Countdown to Looking Glass

[quid21]

Over the weekend I stumbled upon 'Countdown to Looking Glass' on youtube - a film from 1984 depicting a spiralling crisis that leads to nuclear war with Russia - and it's beginnings as a skirmish with international shipping in the Straits of Hormuz - all told through the eyes of US news reporters and journalists.

I found it to be a stark reminder of what is at stake and perhaps an indication of why a measured response from Biden is appropriate and considered.

Worth a watch if you haven't seen it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQzgHBjQzf4

[steamy]

Main thing to remember is, for a fraction of a second, you will have the coolest tan ever.

[R1nger]

During the Cold War, General Horrocks wrote a book titled 'World War 3'. In it he predicted that it would start in the Middle East. Looks like he wasn't wrong!

[steamy]

During the Cold War, General Horrocks wrote a book titled 'World War 3'. In it he predicted that it would start in the Middle East. Looks like he wasn't wrong!

So did Nostradamus. Who'd have thought majors wars would occur in a mineral rich, trade centric area of the world where everyone through the generations have claimed a stake of.... Geniuses

[Seahornet1]

During the Cold War, General Horrocks wrote a book titled 'World War 3'. In it he predicted that it would start in the Middle East. Looks like he wasn't wrong!

So did Nostradamus. Who'd have thought majors wars would occur in a mineral rich, trade centric area of the world where everyone through the generations have claimed a stake of.... Geniuses

It's a long time since I've seen it, but I seem to remember that 'Whoops, Apocalypse' had the same basic storyline...?

[Supra]

During the Cold War, General Horrocks wrote a book titled 'World War 3'. In it he predicted that it would start in the Middle East. Looks like he wasn't wrong!

So did Nostradamus. Who'd have thought majors wars would occur in a mineral rich, trade centric area of the world where everyone through the generations have claimed a stake of.... Geniuses

There was me thinking it was a Religious thing all these years!
History was never a priority subject for me during efforts to educate me. I do find it difficult to know how them Christianity geezers knew there was Black Gold in them thar hills
when they sent the Crusaders over there to kick butts in 1095?

Truly those Men of God had some enormous Crystal Balls!

[raptor9]

Ah, General Horrocks!. That was a man who could keep you watching television with his narration!!. Lovely to watch. Modern commentators not a patch on that old boy!!.

[Ravendriver2008]

Over the weekend I stumbled upon 'Countdown to Looking Glass' on youtube - a film from 1984 depicting a spiralling crisis that leads to nuclear war with Russia - and it's beginnings as a skirmish with international shipping in the Straits of Hormuz - all told through the eyes of US news reporters and journalists.

I found it to be a stark reminder of what is at stake and perhaps an indication of why a measured response from Biden is appropriate and considered.

Worth a watch if you haven't seen it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQzgHBjQzf4

Dont know if anyone's watched this The Day After but worth it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utGRP9Zy1lg

i thought for a fleeting moment the opening was of Mildenhall's 10th ACCS EC-135H on runway 28, but after few seconds, it was stateside, perhaps Offutt..

The movie was filmed predominantly around mates town she grew up in, in Lawrence, Kansas about the effect of a nuclear attack.

cheers

[Jaymer15]

Wasn't The Day After the film that changed Ronald Reagan's view on the cold war? I came across this film about 14 years ago for the first time and I remember the end having a complete sense of no hope.

[filmman]

The Devil is in the Detail. Or rather Perception.
During the Cuban Missile Crises the Russians thought the USA knew they had already based nuclear warheads in Cuba. So when Kennedy imposed a the Cuban blockade the Russians backed down because they believed he would escalate to “Armageddon”
Now we have missiles, drones and aircraft attacks. Proxies and Middle East idiots with Nukes.
The Cold War was so safe, everyone played by the Rules.
Filmman

[Vulture 01]

R1nger,
#I think it was General John Frost (of Bridge too far fame) that wrote the WW3 books back in the mid '80s.
I have a feeling that Gen Horrocks was no longer with us by then, having died in 1985.

[R1nger]

R1nger,
#I think it was General John Frost (of Bridge too far fame) that wrote the WW3 books back in the mid '80s.
I have a feeling that Gen Horrocks was no longer with us by then, having died in 1985.

