd Wainio's character notes it immediately. No one. No. One. Thought about ammo. That's right, the US military, the military whose whole development history since World War I has been to ensure our logistics bring the right ammo to the guys... forgot to bring ammo for sustained fire missions... And *then* there's the next point... the "Cold War" generals that planned it forgot about the basic Cold War tactic of *fighting retreats!* Once the line in Yonkers fell they all just ran in a route. That's not how the US military operates or has operated *ever.* Remember, NATO doctrine during the Cold War was to expect a massive Russian tank charge that couldn't be stopped in one move, so the idea of defense in depth, where you set up multiple defensive areas to chew the enemy out before moving to the next one was *basic training* for officers! And *then* there's the "new" Army we see... They put the M16s and M4s in storage in exchange for... a mini 14... a wooden rifle. Oh, they call it the Sir (standard infantry rifle), but the description we get ensures is that of a Mini 14... This was done solely because Max Brooks *really* doesn't like the AR platform, but he contradicted his own world building. The *implied* reason for switching to the sir was that the M4 and M16s had full auto options... but that can be switched by removing a few parts. So despite the country in World War Z recycling everything, they spent time and resources on a new rifle that did everything the AR does but is wooden meaning it will swell and jam the second you get into humid climates. And *before* you say 'well maybe they lost most AR variants during the retreat", nowhere in the book is that stated... World War Z isn't a bad book, by the way, but its telling of the military is *bad.*

[@aOldRustyTruck]

@@dfmrcv862 it's refreshing when somebody has substance in their reasoning thanks

[@snakeplissken3653]

The military element in TWD is key. Thanks for a great video on this topic.

[@TWDExplained]

Thanks as always!!!

[@guyuscoolius2326]

randall's group being seen as the greatest threat in the show at S2 whilst the CRM had a whole army at that point puts things into prespective

[@Jackmoment-u8w]

Also I theorize that there are still proper governments out there, or they are in-tact but we are not just shown.

[@donnymann6739]

The military fell quick because family is more important than duty.

[@commandophoenix605]

lmao

[@carolinecraft2713]

Great Video! There is so many questions that still need to be answered. I hate that they just left the Civic Republic like they did & got rid of Beale. There was so much potential there. If they did another spin off, I would like it to be about what’s left of Civic Republic or if there is some other powerful group hidden away that could matter. I always want story explaining how & why outbreak happened but I don’t think we are ever going to get that.

[@Father_Daniel]

I know ow such a shame how they handled the CRM

[@philljrton]

The world war Z book says that the military couldn’t take out the zombies because they shoot at the chests not the heads

[@Gov-Serrano]

Yep! How can you go from making body shots your entire military/police career to suddenly making an expert headshot every time. You can't.

[@philljrton]

@@Gov-Serrano exactly, people have been complaining for years of walking dead characters getting 100 percent headshots

[@preshlock]

@@Gov-Serrano you wouldn't have to. Artillery & air power would absolutely shred hordes of zombies before they got close to the ground troops. Most of the zombies would look like the bicycle girl after being worked over by heavy ordnance.

[@dmon147]

​@@preshlockthe battle of yonkers, search it n u will know, that doesn't secure anything

[@Italkmadshitlol]

​@@Gov-SerranoI promise, most average riflemen can make headshots on slow shambling stagnant targets.

[@rexrivers2220]

Makes you think, if the crm has boats and cruisers

[@Nebu3]

Well france had boats that could travel from US to France so perhaps ?

[@dawsonkozel4171]

the city there in has a major naval base where they keep ships that were decommissioned but could be reactivated if needed

[@lordfrostwind3151]

They went up to Camden, stole the USS New Jersey and refitted her for combat. That would be friggin sweet.

[@Father_Daniel]

The World Beyond showed that they were looking for a cure but also doing other experiments on people and walkers. We never touched on any of that in TOWL. I was 100% certain those experiments were going to tie into the boats going to France. It could have been such a perfect connection! I'm sorry but every time we talk about the CRM I shed a little tear LOL

[@TWDExplained]

lol

[@IronsRM3]

It does seem highly contradictory that Beale was intent on saving civilization but then spent most of his time wiping out communities. The CR of Philadelphia was not going to repopulate the world on its own 🤣

[@TWDExplained]

true

[@italianstallion389]

That's what bothered me. The big plan was kill everyone else? Enough to convince people it was a great idea and they had the numbers to rebuild?

