Nuclear War In The UK

For almost five decades, the United Kingdom made plans for a nuclear attack that never came.* To help their citizens, civil servants and armed forces prepare, those in power designed and published a variety of booklets, posters and how-to guides. Most infamous among these was the Protect and Survive campaign, but just as fascinating are lesser-known materials made for the United Kingdom Warning and Monitoring Organisation and the Royal Observer Corps, many of which are reproduced for the first time. From terrifying images issued by central government, to local councils’ sometimes amateurish guides, Nuclear War in the UK is an eye-opening look at the way Britain’s authorities reacted to the Soviet nuclear threat.

* Correct at time of publication

Taras Young is a researcher and writer with an interest in weird, hidden and forgotten history. Nuclear War In The UK is the seventh volume in the Irregulars series of introductions to aspects of modern British visual culture.

"Might be my favourite book of the year"
Sian Cain, Online Books Editor, The Guardian