Atomic Express

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was re-examining my app choices for my iPhone in the wake of Steve Jobs’ demise, reflecting on what his mind had wrought when I stumbled across not one, not two, not three, but many, many apps dedicated to the Cold War. I was, in the words of Claude Rains, shocked, shocked that there were so many. And, if there were so many, I reasoned, this must reflect some level of interest in the Cold War among a non-academic demographic….

 

 

 

 

 

 

First off: “The Cold War in an Hour.”  Associated with librarian Rupert Colley’s “History in an Hour” series, the acquisitor gets a timeline, key personalities, a minimalistic yet serviceable selection of photographs, and a selection of  events, as opposed to themes. As a very basic introduction, “The Cold War in an Hour” is serviceable but suffers from that old problem of older Cold War histories: everything appears a little too symmetrical which then slippery-  slopes into moral equivalency. There is no discussion of events prior to the Second World War vis-à-vis the long-standing antagonism between Great Britain and the Soviet Union, COMINTERN subversion, or little items like the  recollectivization of the Ukraine. Oh well…..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we have  “Soviet Strike”, with its fearsome updated pseudo-Soviet Realism ‘cover page’ with a AK-armed Comrade, some form of sci-fi armoured vehicle, and Sturmovik dive-bombers. Essentially, this is Tetris-like    except that there is a USA smart bomb that acts as a deus ex machina as the Red Air Force bombards our spatial skills. Addictive.

 

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Ahhh….“Nuclear Video.” This app takes the Department of Energy raw footage that Peter Kuran used so effectively in “Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie” and parcels it out on a shot-by-shot basis. I find it useful to show people visual weapons effects which like, the TV show “Police Squad” are ‘in color.’ Useful at parties when dealing with the non-cognoscenti.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don’t know who came up with it, but there are “Just Nuke it” and its sequel, “Just Nuke It 2.” I LOVE these babies. Pick a city or town, maybe even YOURS. Then select a nuclear weapons type, pick yer ground zero, and BOOM!  You can see how much damage COULD be done if you are an inspired jihadist with access to a time machine….There are some really exotic weapons types too: the 60 kt Indian Pokhran II test, or the British ORANGE HERALD  coming in at 700kt. My personal favourite remains CASTLE BRAVO. If only we could get it to model EMP effects….

 

 

 

 

 

 

XH558. This is no mere aircraft designation: it is the last surviving, flyable Avro Vulcan nuclear bomber. And to keep her flying, it costs several thousand dollars an hour. This app tells you everything you need to know about the  XH558 project, as well as the history of the Vulcan aircraft type and its employment as a deterrent force and in the Falklands War of 1982. Advertising, but worthwhile advertising.

 

 

 

 

 

And finally, in keeping with this year’s main theme, if you are ever in Berlin, there is an app for a Berlin Wall walking tour. I highly recommend this one, given that Die Mauer has been somewhat Orwellianized. The tour is especially  poignant as it marks the exact location that each deceased escapee was shot by the East German Vopos…and where successful escapes to freedom occurred. The timeline and all other data is excellent thanks to Dr. Egbert Meyer and Dr.  Hans-Hermann Hertle. Ausgesichnet, Herr Doktors. Now you need to do the whole Inner German Border….