[@Italkmadshitlol]

100k could repopulate no problem. Our numbers have been lower.

[@Wikchsawa]

It wasn't exactly about repopulation but securing the future of America's only self-sustaining civilization, and of probably the whole world, so its about saving the species and yes they're able to repopulate the world on their own at least only in America.

[@abelquinones3646]

Thank you James for this video. It was very entertaining and informative. I liked it a lot. For me as always, looking into and talking about the government, military, scientists, and the science regarding Wildfire in the Walking Dead universe is always interesting.

[@TWDExplained]

I am glad you enjoyed it! I like exploring the different angles of the universe, too!

[@Thomas-VA]

slow movie zombies, even in Rick's universe, should not have overwhelmed the military . . . it is writing convenience or there isn't much of a future story to tell. Now some places, yes, it runs unchecked for a little while and then clean up happens. What's kept the Walking Dead going so long, plot armor and writing for the long haul with a lot rinse and repeat

[@preshlock]

right after artillery & air power worked over the zombies they would resemble the bicycle girl from the first episode by they time they crawled to the front line ground troops.

[@justinnunez1892]

In their world there was no zombie media for them to know of shooting people in heads when sick, couple with people quickly turning and also everyone who died also turning

[@darklord7479]

⁠@@justinnunez1892That wouldn’t matter after at most a week people would realize you gotta aim for the head. As for the numbers game that would drop like a rock as the global population drops. It will peak then drop

[@Cheese-of8nb]

How many humans are alive in the walking dead because 10 years ago around 300,000 humans were alive but with the crm being secret there seems to be way way more people alive in twd

[@TWDExplained]

CW had around 50k and Portland had 87k and CR had around 200k - so +350k in the USA RIP the 97k in Omaha

[@alejandroherrera7502]

But I still don’t understand why there was military personal while they were bombing Atlanta ?

[@RaymondDouglasRPD1969]

Maybe the situation were so bad at Atlanta that they didn't had time to evacuate all military personnel

[@Loganallenlogan621]

That's good Video James

[@TWDExplained]

Thanks!

[@Loganallenlogan621]

@@TWDExplained good morning James

[@TWDExplained]

Hey!

[@brianachim2670]

They were no help at all 💀

[@TheWesman45]

The military losing is a prerequisite for any zombie fiction. Since the reality is the military wouldn't lose.

[@Powergenetic]

Exactly lol, infact most able bodied people wouldn't lose against a single zombie. It'd only really be the young and infirm who are at any serious risk of zombies. If a TWD style apocalypse did happen it would be one of those things that are terrifying for the first couple of days/weeks while the authorities try and get a handle on the situation as civil order breaks down right alongside it. But after that? Mandatory stay at home orders, neighbourhood watch for zombies and the authorities quickly figuring out not only how to kill zombies but also that the zombies have no sense of self preservation and are drawn to near enough everything. It's a behavioural trait that would be exploited at every opportunity. Sure it might be rocky with everyone infected but it would quickly become just a part of life and something we just deal with. They'd be the odd tragic story of course but for the most part it would be relatively straightforward and things would be put in place to protect people and minimise the possibility of an outbreak. No way would a TWD style outbreak ruin the world.

[@AEB1066]

The issue in the TWD world is that anyone who dies comes back as a walker. About 8,000 people die each day in the USA. Given that the TWD world had no knowledge of zombies you could assume that a lot of people including police, paramedics, doctors, nurses, firemen, etc, would be attacked by the first walkers. Then the next day another 8,000 people die plus extra people who were bitten or killed. If you don't lock down fast you lose the hospitals so even more people die. The panic, looting and riots kill even more. Then you have the collapse of supply chains. Fuel stops being delivered. The power goes out. Phones fail. So if you somehow failed to get on top of things in the first few days things could get bad fast.

