Cuban missile crisis > black Saturday 26th oct 1963

[not on facebook]

Well I was far too young to recall this near world disaster ,think I would have shit me silly if I been old enough to fully understand the full extent of what was going on .

And since I still have the odd nightmares today about a neuclear strike and it's aftermath I have to ask this question for the older lags on here.

1.....did you fully understand what was going on etc etc ,and did you shit yer sen silly?

At a guess I say that you did not have an idea about after effects of a neuclear strike and did not give two shits since it was out in Cuba and it would not effect you?

[Dagenham Rover]

I was 5 don't remember haveing a clue about it all

[not on facebook]

You be pushed to recall anything with substance from that age I guess .

One or more of the older lags will spill the beans sooner or later

[Draytonian III]

I remember it well, I was just over 3 weeks old

[Filo]

I remember it well, I was just over 3 weeks old

I was a veteran of 12 weeks 😀😀

[not on facebook]

Just re checked the date and it was sat 26th oct 1962  ,my fat fingers and the 2/3 been to close to each other don't help.

I was still inside my oldmans ball bag bcak then just milling about.

Maybe no body is old enough to give us a grasp what it was like .

[idler]

I was 14 and remember talking about it with my older brothers on the way to a Rovers game.
The consensus was that Kruschev wouldn't risk a world war on it and that's how it turned out.
I didn't lose any sleep over it but that might be down to my age.

[drfchound]

It was just after my 11th birthday and TBH I don't recall even knowing about it.

[not on facebook]

Thank you idler for the hills have spoken .

14 you say, that's at about the age I think I stareted getting nightmares about neuclear strikes after watching a public film held in donny town centre on how to  surrvie a neuclear strike.

Then a few years later that threads film popped up which still feeds me today .

[not on facebook]

It was just after my 11th birthday and TBH I don't recall even knowing about it.

I bet you was happy that there was no such thing as the social media tool back then or sky news to feed you.

[drfchound]

Two channels on the telly and a newspaper mate, that was it.
I guess my parents must have been careful about  letting me see the news programmes back then so it didn't scare me.
Bless em.

[not on facebook]

That's my whole point of this thread fella ,as my uneducated guess is that your parents could well have no idea what a neuclear war and its aftermath downfalls.

Mr idler just mentioned it to his mate before a rovers game ,but did not walk down to BV in a all in one red/white  hooped anti fallout suit .

[BobG]

I was 6 and a half or so. I had no idea it was taking place. None at all. I suspect, quite strongly, that although my mum and Dad, clearly, would have known, they wouldn't have been "shit scared" as the concept of nuclear winter didn't sink in to the general populace until quite some years later. So I suspect many people would have been worried about another war, but not panic stricken.

Interestingly, there was never going to be a war over Cuba anyway. JFK knew, through one of the bravest men this world has ever seen, that there were no usable missiles in Cuba and that Kruschev was bluffing. That failed bluff cost Kruschev his job. Saving the world cost Oleg Penkovsky his life. He was shot within 12 months. He is a man well worth googling.

BobG

[not on facebook]

Did they know  all along that the missiles on Cuba were not useable ,or was that fact found out in the aftermath.

Christ I would never have gone up against JFK in a game of poker, as my poker face is as useful as a Russian missile placed on Cuba.

[Dagenham Rover]

I was 6 and a half or so. I had no idea it was taking place. None at all. I suspect, quite strongly, that although my mum and Dad, clearly, would have known, they wouldn't have been "shit scared" as the concept of nuclear winter didn't sink in to the general populace until quite some years later. So I suspect many people would have been worried about another war, but not panic stricken.

Interestingly, there was never going to be a war over Cuba anyway. JFK knew, through one of the bravest men this world has ever seen, that there were no usable missiles in Cuba and that Kruschev was bluffing. That failed bluff cost Kruschev his job. Saving the world cost Oleg Penkovsky his life. He was shot within 12 months. He is a man well worth googling.

