With tensions on the rise in the skies above Syria and Europe, Russia and the United States would seem destined to return to the days of proxy wars and continuous posturing… and one can hope nothing more.  The United States clearly boasts the largest and most powerful military in the world, and the two nations are not nearly as evenly matched as they may once have been, but open war with Russia would, nonetheless, result in a massive loss of life the world over.

It seems safe to say that if the United States and Russia were ever to declare war on one another, the entire world would likely lose – but the question still stands, how does the modern U.S. military size up against the perhaps outdated, but none the less formidable, Russian fighting force?

War on that scale would require a great deal of considerations – international politics, domestic challenges, and resource scarcity would all directly affect how such a war would play out, and the United States would certainly call upon its allies for assistance.  Russia too would likely look for international support in their fight against the United States, possibly drawing China, North Korea, Iran or others into their corner.  A war between Russia and the U.S. would almost inevitably result in World War III, but even that title may be misleading.  World Wars I and II may have brought about a catastrophic loss of life, but advancements in weapons technologies, particularly nuclear weapons, could mean World War III may be the last war humanity ever fights.

But what if we could do away with all that and just climb into a cage with Russia?  How do our militaries compare to one another in a side by side comparison?

A YouTube channel called “The Infographic Show” set out to draw just such a comparison in a recent installment in their series comparing the assets, equipment, and even entire militaries of various nations around the world, breaking down a conflict between Russia and the United States to concrete numbers and simple “this-to-that” comparisons.  The video doesn’t draw any conclusions, but rather presents a bare bones analysis of each country’s military strengths and weaknesses so you can come to your own.

Of course, such a simplistic approach can’t truly capture the reality of a war with Russia, as both nation’s assets are scattered around huge geographical areas and the two nations aren’t sitting side by side with one another, meaning America’s experience in force projection would likely see fewer military assets involved in the fight, while making every effort to take the war to the Kremlin rather than allowing it to reach American shores.  Strategy, above numbers, would truly decide the victor if war were ever to occur – but that doesn’t mean there isn’t perspective to be gained by looking at how the nations size up with one another.

Like Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor, the winner will likely be decided by who has a better strategy, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consider things like height, weight, reach, and experience.

Check out this breakdown provided by the Infographic Show – and while you’re at it, check out some of their other interesting comparisons, like the F-35 against the Russian Su-35, or how China’s growing military stacks up against our own.

Image courtesy of YouTube