Y2K War

The Y2K bug triggers nuclear war.
* Civil unrest in the USSR quickly escalates until somebody thinks of using some of the nuclear weapons that are all round.
* Someone either takes advantage of or causes Y2K issues as a prelude to attack.
* "A defense computer fails and sees an attack where none exists . . . or a “dead-man” system loses track of the time, decides that it’s been 99 years since it has heard from its commanders, and launches."
==Note==
Of these only the second option was even remotely realistic. 
The USSR (or any communist nation) has plenty of conventional means to quell unrest and the nuclear weapons would be secured in military bases. 
Contrary to popular belief computers don't directly control the nuclear arsenals and there are numerous failsafes requiring human interpretation and action in place to minimize such situationsStanislav Petrov is a prime example of such a human failsafe.
==References==
* GURPS Y2K 21
Category:Setting Concepts