Atomic Hobo - Nuclear War Podcast

Overkill, megadeath and a single Fruit Pastille. We approach the dreadful end.For ad-free listening, join me on Patreon at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Here is the second part of the Prologue to NUCLEAR FEAR, my book on nuclear pop culture which can't find a publisher.Should I self-publish? Are there enough nuclear nerds out there to make it viable?You can get ad-free listening plus bonus episodes at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A different episode from the usual: this is Part One of the Prologue from my second book, NUCLEAR FEAR. Unfortunately, it cannot find a publisher. NUCLEAR FEAR was to be a book about the pop culture inspired by the bomb and our fear of nuclear war. I wonder should I ditch it? No publisher wants it, but do nuclear nerds want it? Over on my Patreon page some have suggested crowdfunding to publish it myself. Well, listen to the Prologue and let me know what you think. This is Part One, and I'll upload the second part tomorrow.Remember you can get ad-free listening and bonus episodes, and join our nuclear book club, THE DOOMSDAY LIBRARY, on my Patreon at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Thank you,Julie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two nuclear crises hit in the early 60s: the Berlin Crisis in '61, then Cuba in '62. How did the good people of North Carolina react?In other news, I'm launching a nuclear book club called The Doomsday Library. Here's a video, open to all, showing how it works. If the link doesn't work, visit my Patreon page at www.patreon.com/atomichobo I hope you'll join us: https://www.patreon.com/posts/join-our-library-152470538?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happened on a Norfolk air base in 1958 when an American threatened to k1ll himself by firing a gun into an atomic bomb? My thanks to the Conelrad6401240 YouTube/Twitter account for alerting me to this story, and for uploading the associated documentary, 'Something Foolish With A Pistol'. Get ad-free episodes, plus bonus episodes, for £3 a month here www.patreon.com/atomichoboThank you,Julie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Soviet youth organisation, the Komsomol, and how it prepared the young for nuclear war with "predators from the imperialist jungle", as Khrushchev nicely put it.I quote from THE WHISPERERS: PRIVATE LIFE IN STALIN'S RUSSIA by Orlando Figes.Get ad-free access to all episodes, plus bonus episodes, here www.patreon.com/atomichoboJulie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americans in the early 50s were told there was a "civil defence gap", and that the Soviets were superior in protecting their population? Was this true? As mentioned in the pod, I quote from two academic articles. They are:'Soviet Civil Defence: The Mineshaft Gap Revisited' by Josh M Weinstein, Arms Control Today, Vol 12, No 7, August 1982'Was There A Real Mineshaft Gap?' by Edward Geist, Journal of Cold War Studies, Vol 14, No 2, Spring 2012And you can get ad-free access to the whole archive, plus all bonus episodes, if you join my Patreon here: www.patreon.com/atomichoboJulie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is America so interested in Greenland? What was its role in nuclear attack and early warning? And what happened when a huge B52 bomber carrying a bunch of hydrogen bombs crashed into the ice up there?There's a bonus pod which accompanies this episode. You can grab it here, and get ad-free listening for the whole pod archive, at www.patreon.com/atomichobo The reading list for these Thule episodes is below:Fifteen Minutes: General Curtis LeMay and the Countdown to Nuclear Annihilation, by L. Douglas KeeneyCommand and Control by Eric SchlosserProject Crested Ice: The Thule Nuclear Accident (SAC Historical Study)'Greenland and its Relevance to North American Security', Naval War College Review, Vol 32, No. 6 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How would Harold Macmillan have ordered nuclear retaliation?Join us at www.patreon.com/atomichobo for ad-free listening and bonus episodes.The books and articles I used in this episode are listed below:The Secret State by Peter HennessyWinds of Change by Peter HennessyThe Prime Minister: The Office and its Holders Since 1945 by Peter HennessyCabinet by Peter HennessySupermac: The Life of Harold Macmillan by D.R. ThorpePlanning Armageddon: Britain, the United States and the Command of Western Nuclear Forces, 1945-1964, by Len Scott, Robert Twigge et al.'A Matter of Joint Decision': The Origins of British Nuclear Retaliation Procedures and the Murphy-Dean Agreement of 1958, by Matthew Jones in the English Historical Review Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thor is here! In 1958, the American Thor missiles arrive in the east of England, creating a headache for the authorities, and pain for those who protested their arrival and found themselves thrown into wet concrete, pelted with rotten fruit, and dragged around by the hair. Remember you can get ad-free access and bonus episodes by joining my Patreon for just £3 a month here: www.patreon.com/atomichobo Thank you! Julie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Supermac becomes Prime Minister in January 1957, a bumper year for nuclear