BobG

Just wiki him really interesting

[BobG]

JFK Knew all the way through Oslo. Oleg Penkovsky was giving us and the Yanks almost a running commentary. He was a spy for the British btw rather than the Yanks though obviously it was them used his information during the crisis.

BobG

[not on facebook]

JFK Knew all the way through Oslo. Oleg Penkovsky was giving us and the Yanks almost a running commentary. He was a spy for the British btw rather than the Yanks though obviously it was them used his information during the crisis.

BobG

So the CCCP was going all in with its poker chips while holding a very low pair ,and the yanks had stacked the deck and knew the Russians hand all along.

Why has a big film movie company not made a film about the Cuban crisis ? Or if a film had been made how come i not seen it.

[selby]

I can remember the television coverage  as a teenager,but I think the world must have seamed a lot larger then,and we were only the outsiders,plus what the population was allowed to know was quite restricted by todays standards.
  The Suez crisis,and the T.V, coverage of the North Sea floods in the 50s stand out more in my memory.
  The Doncaster area was still surrounded by quite a few R.A.F. stations, and I can remember standing in the school playground watching the transport planes and bombers taking off in large numbers.
  Plus dad saying he could be called up to the army again if things carried on.
  The East Coast floods were where we went on holiday,or day trips out,and were not a million miles away.
  One thing I will say, is that there did not seem to be the same hysteria there seems to be and blame culture of todays society,more of a lets pull together and we will get over this.That generation just after the war had a confidence in their ability to do anything and a willingness to do it, that I dont think is there today looking at the present day troubles such as the fire in London.
  They had just dealt with half the place being destroyed and other towns and cities as well.

[not on facebook]

Selby ,that was the best post that I have seen on this forum ever and it was the very last paragraph that turned your post to a chart topper.

The first part was all doom and gloom ,but the last part brought home as to how good it used to be in Great Britain ,as no matter what society back then allways pulled together when it really needed to.

I would give anything to have lived my 20s to 30s in that life time ,and not to have to put up with the society I live in today .

Thanks for a great post

[nightporter]

Thirteen Days (2000) is about The Cuban Missile Crisis.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Days_(film)

[Herbert Anchovy]

I can remember the television coverage  as a teenager,but I think the world must have seamed a lot larger then,and we were only the outsiders,plus what the population was allowed to know was quite restricted by todays standards.
  The Suez crisis,and the T.V, coverage of the North Sea floods in the 50s stand out more in my memory.
  The Doncaster area was still surrounded by quite a few R.A.F. stations, and I can remember standing in the school playground watching the transport planes and bombers taking off in large numbers.
  Plus dad saying he could be called up to the army again if things carried on.
  The East Coast floods were where we went on holiday,or day trips out,and were not a million miles away.
  One thing I will say, is that there did not seem to be the same hysteria there seems to be and blame culture of todays society,more of a lets pull together and we will get over this.That generation just after the war had a confidence in their ability to do anything and a willingness to do it, that I dont think is there today looking at the present day troubles such as the fire in London.
  They had just dealt with half the place being destroyed and other towns and cities as well.

I really like this post Selby - but have to disagree with your last comment. I think that one of the few positives to come out of the recent disasters is the fact that people are ready and willing to help each other. London was a prime example of that where ordinary folk would open their doors to strangers. I saw a local vicar on telly asking people to STOP delivering clothes, food and water because they had so much. For me, one of the great things about being British is peoples desire to help and support others and from what I can see its still alive and kicking.

[Herbert Anchovy]

I recall a Teacher at school telling us about the Cuban Crisis. He went out to work in the morning and genuinely didn't know whether he'd ever see his wife and kid again as the cut off point approached for the Russians to back off.

As a side note, does anyone remember a film called 'Threads' about a nuclear attack on Sheffield? It was absolutely terrifying and I think really opened people eyes to would actually happen in the event of an attack of this nature. Before that the government advice was to paint your windows with white wash and then hide under a table if you heard the 3 minute warning. The film was extremely graphic and was only shown once I believe. The TV channels were put under great pressure from the government at the time not to show the film as they thought that it would cause extreme panic (which it did in our house).

