The near-total collapse of communications made every task far more difficult, forcing some Guard commanders to use "runners, like in World War I," as one put it.

Despite the near-total collapse of human civilization, most of the powerful technology managed to survive the centuries.

It blames Pakistan for everything, ignoring the harshness of Indian rule and the near-total collapse of civil liberties in Kashmir.

In Southeast Asia, egg harvesting in countries such as Thailand and Malaysia has led to a near-total collapse of local nesting populations.

That money has grown in importance because of the near-total collapse of cash coming from network TV.

Because of the near-total collapse of offense, pitchers like Tom Glavine have been saddled with excruciatingly painful losses.

Second, East Germany's economy and infrastructure underwent a swift and near-total collapse.

By 1996, the Palang Dharma Party had fallen into near-total collapse due to factional conflicts within the party.

Diseases introduced by European contact would decimate the native population in the ensuing decades, leading to the near-total collapse of every established culture across peninsular Florida.

The result was a swift and near-total collapse, a "first-to-worst" situation.