As Russia’s dictator becomes increasingly tough on the Western world, Londoners live under a cloud of fear, fearing that their city could be overrun by a foreign enemy at any moment.
President Vladimir Putin last year accused Britain’s elite forces of sabotaging nuclear power plants, issuing a tirade and warning of “serious consequences” for Britain.
Coming from a country with a notorious nuclear arsenal and a devastating army of highly trained soldiers, this threat sent chills down the capital’s spine.
And London, one of Europe’s largest cities and home to 13 percent of Britain’s population, will almost certainly be among the first on Putin’s “hit list.”
This is not the first time Britain has faced a threat from abroad. The country united in its famous “Blitzkrieg spirit” against attacks from Nazi Germany in the 1940s, and then prepared for a shadow conflict in the face of the Cold War.
But while some of the threats to Britain’s coasts have remained the same over the past century, Britons will now adapt to fighting on a series of new fronts, including increased firepower, cyber-attacks and the nebulous world of AI. There will be a need.
As we stare down the barrel of an unknown future, London must adapt to these risks if Putin carries out his threats.
Shelter
If World War III breaks out as a result of Russia’s use of missiles in Ukraine, it would not be surprising if some of these were sent to London.
But those living in the capital will have to fight the urge to seek refuge in London Underground stations. Many stations are very close to the ground, which could actually increase the number of deaths.
Nick Cooper, author of London Underground at War, says, “If you’re in a tube station and get hit, honestly, you’re fucked.”
“The station is made of brick and concrete, so if the station or the building above it were hit directly, the station itself would collapse, crushing everyone inside.”
People taking shelter in subway stations near water facilities may even be at risk of drowning, as was the case in 1940 when a bomb fell on Balham station, killing 67 people.
The surrounding sewage system was also damaged, and the remains of the bunker and bomb ports were flooded.
Some stations are just 5 meters underground, and some lines, such as the Circle, District and Hammersmith lines, run outside and do not serve as shelters at all.
“If a bomb came, I would go straight to Hampstead Station, which is 58.5 meters underground,” Cooper said.
But the best protection against air strikes is the steel Anderson shelters that were placed in people’s gardens during World War II, but the government will help families build them. There is a need.
“The Anderson Shelter is made of steel, so it bends when it is impacted rather than breaking,” Cooper explained.
evacuation
During World War II, more than 3 million children were evacuated from London and other cities in Operation Pied Piper, an effort to protect children from air raids.
But if Britain were to enter a new war, Londoners would probably not be encouraged to leave the capital.
Rather, adults and children will be encouraged to stay, not only to keep the city running, but also to prevent large-scale immigration from clogging up the whole of Britain.
Dr Martin Farr, senior lecturer in history at Newcastle University, said: “In the case of bombing, as we saw in the 1940s, it made sense to send young people into the countryside.”
“But in the 1980s there was no state-sponsored evacuation and no threat of nuclear attack.
“In fact, people were actively encouraged to stay at home and go into the cupboard under the stairs.”
Keeping cities functioning is also a top priority for the Government, with key services needing to continue to keep the UK running.
Mr Cooper said: “Obviously there’s a lot of government and financial work happening in London, but we also have to keep things like transport and manufacturing going.”
“During World War I and World War II, the authorities didn’t want people to be afraid of living in the city, so it was very important that Londoners were able to lead a normal daily life. was.”
distribution
However, the return of rationing is much more likely as the population has already experienced similar policies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A sudden urge to panic buy essentials has left supermarket shelves empty of toilet paper, canned goods and dried pasta, forcing chain stores to put limits on how much customers can buy at once.
Dr Farr said: “No one knew what was going on before and during the lockdown, so people’s instinct was to stock up.”
“During the war, people were given ration booklets to limit what they could get so there was enough for everyone.”
But new conflicts pose further risks for the UK. This is because, since the 1940s, Japan’s self-sufficiency in producing its own resources, including food, has been declining.
“All we need is a lockdown and we risk people going hungry,” Dr. Farr said.
“In past wars, everyone was encouraged to grow their own vegetables and not waste a single plot of their garden.
“But we don’t have much independence anymore. If war breaks out, the government will need to spread the message that nothing will go to waste.”
technology
The UK is already vulnerable to cyber-attacks, a threat highlighted by North Korea’s hacking of the NHS in 2017 and the targeting of the British Library database just last year.
Russia has the means to use cyberattacks in conflicts. The National Cyber Security Center has confirmed that Russia was involved in an operation targeting telecommunications companies used by the Ukrainian military hours before the country was invaded in February 2022.
And now the British public is being warned that our dependence on technology and smartphones could lead to our country’s downfall.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden even told Britain to stock up on candles and battery-powered radios in December in case electricity services were cut.
“We are already relying on smartphones during wartime, and governments are trialling emergency warnings on our devices that could replace traditional air raid sirens,” Dr. Farr explains.
“So what happens if we lose communication?” That would be a major disruption to how we get our news and how we talk to people.
“We also use money to pay for shopping, so it’s really important that people start thinking about buying warm-up radios and even newspapers to help them get out of that addiction a little bit.”
royal family
During World War II, the royal family famously showed they were “doing their part”, with young Princess Elizabeth joining the Auxiliary Transport Service and working hard alongside “ordinary” people.
But although they were frequently spotted in London, the family spent most of the war in the relative safety of Windsor, where the late Queen and Prince Philip spent much of the pandemic.
And if war comes to Britain again, history is likely to repeat itself, with the royal family fleeing the capital and seeking refuge in the countryside.
“It seemed like the family was living an experience they were sharing with the public, especially after they were photographed standing next to the crater outside Buckingham Palace,” Dr Farr says.
“But in reality, they were only in the capital for official business and are likely to do it again to maintain their image, especially since Buckingham Palace is a considerable bombing target.”
dad’s army
Not everyone was fit to fight in World War II, so many were drafted into the Home Guard, the last line of defense against German invasion.
But they also helped maintain order while air raid sirens sounded and the streets were pitch black to deter the approach of bombers.
But the usefulness of a patchwork of militias is still debated, and it is unlikely that the government would want to adopt something similar.
Dr Farr said: “I doubt that such a plan will be introduced again, especially since we have such a strong police force to maintain order within the country.”
“People aren’t entirely sure how effective home guards actually are, so adults are either encouraged to fight or maintain their normal work routines.” I can imagine that.”
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