Four Minute Warning

[Humodour]

What the BBC was to broadcast in the event of nuclear war:

 

This is the Wartime Broadcasting Service. This country has been attacked with nuclear weapons. Communications have been severely disrupted, and the number of casualties and the extent of the damage are not yet known. We shall bring you further information as soon as possible. Meanwhile, stay tuned to this wavelength, stay calm and stay in your own homes.

 

Remember there is nothing to be gained by trying to get away. By leaving your homes you could be exposing yourselves to greater danger. If you leave, you may find yourself without food, without water, without accommodation and without protection. Radioactive fall-out, which follows a nuclear explosion, is many times more dangerous if you are directly exposed to it in the open. Roofs and walls offer substantial protection. The safest place is indoors. Make sure gas and other fuel supplies are turned off and that all fires are extinguished. If mains water is available, this can be used for fire-fighting. You should also refill all your containers for drinking water after the fires have been put out, because the mains water supply may not be available for very long.

 

Water must not be used for flushing lavatories: until you are told that lavatories may be used again, other toilet arrangements must be made. Use your water only for essential drinking and cooking purposes. Water means life. Don't waste it.

 

Make your food stocks last: ration your supply, because it may have to last for 14 days or more. If you have fresh food in the house, use this first to avoid wasting it: food in tins will keep.

 

If you live in an area where a fall-out warning has been given, stay in your fall-out room until you are told it is safe to come out. When the immediate danger has passed the sirens will sound a steady note. The "all clear" message will also be given on this wavelength. If you leave the fall-out room to go to the lavatory or replenish food or water supplies, do not remain outside the room for a minute longer than is necessary.

 

Do not, in any circumstances, go outside the house. Radioactive fall-out can kill. You cannot see it or feel it, but it is there. If you go outside, you will bring danger to your family and you may die. Stay in your fall-out room until you are told it is safe to come out or you hear the "all clear" on the sirens.

 

Here are the main points again:

Stay in your own homes, and if you live in an area where a fall-out warning has been given stay in your fall-out room, until you are told it is safe to come out. The message that the immediate danger has passed will be given by the sirens and repeated on this wavelength. Make sure that the gas and all fuel supplies are turned off and that all fires are extinguished. Water must be rationed, and used only for essential drinking and cooking purposes. It must not be used for flushing lavatories. Ration your food supply: it may have to last for 14 days or more.

 

We shall repeat this broadcast in two hours' time. Stay tuned to this wavelength, but switch your radios off now to save your batteries until we come on the air again. That is the end of this broadcast.

 

And a very Fallout-looking nuclear war brochure to be distributed to households in the event of nuclear war:

 

 

You can find a copy of the booklet here: http://www.atomica.co.uk/main.htm

 

[Gorth]

Man, stuff like that brings back memories

 

I suppose those who aren't "children of the mushroom cloud" will think it silly, but there was an absurd kind of comfort in knowing that the world could end any moment, so you better make the best of it

[Guard Dog]

It is still a possibility. Just a lot less likely. If it ever does happen I'd want to be a ground zero for the first blast. I don't think I'd want to deal with the aftermath. That is unless I can ride the bomb down like in Doctor Strangelove. If ya gotta go, go with a bang!

[Walsingham]

I don't think it was comforting, Gortho. I found it sodding terrifying. Kids today have jsut no idea what it's like living with a 'gun' to your head. The worst they have to worry about is some halfwit with a semtex waistcoat. Not the end of their entire life, friends, family, and achievements.

 

EDIT: You can't do better than watch the film 'Threads', which is a BBC documentary film about the aftermath of a nuclear war. It pulls no punches and is well informed.

Edited November 8, 2009 by Walsingham

[Gorgon]

Every time the 'air raid' siren, signifying disaster conditions, had sounded all the kids at my kindergarten would run and ask if it was either the bomb or Barsebeck ,the smoke stacks of which were visible from the harbor, gone critical. I kid you not. I'm sure a lot of that came from watching our parents' paranoia.

[Gorgon]

As an aside I believe wholly that nuclear power will be a major part of dealing with energy crisis and global warming.

 

Unfortunately that inevitably leads to proliferation and a situation eminently more dangerous than a handful of western powers locked in a cold war.

[Walsingham]

I agree with you about nuclear power, although there was a plan to offer 'sealed' non-user serviced nuclear power plants which came up in connection with Iran.

 

Proliferation scares the bojangles off me.

[Blarghagh]

I can't tell how bad it was (I am too young I suppose, I was 1 year old when the Berlin Wall went down) but I dunno. : / I suppose the constant threat of chemical or biological warfare is pretty terrifying as well. Things that you might not even see but could be there anyway, maybe even right now.

Edited November 9, 2009 by TrueNeutral

[Walsingham]

I have a piece of the Berlin wall somewhere in a box in the attic, taken on the day it came down by a friend.