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Queen's WWIII Speech, Prepared in 1983, Released in New Documents

Queen's WWIII Speech, Prepared in 1983, Released in New Documents
Queen Elizabeth II in 1983.

By    |   Thursday, 01 August 2013 05:03 PM EDT

The queen had a speech, should WWIII break out, to prepare Britain for the possibility of war. Newly released papers detail a 1983 Cold War exercise, called WINTEX-CIMEX 83, and Queen Elizabeth II's speech was part of the Whitehall wargaming exercise designed to prepare the country "if the Cold War ever turned hot," according to The Huffington Post.

The papers were released by the National Archives in west London. They were words the queen never said and, the paper speculated, probably never saw.

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“Now this madness of war is once more spreading through the world and our brave country must again prepare itself to survive against great odds,” the speech said. “I have never forgotten the sorrow and the pride I felt as my sister and I huddled around the nursery wireless set listening to my father's inspiring words on that fateful day in 1939. Not for a single moment did I imagine that this solemn and awful duty would one day fall to me.”

The writing referred to a speech given by Queen Elizabeth II’s father, George VI, as World War II began, The Huffington Post said.

The New York Daily News called it a “dress rehearsal for disaster that was thankfully never needed.”

"Whatever terrors lie in wait for us all, the qualities that have helped to keep our freedom intact twice already during this sad century will once more be our strength," the Daily News reported from the papers. The news organization reprinted the complete speech.

The Huffington Post classified 1983 as one of the “most dangerous” years during the Cold War, explaining that U.S. President Ronald Reagan was talking about his “Star Wars” plans and Russia shot down a South Korean airliner, killing 269 people.

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TheWire
The queen had a speech, should WWIII break out, to prepare Britain for the possibility of war. Newly released papers detail a 1983 Cold War exercise designed to prepare the country "if the Cold War ever turned hot."
queens,wwiii,speech
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2013-03-01
Thursday, 01 August 2013 05:03 PM
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