Cold War

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Britain Under Threat: Civil Defence in the Era of Total War, 1914–1989

Cold War

Collection: Britain Under Threat: Civil Defence in the Era of Total War, 1914–1989 Volumes Cold War

Collage of newspaper clippings of headlines related to nuclear warfare

Sourced from The National Archives (UK), this volume contains a range of documents related to civil defence during the Cold War. The advent of the atomic bomb brought a constant threat of nuclear attack, forcing the British government to develop protective measures, despite the immense destructive potential of such weapons. The emergence of the hydrogen bomb made it harder to predict anuclear attack or its impact on basic services.

The documents in this volume illustrate Britain’s attempts to protect against nuclear attack. With limited funding and political will for public shelters, the focus shifted to home-based survival. The Home Office issued leaflets such as “How to make your home and your family as safe as possible under nuclear attack” (INF 6/2531) and “Advising the householder on protection against nuclear attack” (HO 338/57), which guided citizens on how to construct makeshift fallout shelters. Emphasis was also placed on creating civil defence recruitment posters (INF 13/236, INF 13/237, INF 13/116), as well as films on nuclear warfare, such as “The Walking Point” (INF 6/37).

Additionally, this volume explores the physical and psychological effects of nuclear war, including Sally Leivesley’s detailed analysis of potential psychological responses (HO 322/1242) to this extreme form of conflict. These documents offer insight into the challenges of civil defence in an era defined by the nuclear threat.

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