Civil defence was an integral part of Britain's modern history. Throughout the cold war it was a central response of the British Government to the threat of war. This book will be the first history of the preparations to fight a nuclear war taken in Britain between the end of the Second World War and 1968.

"This book does an excellent job of showing the importance ascribed by several governments to the Cold war and planning for nuclear war."

• Oxford Journals, Aug 2010

'Overall, Grant succeeds in placing the history of civil defence in its wider context by showing how the five factors he identifies interacted with each other. His book makes a valuable contribution to our understanding of the politics of Whitehall as well as to the history of defence policy.' - English Historical Journal

Autorentext
MATTHEW GRANT is University Teaching Associate in Modern British History at the University of Sheffield, UK.

Inhalt
Preface Abbreviations Introduction The Cold War and the New Civil Defence Preparing for a Third World War Protecting the Public The Hydrogen Bomb Revolution Years of Decision Separate Spheres of Civil Defence Equipoise, Crisis and Reform Gradual Decline and Sudden Fall Conclusion Notes and References Bibliography