[@Powergenetic]

@@AEB1066 The dead coming back is something that would be figured out in the first day though imo. First responders are obviously most at risk of infection in that scenario, heck, we saw as much in the Hannah TWD webisode when that woman tried mouth to mouth resuscitation with a dead woman and it went about as well as you'd expect. Even so though I think that anyone with common sense could figure out that the dead are coming back and to stay away from them. Some first responders would initially die or get infected but after that I think hospitals would lock away/tie the dead up until they get further instruction on what's going on after the initial chaos. After things have settled down even the 8000 people that die a day would be an issue that could be remedied relatively easily. Ad campaigns telling people what to do in the event of an untimely death or the number to call if a zombie is spotted and what to do if a zombie is spotted. An entire new wing of the military/civil defence force would be created to swiftly deal with any zombie sightings. Localised sound systems would be in place across urban areas that would sound off almost like an air raid siren telling people to find shelter immediately due to a zombie sighting and not to move until instructed later on. Hospitals and old folks homes would have armed security on site just incase along with various different safety features to protect staff. I could even see phone boxes (and more) and the like being altered in a way to make them into miniature bunkers for people to shelter in in the event they're just minding their own business and happen to stumble upon a zombie. It's obviously not an ideal world but I think it's one humanity would eventually adjust too and master. People would probably even start complaining about how inconvenient zombie sightings are and how the authorities take far too much precaution and time when it comes to clearing out a threat. You can see it now lol, 10 minutes until you're due to go home when the siren goes off and now you are your colleagues are stuck at the office for the next one or two hours while the zombie (and possibly any others) are located and further investigating takes place. You and your colleagues are annoyed at having to stay around twiddling your thumbs and joking around that the zombies aren't even that dangerous anyway as you can just walk faster than them. Stuff like that.

[@ryanmartin9173]

What about fast moving zombies?

[@TheWesman45]

@@AEB1066 1. Much of those 8000 people per day are old. There would be stay at home orders as well. So the actual number would be lower. 2. The military/Govt would soon develop an SOP(Standard Operating Procedure) for anyone that dies. We haven't seen it in the US, but martial law is a thing. It's really hard for anything to spread when people have a stay at home order at threat of being shot if they are found outside. 3. One of the first military priorities would be securing vital infrastructure like hospitals, power plants, shipping ports, and major road ways. Thats the thing people don't understand. The US would be a ghost town in a matter of days. With the only travelers being military, emergency services, and citizens are needed/ordered to keep doing their jobs. 4. Radios don't care about your cell phone towers. I'm not sure how much you know about military radios, but they can reach dozens of miles through rough terrain and they do more than voice. MANET radios have a lot more in common with WiFi and internet, then the walkie talkies most of us have probably used. The military would be able to communicate complex data well after all other resources have gone down. Which is without considering that satellite connectivity would still work for a long time. Including GPS. 5. Most first world countries have a reserve of fuel. We would not go through it quickly, since like I've already mentioned, the vast majority of people would not be on the road. 6. in the US at least, the military would have help. There are more guns than people here and that's just the ones in private hands. You could give one to every man, woman, and child and still have tens of millions left over.

[@Loganallenlogan621]

And also we see what's left of the Military in Firesign stadium all wiped out why trying to get to the FEMA Helicopter fighting or the Walker's in survival Instinct

[@samuelsilva8364]

They could take some inspiration in real world scenarios like WWII battles. Something like Leningrad siege with people dying of hunger, cold and infection, years and years going by. I guess it would be more of a dramatic storie tho when TWD aims for a more action packed approach.

[@mistersanchez8023]

The thing i didn't like about the walking dead live action universe is how rick & company during season 1 would just leave all those weapons on the ground during the finale.

[@preshlock]

artillery & air power would absolutely wreck hordes of zombies before they got close to ground troops.

[@tomlichnofsky.7048]

🤔😲One Week To go Till Daryl Dixon The Book of Carol 👊😎✊👌😆👍🍁

[@carolinecraft2713]

Yessss! It’s hard to believe that we are finally almost there.

[@ChrisSalmon-oz2uk]

CRM base was it real base before the fall or a base rebuild

[@TWDExplained]

built I think - across the river from Philly is Camden - no base there.

[@Kazako83]

This isn't a direct criticism of you, but the "It's needed for the universe to work" is not a good argument, it's an excuse for poor writing and lazy worldbuilding. There are universes where it is perfectly plausible for the military and government to fail, and there are universes where the military does not entirely fail (TLOU). We should not at all accept this as an excuse for writers to not be creative with worldbuilding or research.

[@TWDExplained]

just meant it's more a trope of the genre

[@Kazako83]

@@TWDExplained For sure I get you, like I meant not at all trying to critique you.

[@TWDExplained]

@@Kazako83 I understand - and it is true, lots of poor writing, rehashing and lazy world building for sure

[@ghostsstarwars1929]

At least the CRM is the remnants of the U.S. military

[@TWDExplained]

yep!

