For all those who scoff at the idea of The End Of The World As We Know It actually happening (and I'm the worst offender).
Did anyone see the terrifying documentary on UK tv a few weeks back about November 1983. The Russians took our sabre rattling at face value and decided a paper Nato exercise (no troops were actually being moved) was a real attack and we were about to launch a nuclear strike.
They were minutes away from beating us to it. The Politburough were in a fall out shelter. The subs were all under the ice cap, the SS20s hidden in the forests and the nuclear bombers were on the runways with engines running.
Their spys in Nato managed to persuade them there was no evidence of anything unusual happpening there and they came back from the brink.
Gordonovski the famous 'spy who saved the world' told the west how close it had come and we put our sabres back in our scabbards. Scary stuff
The Sock

There was a couple of more times to follow that one. I was stationed at RAF Greenham Common with the Ground Launched Cruise Missile btween 83 and 87. There were a number of times the Soviet leadership was convinced we (The US) were preparing a "First Strike" and things got very close to a nuclear exchange. At 24 years old, I started turning grey during those 4 years.

Christ desertrat1! And we knew nothing about this!

It was a classic case of deciding on a 'fact' and then making the evidence fit it. The lights being on late in Western Defence buildings was proof to the KGB that they were on overdrive. In reality of course it was so the cleaners could see. A KGB spy said if he'd dare say something like that the hammer would have come down on him so hard....
The Sock

I was on the other side of the wire: a bobby keeping the Peace Women back. Maybe they were right and we were wrong....
The Sock

There was at least one time befor that in the early 70's. I was in 4th or 5th grade at a base called Panzer Casern near Stuttgart, Germany. From time to time they would hold drills and we were loaded onto busses in prep to take us to the air port in Frankfurt in case of impending hostilities. I know at least one time it wasn't a drill because the soldiers his time were tense and yelling, and that several mothers were there and crying. I realize that at the time I was onle a child and my memory would be suspect but I have talked to my dad about what I remember and he has confirmed what I remember and said thing were real close at that time. Also any of us that have been in or are in the military know for a fact that alot happens that never gets reported on.

Cold war history is fascinating and scary as hell. It almost a miracle no "major" accidents ever happened. Interesting how the majority of NATO/WARSAW civilians were pretty much left on their own to survive should something happen. Not much different from today I guess. Looking back shows just how disorganized and theoretical the aftermath planning actually was. BTW, airraidsirens.com is a cool sight for those interested in cold war warning systems. (Thunderbolts and Crysler sirens galore)

http://www.airraidsirens.com/