8/29/2026
United Kingdom
“The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.”
— Winston Churchill, 1936
I want to acknowledge my readers based in the United Kingdom. I see you. I have read your emails about what is being broadcast across social media and various news outlets. I acknowledge the anxiety and fear you may have. I also appreciate you reaching out to me so that I can write about it and inform my other readers. And yes, to that one reader who asked me to compare the United Kingdom in the 1930s to what is happening now, I will honor your request. Let’s get started.
Folks, I am not going to sugar coat this. Tensions around the world are getting worse by the day and people can feel it.
Recent reports say the United Kingdom has accelerated its civil defense planning in response to growing concerns about Russia and wider security threats. In other words, the U.K. appears to be speeding up crisis plans as danger looms. This includes civil defense, home defense, resilience, emergency planning, and preparing for the possibility of war or serious national disruption.
So why is this important, and why should we care, you may wonder? Why can’t we just tune out the world, watch our favorite TV shows, and go back to playing pickleball?
The answer is simple: if the U.K. is preparing for the possibility of war or serious national disruption, America should be paying attention.
Obviously, the U.K. is one of America’s closest allies. We share intelligence. We respond to global threats together. We support each other. So, if the U.K. is preparing for cyberattacks, sabotage, and attacks on infrastructure, Americans need to fully understand these same threats can cross oceans.
A wider conflict in Europe can affect gas prices, food prices, military spending, shipping routes, and the safety of our allies. A cyberattack launched overseas can affect American businesses. And if NATO is pulled deeper into a conflict, the United States may not be able to stand completely on the sidelines. If a wider conflict grows, harder conversations about defense, spending, supply chains, and public preparedness could follow.
If conflict widens, it could affect us all. This is about power grids, banking systems, water, food supply chains, ports, fuel, communications, hospitals, and the internet. It could also test whether families can keep going during a serious national emergency.
So how do today’s threats compare to the 1930s, you may ask? Well, I encourage you to read a very useful 1930s-era source called “Air-Raid Precautions” — Hansard, 12 July 1938. It shows British Parliament discussing gas masks, local air-raid preparations, and whether London was moving fast enough on civil defense. One official admitted there was “still a great deal to be done,” but said progress was being accelerated. Compare that to the article I linked above, and you will notice the recurring theme: acceleration.
That is the part that should make us stop and ponder. In 1938, British leaders were not telling people that war had already arrived, but they were clearly preparing for the possibility that it could. They were talking about gas masks, air-raid precautions, local readiness, and whether the country was moving fast enough. Today in 2026, the U.K. is not talking about gas masks and bomb shelters in the same way, but it is talking about cyberattacks, sabotage, infrastructure threats, crisis planning, and home defense. Different weapons of war. Different century. But the same uncomfortable question rises to the top- is the nation ready? Are we ready?
I strongly believe history does rhyme. In the 1930s, many people did not want to believe another major war was possible after the suffering of World War I. Slowly, the government began to realize that ignoring the warning signs did not make them go away. We are seeing a similar pattern now in 2026: governments are preparing before the public fully understands the risks.
Now I am not asking you to go to your favorite warehouse store and buy up all the toilet paper. I am asking you as my readers to pay attention. When governments start updating emergency plans, testing national readiness, and speaking more openly about threats to the homeland, it usually means they are seeing risks that the public may not fully understand yet.
So to my readers in the United Kingdom: my thoughts are with you. Please do not let fear control you, but please do not ignore what is being said either. Stay informed. Make a basic emergency plan. Know how you would contact your loved ones if phones or internet service went down. If you are able, keep some food, water, medications, and basic supplies in your home. Being prepared is not weakness. Preparedness is wisdom. Preparedness is life and hope.