Acquisitions

Executive Council of the New Commonwealth. An International Air Force: Its Functions and Organisation. London: The New Commonwealth, 1934. A submission to the International Congress in Defence of Peace, February 1934, detailing the organisation and role of an international air force.

Lawrence Freedman. The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003. Third edition. An authoritative history. Starts in the right place, with the knock-out blow.

P. R. C. Groves. Our Future in the Air. London, Bombay and Sydney: George G. Harrap & Co., 1935. Not to be confused with his 1922 book of the same name. This is about both the danger of Britain falling behind in civil aviation and the danger of air attack.

Mick Jackson, dir. Threads. BBC Worldwide, 2005 [1984]. The UK's answer to the The Day After. I've never seen it before; I'll have to track down a copy of The War Game next. Come to that, it's years since I've seen The Day After ...

Patrick Kyba. Covenants without the Sword: Public Opinion and British Defence Policy, 1931-1935. Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 1983. Studying public opinion before polling or even Mass-Observation is extremely difficult; this is a pioneering attempt, drawing upon metropolitan and provincial newspapers, the Peace Ballot, by-elections, and so on.

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2 thoughts on “Acquisitions

  1. Anthony Cormack

    I personally found the War Game to be an interesting piece but couldn't help but feel that the agenda driving it was hidden not far below the surface. One wonders whether it crosses the line from documentary to polemic. I don't entirely regret the fact that the powers that be decided to pull the plug when it was first made.

    The Day After is enjoyable stuff.

    A couple of Christmases (is that a word?) ago I asked for a number of nuclear war themed DVDs and I have to say it made for an interesting marathon. Apart from the War Game and the Day After, I also got Dr Strangelove and the 1990s remake of Fail Safe (the original isn't out on Region 2 DVD as far as I'm aware). Fail Safe comes thoroughly recommended, especially as it can be picked up for a pittance these days.

    Also, don't forget When The Wind Blows.

  2. Post author

    I don't think I've seen When the Wind Blows, but I did read the comic book (I suppose it would be called a graphic novel these days) in school. It wasn't funny or exciting at all, it was depressing! What a scam!

    I think I'd rather see the original Fail-Safe first. My set-up can handle NTSC and region 1 DVDs so I may just order it from the US. Interesting about The War Game -- I do regret that it wasn't shown at the time, if only because I'd love to know what the public's reaction to it would have been!

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