[drfchound]

I remember the Threads film Herbert.
Very graphic and the type of thing you just had to watch once it got started.
I recall that it was quite shocking.

It was shown on either a Saturday or Sunday evening and on the Monday i went to Sheffield to visit some customers.
They said it was particularly harrowing to them as they obviously knew the locations used for filming.

[selby]

Herbert and Not on Facebook,I am glad you liked my  post which was just a short recollection of my young life.
  i was lucky enough to be young when this country seemed to have a great pride in itself, and  older generations who had suffered great hardship, and just wanted a better future for my generation.
  The present day political parties would do well to look at their achievements, and also do their best for the whole country, and not just for their own parties gain and their own grip on power.
  The building of social housing in the 50s and 60s put the present governments and all parties to shame,as does the spiral back into Rackman style landlords and private slum
housing.
  I accept Herman that the same attitude of giving is still  evident in the populace,but the ability to organise and get on with things has gone backwards,probably because of the lack of military training that was evident then.
 Ordinary people seemed to be much more forward  thinking,and with T.V. programmes from America became more aware of a better standard of living and wanted the same things.
  I feel lucky to have been young when I was,but I am also confident that when this time of turmoil settles down, a new generation will grasp the nettle and replace these poor leaders, and again build a better future for this country.

[not on facebook]

I honestly think that society back in your day was far better than the British society  is today .

I was on the Doncaster to Manchester airport train the day after the rovers v blackpool game.i had 3 pre booked seats for me and two lads aged 9 and 6.

Got sat down with no problems ,but by time train got into sheffield all seats  was taken and standing room only.

Doors opened 5 got off and about 20 got on just in my carriage.

Some old girl got on and she was in her late 70s and I had my back to her but I noticed that she was standing and next stop was Stockport 1 hour away.

I scanned all the other seated customers in carriage who were either alone in travel or with a friend and their ages went from early 20s to late 40s .

Not one of them stood up for the old girl ,so I stood up and shouted her across and offered her my seat .she was reclutant to take my offer and this stuck up tart moved towrads my seat.

I blocked the cheeky cow off and said ' this seat is for the old lady '
Old girl than came and sat down .she said what about your kids as I had to stand at the door .

I told her not too worry as Iam trying my best to bring them up right and to respect older people and I hope that this sinks in with them.

Rest of the carriage that were sat down just all looked at the floor as I said 200% tossers to myself.

Then I pulled my suitcase down that was stood up next to the exit door and offered another lady who was in her 30s and a right looker the use of my suit case to sit on ,she took the offer with glee .

The old girl spent the whole journey to Manchester Piccadilly talking to my oldest as his English great about how things are in oslo and school etc etc.

Both me kids gave the old girl a big love when she got off and I got a peck on the cheek from the treacle sat on my case.

But as it was good for me and my kids it left a foul taste in my mouth about society in Britain today as it was not like that when I left some 20 years ago I like to think.

[BobG]

Nice story that Oslo

I only remember a couple of things in Threads. One of them was downright frightening. If a reasonable bomb, not a big one, went off above Sheffield city centre, every telegraph pole in Doncaster would simply burst into flames. I can't remember the distances now, but certainly out past Donny, every building in a circle centred on Sheffield would be knocked flat by the blast You really didn't want to survive a nuclear attack. It would have been the nearest thing to living zombies. (And incidentally, that was one, small, reason, why I chose to live where I do: within half a mile of a US dump where they store nuclear bombs). Guaranteed target

BobG

[not on facebook]

After watching threads I came to the conclusion that I did not want to live throu a neuclear strike and be more than happy to be within ground zero .

Glad the donc to Manchester train journey put a smile on your face .

I have one train journey incident about a kit kat that I will write up when I feal time is right .