Cold War Rivals in a New World

Chapter 8: The Cold War reignited

Due to the tense diplomatic situation between the Soviet Union and the Gra Valkan Empire, the US tried to reason with the Gra Valkan Empire to not start a war.
The US diplomats received ridicule for their attempts to resolve the conflict, and some tried to explain to them why the Soviet Union was doomed to lose, and that the US was next.
This led to a total breakdown in relations, during which Gra Valkan ships were repeatedly skirting Soviet territorial waters, presumably in an attempt to get the Soviet Union to fire the first shot, so that a war could be justified. The Soviet Union wasn't having any of it and expelled these vessels from Soviet waters. TU-95 "Bear" Bombers were sent to overfly the Gra Valkan Empire dropping propaganda leaflets by the hundreds of thousands, with Gra Valkan air defense being unable to do anything about it.
The leaflets were confiscated, but the message was clear. This time it was leaflets, the next time it will be bombs.
With this demonstration of striking power, the warhawks in the Gra Valkan Empire had somewhat of a humbling moment, as well as the emperor.

In his Throne Hall, the emperor was speaking to the chief of the Air force.

"Now, what are these leaflets?"
The emperor asked.

"They are propaganda leaflets, your Highness. They are multiple pages of paper long and describe a multitude of reasons why we would lose a war against the "Soviet Union". The reasons they list range from individual weapon systems to them being allied with the"United States of America."

"I want to see it for myself."

"Yes your highness. Here is one of these leaflets."

The Emperor read it silently.

"Citizens of the Gra Valkan Empire!

Your leadership is provocating us to start a war for conquest.

However, this war effort, if it ever begins, will be doomed from the start. You have no chance but to surrender unless you want to suffer the wrath of the Soviet Union, it's people, and it's ally, the United States of America.

We possess weapons  beyond your ability to counter them.

Your navy stands no chance against our  integrated coastal defence system.

Your airforce stands no chance against the most basic fighter in service with our airforce, and especially not against the fighters of the United States.
Pictures of the MiG-21, MiG-23, SU-27, F-18, F-16, F-15, and F-14 were included, all showing the aircraft in flight.

We and our ally, the United States, have the power to hit a city with multiple tons of ordnance per aircraft, and at very long range.

Pictures showed a TU-95 Bear, and it's range marked using a circle whose middle was in Moscow.

Your flagship is impressive, but impractical. A ship very similar to it was sunk by the United States 45 years ago, and it only lost 12 men.

A cartoon depicting two men was printed at the end of the leaflet.
One man was depicted as physically attractive, with an attentive look, and a beautiful wife next to him, pushing a general out of his way, with the text "The proponent of diplomacy" under it.
Next to it was an image depicting a physically unattractive man, with an absent look, crooked teeth, and alone, signing a recruitment contract, with the text "The proponent of war" below it. Above it was printed in large bold letters:              
" CHOOSE CAREFULLY WHO YOU WILL BE ".

"This is outrageous! Why were we not able to do anything about this?"

"Because we lack anti-air weapons that can reach as high as those bombers, and our fighters didn't scramble fast enough."

"Then what are our researchers doing? Twiddling their thumbs?"

"No, your highness, they are hard at work. A finished prototype of the Air Defence Network Modernization program will be finished in just two months."