I came across the book when I was serving in Germany 1976 to 1979 so it was by Horrocks

[Andyph]

It was actually Gen John 'shan' Hackett. He was a Brigadier at Arnhem - hence people getting confused with Frost and even Horrocks (who was trying to get there!)

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1375759

There are 2 books - third world war and third world war August 1985 - which is much more about the military 'battle' in Germany and less politics than his original book.

I read Third World War August 1985 - in August 85 while on holiday at Mildenhall - was an interesting context!

[quid21]

And of course, the film I was shown at school as a child in the late eighties 'Threads' - I've still no idea why such a depressing film was shown to such young children, it really showed the despair and hopelessness endured by those who would survive a nuclear attack. Worth a watch if purely for nostalgia. But beware, it's subject matter is at times harrowing.

[C24]

Something for you al to consider as you “wind “ yourself up about Nuclear WW3

In the northern hemisphere the wind blows west to east. Bear that in mind as you read.

In 1815 Mount Tambora erupted. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1815_erup ... e_eruption).
The volcanic cloud pushed huge amounts of rock and dust into the upper atmosphere creating dense cover, obscuring the sunshine.
During the year 1816 crops didn’t grow in the northern counties. In the states it was referred to a “Eighteen hundred and freeze to death“.
Putin and his regime are nuts (a technical term) but not yet suicidal.
To use nuclear weapons on the NATO countries would place nuclear fallout into the atmosphere so that it would move over Russia.
Remember that the debris from Chernobyl put radioactive particles into the airstream eventually depositing material into Wales.
There might be an escalation of the fighting in Ukraine no doubt but hopefully only with more devastating ones than currently being deployed.

Off thread but related to stuff ‘ polluting ‘ the atmosphere.

Coal fired power stations.

China (Mainland) 1,142
India 282
Uk has three

China imported 52.47 million metric tons of Australian coal in 2023, customs data showed on Saturday, up from 2.86 million tons in 2022.21

Just a thought or so. Sleep well
E&OE

[Seahornet1]

...In the northern hemisphere the wind blows west to east. Bear that in mind as you read...

...Remember that the debris from Chernobyl put radioactive particles into the airstream eventually depositing material into Wales...

Can point out a small hiccup in your otherwise well-reasoned argument...?

[Supra]

Can't see any problem with that C24 statement, assuming the upper Northern Hemisphere airstream (based on recent wind-speeds in the UK) carried the radioactive particles
all around the World eventually depositing that material into Wales? That El Niño feller & his French mate Pascal Beaufort need a good kickin'.

PS:-Based on those 'Coal Statistics' for China I've cancelled my EV. order due to the influence on climate-change being significantly less than a fart in a Category 5 Hurricane!

[C24]

All comments welcome.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-36112372

Volcanoes regularly spew out many tons of debris. The height reached has on occasion reached 140000’ which allows several circuits of the Earth.
The link gives a good background info and the usgs w/site is helpful. I’ll look for another link to a site that I’ve followed.


E&OE
https://www.usgs.gov/natural-hazards/volcano-hazards/

And. https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/

Finally for today, the old saying, “what goes around comes around” seems appropriate

Additional thoughts

During WW2 the Japanese military were aware of the west-east airstream but did not know of the Jetstream.
They did however make use of their knowledge and launched many controlled balloons carrying incendiary devices.
Not certain how many were dispatched but reports of them reaching the west coast from Canada to California are in the public domain.
NATO and Russia must be aware of this information.
So a low cost delivery system of low yield particles could be launched into the jetstream from NATO territory. Once at operational height the nasty stuff could be released aiming at contamination of oilfields and similar commercial assets.
As with air tests of nuclear bombs after WW2 the World and civilisation would be further contaminated but most politicians don’t concern themselves with such things.
Or perhaps they do.

Cheers

[iainpeden]

Ken Follett’s book “Never” begins with a minor international disagreement and ends with the (female) president of the USA pressing the big button.
In the book she is of sound mind, thoughtful and realises all the ramifications of her actions; things which cannot be said of the next POTUS - whichever one gets elected.