Today I have two archive shots from the War Museum. I'll no doubt be back up there for Remembrance Day in a few days. This is a model of a Canadian warship that was involved in the Normandy invasion.
In the Cold War section of the museum, a mockup of a military command center is set up, running simulations on what might have happened had World War Three broken out between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. There's more than one simulation, because I've sat through on a couple of occasions and watched it play itself out with different results. News headlines scroll on the screen, a casualty rate gets displayed, and military engagements and other events get highlighted as the simulation goes along.
When the casualty rates keep going higher and higher, you breathe a sigh of relief that the Cold War never got out of control. Twenty five years after that momentous fall of 1989.... a war room simulation like this still gives you chills.
Today, people have risen up later. Yesterday was a great holyday.
ReplyDeleteTomás.
Good one, William. When discussing the Cold War with my son, he asked "How did you cope?" Unfortunately, the fallout from the Cold War is still with us. Question: Is the workld safer or more dangerous than it was 30 years ago?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy ship models like this one. They can be so fascinating in their detail.
ReplyDeleteI hope you spotted Stavanger, and how long Norway is.
ReplyDelete(Yes, we have borders to Sweden, Finland and Russia.)
Interesting posting. Greetings from one who also think there are lots to learn from visiting museums.
Happy weekend to you!
Those war threats seem never to leave Europe. I feel very anxious about the situation with Russia now.
ReplyDeleteHow sad that there's ALWAYS some individual/ nation somewhere that wants to take over another. If only we could get along!
ReplyDeleteIf only all wars were simulations.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post, William. Cold War seems to be back since Russia is showing its teeth again. Let's hope every one involved keeps calm.
ReplyDeleteseems we teeter on the brink more times than not.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope we will finally learn from the past.
ReplyDelete@Tomas: thanks.
ReplyDelete@Mike: that might depend on what day it is, it sometimes seems.
@Revrunner: there's a lot of detail on this one.
@Gunn: Norway's definitely got a lot of coastline. And yes, I can never get enough of museums.
@Marianne: it seems we're back into a new Cold War.
@EG: I don't think that's in the nature of humanity to do so.
@Stuart: if only.
@Jan: Putin definitely thinks of himself as a Tsar.
@Tex: that's true.
@Marleen: that would be nice.
I agree, it does send a chill up the spine to think about these things. We must remember the past so that we don't repeat it.
ReplyDeleteWould love to spend some time here. WW2 and beyond is of great interest to me.
ReplyDeleteI agree wholeheartedly.
ReplyDeleteThat looks interesting place to visit. The simulation and thinking what could happen do make me feel chilly. I hope we all learn from the past and remember this feeling.
ReplyDeleteA very interesting museum, and the simulation is probably more actual than ever...
ReplyDeleteFascinating. My father was a prisoner of WWII.
ReplyDeleteI agree with VP. The current behaviour of Putin is a big question mark for the future of Europe...
ReplyDeleteI'm very familiar with simulated war scenarios! Glad none of them have come true (so far).
ReplyDeleteJane x
Looks like Putin wants to bring the Cold War back...along with a lot of other unpleasant things.
ReplyDeleteSobering thought!
ReplyDeleteI have always been a fan of boats and ships. ( : ur museum sure r filled with cool items!!! 2 awesome!!
ReplyDelete@Judy: too often it seems we can't remember the past.
ReplyDelete@Birdman: it is an outstanding museum to tour.
@Sharon: thanks!
@Tamago: the simulations are pretty much the nightmare scenario come to life. Even the detachment of seeing it as headlines is chilling.
@VP: quite so.
@Linda: my family at the time were over in occupied Europe, so there are stories of Nazi oppression that have been related.
@Ciel: he's the latest in a long line of tyrants in Russian history, and that's not likely to change.
@Jane and Chris: this one certainly does chill the spine.
@Norma: Well, Vlad's a very unpleasant person, after all.
@RedPat: definitely.
@Beth: I rather like models like these, though I'd have problems putting one together!
I'd like to see this! Remember the movie WAR GAMES? Sometimes it's easy to forget it only takes one little incident to set off a world war.
ReplyDeleteWe remember wars of the past but not enough to avoid them again and again.
ReplyDeleteIt would give me chills too.
ReplyDeleteThat would be an exhibit I would want to see.
ReplyDeleteIt does give one chills, but the current head of Russia continues his pushing and because no one wants to be involved the Middle East has become a killing field. Most people in "civilized" countries prefer that the Middle Easterners kill each other and not them. I fear it will continue until it does draw the rest of the world into it.
ReplyDelete@Cheryl: it's been awhile since I've seen that one, but I liked it.
ReplyDelete@Kay: that's all too true.
@Lois: for anyone who's lived through even a portion of the Cold War it would.
@Randy: it's a museum that has a whole lot going on for it.
@Mari: there are times the state of the world is more and more dismaying.
Looks like a great place to spend the afternoon!
ReplyDeleteYes, William: Duck & Cover is coming back to me from your pungent post and the memories it brings up.
ReplyDeleteALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= . <3 . >< } } (°>
Indeed. I was fortunate to be born after World War II, but the Cold War was pretty frightening. My fifth grade teacher had a fallout shelter in her basement.
ReplyDeleteMuseums can be very interesting places Ive always thought
ReplyDeleteI think that old film war games comes to mind. The cold war of the 60's scared me as a kid but the second never gave a thought, it was beond anything I could do even if there was a missile base 20 miles away
ReplyDeleteIt was quite a period in time, wasn't it?
ReplyDeleteI don't think I would like that World War III simulation. Reality itself bites, as the saying goes. Fantasy wars? Not for me.
ReplyDeleteI grew up during the Cold War. Avoiding a nuclear war has been part of my daily prayers for decades.
ReplyDeleteNot that these times aren't scary, but just thinking about the cold war still gives me the chills....
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, WW3 is still a possibility...
ReplyDelete@Janis: it is!
ReplyDelete@Cloudia: thanks!
@Linda: I have memories of the final years.
@Jen: this one certainly is.
@Bill: I have to go over to the Diefenbunker someday and photograph that. It's a living Cold War museum.
@Jennifer: that it was.
@Jack: true.
@Ann: and just when you think it's done, a lunatic swindles his way into office.
@Pat: me too.
@Nathalie: unfortunately.