[@ghostsstarwars1929]

@@TWDExplained I’m glad

[@sasaturanjanin2072]

I would like to see other us military/national guard remnats they very much talk about that in few ocassions in the ones who live and that show came in 2024 so i think they should make a spin-off of a military remnats how they or national guard survive and became their own faction like crm (crm is i think remnats of national guard) i would like to see a show about that topic we see that in fear twd in s1 military they should focus on that in possible new spon-off and i would like to see that if they made new military factions that they dont change uniforms i would like them to keep us military and i think that is very likely that we will get that show because they still in new shows show outbreak military lore (twd ones who lives) and its financionaly profitable and thank you for still making this kind of video.

[@Costa_123]

Very interesting video! A pity this topic is left barely touched on TWD. Wouldnt the word "mutiny" be more appropiate than "coup"? Im not a native speaker so yall are free to correct me, but maybe it could be of better use

[@italianstallion389]

At first it was mutant, but since they were trying to be the new government it was a coup.

[@sui1162]

The CRM (post Beale) is based. GOD BLESS THE CRM, AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

[@bartolorios9040]

What happened to the military in Nashville? was the city bombed?, so many fans want to know.

[@TWDExplained]

I don't think we get that info

[@Father_Daniel]

We know James would have survived! Lol

[@TWDExplained]

I heard it got overrun at the start - and some you-tuber named James controls the city now - or should I say a Gangster named James - I also hear he should not be messed with haha

[@Father_Daniel]

@@TWDExplained I'd watch that! lol

[@italianstallion389]

Im not sold every militarily unit was destroyed. I could see some military bases. I dont think its a unified force or anything.

[@rosannamendoza9825]

Reapers in walking dead is elite forces before the apocalypse

[@syzionaurifex5383]

Bad writing killed this show. It all started with Chandler not getting the money he was worth, then having his character written off (Carl would never be stupid enough to allow himself to get bit) Also, Rick died on that rubble pile. You can’t change my mind. This show died with Glenn

[@homelessoreo5118]

Why doesn’t the global military use nukes?

[@Chris-pi5vv]

The walking Dead: Dead in the water.

[@americasunderdog]

Just don’t to shoot a fence and not expect it to fail

[@tommywilliams5140]

Damn good vid already an I am only 1 min 59 secs

[@Loganallenlogan621]

Good evening James how are you doing?

[@TWDExplained]

doing well

[@Loganallenlogan621]

@@TWDExplained thats great I'm having Milk and Cookies

[@Rninetugs]

We need a revisit to Teddy, his plan / bisontand thr nukes

[@jmuk3571]

It’s more obvious than usual that he’s just reading something and not talking to the aufience

[@TWDExplained]

You mean me? Yes, usually I just turn on the mic and talk - but sometimes I write a script - and yes, I was reading the script into the mic. I do need to work on "sounding like I'm reading". Thanks for watching!

[@reaperofdeath147]

I find it hard to believe a national guard unit taking out a marine unit

[@TWDExplained]

They were gathered up about to strike the city and Okafor bombed them from above

[@brianachim2670]

I never liked the backstory

[@Tony27654]

@@TWDExplainedTWD is a cringe drama show made for the mindless masses that watch TV. The World War Z book needs a show.

[@HuttVita-w2o]

Hernandez Mark Gonzalez Ruth Thompson Eric

[@rickygreider4281]

Northern Illinois 🔹🍔🍟🥤🥤🎧📺♦️🔹

[@davidcreager1945]

The CRM seems too well organized to have been made up as they went along. And why did it take so long to be introduced to the CRM ? Wouldn't they know about Alexandria , hilltop and oceanside as well as the Saviors ?

[@TWDExplained]

You would think they would have known about them - but in TOWL we learned they did not know about Alexandria (through Jadis letter)

[@tridentanimation2981]

The Civic Republic was it seems rather vulnerable during the early years of its existence being a war-torn, rump remnant of a rogue state that had just endured partial societal collapse, civil war, state collapse and was reconstituting itself as a new nation-state with the concerns of food security, civic organisations, law and order and a hundred other primary concerns, a thousand secondary worries, not to mention aiding and assisting two other very large safe-zones located at great distances apart with a multitude of similar problems. It is little wonder they did not bother with a seven-hundred strong antagonistic and belligerent bandit organisation in North Eastern Virginia and the District of Columbia.