matters! To get ad-free listening and extra episodes join us at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new series on former Prime Minister Harold Macmillan, a man born in the Victorian era who led Britain into her thermonuclear age and through the Cuban Missile Crisis.This episode starts with his horrible experiences in the trenches and takes us up to his 1954 appointment as Defence Secretary, but we take in Greek tragedy, adultery, plane crashes and a bit of Ronnie Kray on the way.To get AD-FREE ACCESS please consider becoming a patron of the pod where you will get your own feed delivering all episodes to you, ad-free, plus bonus episodes.The books I quote from today are:Supermac: The Life of Harold Macmillan, by D.R. ThorpeChurchill and the Bomb, by Kevin Ruane The Macmillan Diaries: The Cabinet Years, by Harold Macmillan Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To get ad-free listening, plus bonus episodes, visit www.patreon.com/atomichoboThis week, Jim retreats into daydreams, and Hilda dishes out hard truths at the kitchen sink. Which one is best equipped to face the coming horror: the dreamer or the realist? PS I left one of my puppy's snores in the recording as it was cute. I used to sometimes do this with Bomba's snores, so here is one of Gadget's. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To get ad-free access, plus bonus episodes, please visit www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The chart-topping 1983 hit about nuclear war - even though the band insisted it was no such thing!To get ad-free episodes, plus bonus episodes, please visit www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lions and tigers and bears? Oh my! We see that everything becomes a threat after nuclear war. And what is that strange scent hanging in the air?Also, a new BONUS EPISODE has been released for patrons, this one about Ronald Reagan and the biblical prophecy of Armageddon. Did Reagan believe it? Did he think the end of the world, in the form of nuclear war, was inevitable? Join us for £3 a month and get all bonus episodes here www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The final part of our look at Savoir Pour Vivre, the French civil defence booklet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The weird post-nuclear novel, A Canticle for Leibowitz.We will continue our series on the French civil defence booklet next week. I just couldn't resist interrupting my own schedule with an episode on this mind-bending novel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We look at the French civil defence booklet, Savoir Pour Vivre. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I have the 1965 French civil defence booklet, and you can view it on Patreon here. I've made it free to read, but do consider subscribing for more content and extra pod episodes! www.patreon.com/atomichoboWe will examine the booklet next week - it has been translated for me - but this week we start with an introductory look at why France decided to go nuclear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How will Germany alert its population to a nuclear attack? And why isn't the British warning system as good as theirs? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim lets the vampire, Fallout, cross the threshold! Join me on Patreon for more episodes at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bell and Light alert system, used in America in the early Cold War.I discuss the booklet A Realistic Approach to Civil Defense, from 1966.You can view the civil defence booklet, and get extra episodes, at my Patreon page at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"All dead..." Jim tries the TV, the radio, the phone...but there's nothing. "All dead..." he keeps saying.Get the latest Four Minutes of The War Game over on Patreon at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1983, a GP from a village near Bristol was so worried about the prospect of nuclear war, and how it would leave him unable to effectively treat his patients, that he called a public meeting and asked the residents whether they'd wish him to issue "suicide pills" in the event of nuclear war. I interviewed Dr Richard Lawson to ask him about this very painful question. You can watch the full video interview on my Patreon page at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A difficult subject this week - but aren't they all? We don't do sunshine and rainbows on this pod. I look at the topic of "suicide pills" which was bravely raised by American students at Brown in 1984, and made news all across the USA. The issue was also present in Britain in the early 80s, and was brought to prominence by a local doctor. I'll be interviewing him for next week's episode which will look at the British aspects of the "suicide pill" debate. Join me on Patreon for more episodes at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Thanks,Julie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"I never knew a bomb could give you a headache."The fallout descends and Jim and Hilda start to feel ill. For patrons, a new Four Minutes of The War Game episode has also been uploaded. You can get it here: www.patreon.com/atomichoboThanks,Julie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I go into the newspaper archives to see what the local papers in Aldershot were saying about nuclear war in the early 80s. