As the UK National Archives comment under it. “[it] seemed remarkably naive”. And it was. Guess they were focusing more on trying not to freak people out.
Comment on Pamphlet advising on protection against a nuclear attack (1963-1967) UK
mrfriki@lemmy.world 5 days ago
It is funny because they assumed that both you, and policemen, and firefighters and everyone else would all be alive after a nuke.
FundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 days ago
zante@lemmy.wtf 5 days ago
Like many similar government programs, it was thoughtfully designed.
The biggest risk in any national emergency is panic. As seen recently with Covid and earlier, when a rumour toilet roll supplies running out. Mass panic trigger irrational behaviour en masse which is bad news all round.
Second thing, and related I suppose, is the fear level of the populace. If the message is That “things will be difficult but good old British common sense will prevail, while the government sorts things out for you”. The government keeps people, voters, on side . Alternatively, the government come under a lot more scrutiny if it’s widely understood to be ‘game over’ if war in not averted.
So while you cannot rely on these to be truthful or factually accurate, or even designed to keep you alive , you can be reasonably be sure it’s part of a plan.
In 196 Raymond Briggs wrote a graphic novel , which became a movie - called “when the wind blows” that pretty much nailed this.
There are clips on YouTube but nothing substantial. If you get chance to see it - do so.
FundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 days ago
I don’t think the worst part of the covid pandemic was a shortage of toilet paper. I would have guessed it’s the tens of millions who died and were disabled for life, and still are being more and more every day.
Damage@feddit.it 4 days ago
Yeah, panic clearly wasn’t the biggest issue with covid. There were MANY problems, governments didn’t handle it well, etc, but the virus itself and its deadliness received a very mild reaction after all.
Tramdan@sh.itjust.works 5 days ago
Not publishing leaflets about nuclear attacks would freak me out less!
FundMECFSResearch@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 days ago
I think it’s more about giving people who were already scared an illusion of safety and control. But that’s just my opinion.
dgriffith@aussie.zone 5 days ago
The effects of modern high density construction make blast zones and lethal distances a bit unknown.
500ft above St Paul’s cathedral nowadays would mean that several million tons of concrete and steel would block the radiation pulse and mitigate the blast to quite some extent for those in the outer radius.
I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.world 5 days ago
Does that account for the rise of ultra-modern construction which is basically cheap plywood and petroleum?