Foreign Invasion: What Would Southern Utah Do?

A recent article from Reuters talking about the results of a government report from a bipartisan panel on upgrading the nation’s nuclear defenses, discussed the need to prepare for an invasion by China and Russia. The report looks at the possibility of war with both countries at the same time. 

A number of years ago I talked with a member of the Utah National Guard who said there was a plan for Southern Utah should there be an invasion of the U.S. He described how they went through a drill once a year to be ready should the need ever arise. 

With the Virgin River Gorge on one end and the I-15 freeway as the one major route to the north, Washington County would obviously be easier to defend than a coastal city. Even somewhere in the Midwest would be harder to defend than Southern Utah as the mountains and canyons provide defensible barriers.  

He described to me how they assumed an invasion would come from California or through the Gulf of Mexico by Texas. The first thing would be to block the Gorge on the southern end of the county. This would protect St. George and the rest of the state. He described how local forces would be deployed to accomplish it. 

Not only does Southern Utah have natural barriers, but it also helps that there is nothing too strategically significant about our end of the state. The closest military installation is Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas. Southern Utah would not be high on the list of places to conquer should a foreign army invade. 

I don’t mean to seem alarmist with this. I just think it is interesting how well thought out the plan was that my friend described.