Apocalypse Then: How 1980s Britain Fretted Over Nuclear Threat

In the early 1980s, the world was gripped by thoughts of nuclear war. Soviet leaders were convinced the U.S. and its allies were on the brink of a pre-emptive strike. In Britain, museum officials were worrying about what, in the event of apocalypse, they should do with all their paintings.

Government documents released at the National Archives in London today show how the U.K. tried to prepare for nuclear war, with guidelines drafted on building a home nuclear shelter and a debate that lasted years about where to store art treasures.