Cultural history of the nuclear civil defense excercises in the US, Canada, and the UK, which emphasizes the performative aspect of the staged drills and evacuations.

Acknowledgments ix
Abbreviations xiii
Introduction 1
Part I: Directing Apocalypse
1. Civil Defense Concepts and Planning 9
2. Rehearsals for Nuclear War 58
Part II: Act Your Part: The Private Citizen on the Public Stage
3. The Psychology of Vulnerability 105
4. Sheltering 127
5. Get Out of Town! 158
6. Communications 181
7. Acting Out Injury 198
Part III: Covert Stages: The "Public Sector" Rehearses in Private
8. Crisis Play 223
9. International Play 247
10. Disaster Welfare 261
11. Continuity of Government 287
12. Computer Play 312
Afterword:Dismantling Civil Defense 331
Appendix: Cold War and Civil Defense Time Line 339
Notes 351
Works Cited 401
Index 429