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Their first hours within the tiny inner refuge.Join us on Patreon here www.patreon.com/atomichoboThanks for listening.Julie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chairman Mao and his "paper tigers".Join us on Patreon for more episodes at www.patreon.com/atomichobo I quote a lot of good books in this episode, so here is a list:Tombstone: The Untold Story of Mao's Great Famine by Yang JishengMao's Great Famine: The History of China's Most Devastating Catastrophe, 1958-62, by Frank DikotterThe Evolution of Nuclear Strategy by Lawrence FreedmanThe Cold War: A World History by Odd Arne WestadThe Cold War by John Lewis Gaddis Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The first terrible 48 hours after the Bomb drops...Join me on Patreon for more episodes at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The episode where the bomb drops!I've also uploaded a new Four Minutes of The War Game episode for patrons, so please consider joining us there at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Thanks,Julie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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"LA was bombed today" said the local paper in 1951. This was Operation Wake Up. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 1950s trend - which caused mockery and anger - for calling the hydrogen bomb "clean" or "humanitarian". Could the Americans make this awful weapon clean, or was it just a ploy to quiet our fear of fallout, and silence calls to ban nuclear testing?If you've been enjoying my FOUR MINUTES OF...episodes, please know I'm doing the same on Patreon for THE WAR GAME. Episode 6 of Four Minutes of The War Game was uploaded at the weekend, and you can join us for £3 a month and get all extra episodes. Find it here: www.patreon.com/atomichobo Thanks for listening,Julie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The shadow of death falls over Jim and Hilda's cottage. Not that they notice! Too busy sorting out bottles and pepper pots - getting things just right for the bomb! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Operation Hot Rod in 1951 took five 1930s cars out to the new Nevada test site. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The 1953 nuclear test, ANNIE, and her creepy mannequins, wrecked cars, and flying toilets. Join us on Patreon for more content at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A long episode today because the bomb draws near. Jim tries to protect his home with pineapple chunks, cushions and white paint.Join us on Patreon to read Jim's civil defence booklet, and get a bonus podcast on it: The Householder's Survival Guide from West Sussex Council, published in 1979. www.patreon.com/.atomichobo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happened when a sect arrived in Montana in the 1980s, with predictions that the end was nigh, annoying the bears at Yellowstone, and digging shelters all over the place?Please join me at Patreon for more episodes at www.patreon.com/atomichobo Thank you Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Examining the film, four minutes at a time. This week, Jim and Hilda hide from reality via wartime nostalgia. But the missiles are being readied. Join my Patreon here and get extra pod episodes and content! www.patreon.com/atomichoboThank you for listening. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) was set up in 1963 to alert Americans, via TV and radio, of nuclear attack. Stations were required to test the EBS once a week, but some got bored of reading the same sombre script, and tried to recite the script as a jaunty jingle. Nuclear war delivered with some easy listening?I have a bonus podcast episode out NOW on the 1971 event when an EBS test went wrong, and was broadcast across America as a real alert. Find it on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/atomichobo My book, Attack Warning Red: How Britain Prepared for Nuclear War is currently on an Amazon special deal in paperback. Down to £7.49 for a limited period. Thank you for listening.Julie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The American radio system which operated from 1953 - 1963 and would dispense civil defence advice to the public whilst working to confuse an incoming Soviet bomber. Join us on Patreon here for more episodes www.patreon.com/atomichoboMy book, ATTACK WARNING RED: HOW BRITAIN PREPARED FOR NUCLEAR WAR is currently on a special paperback deal for £7.49 herehttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Attack-Warning-Red-Britain-Prepared/dp/1529920019/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3A8B2MAX4MNRI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.R9sWLkhu55nZT5yVyZZbhQ.SslFvc5OyWSD-Ajh7PB-k9icPldgIaCxcW1kxaCX1tg&dib_tag=se&keywords=attack+warning+red+julie+mcdowall&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1736785872&sprefix=%2Caps%2C109&sr=8-1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1961, the Soviets resumed nuclear testing in the Arctic, and one wee girl from Michigan was worried about the implications for Santa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.