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Original poster

Where would you flee to if war came to us ?

632 replies

wheretogoif · 26/02/2022 20:37

Sorry really not wanting to sound alarmist. But just pondering on the thought of which country we could seek refuge in, should the worst happen?

Our European neighbours would be out, as they'll have their own issues.

So where could we go ? Interesting to think about with all that's going on and how the general public view refugees...

OP posts:
SpikeySmooth · 27/02/2022 21:45

I'd suffer the war for a bit I suppose. Build a shelter or peg it to the nearest tube station. I only gave very tenuous links with Canada, if at all. The relatives there (very distant, we're descended from 2 brothers who emigrated in the 1920s) wouldn't know who I am.

Zilla1 · 27/02/2022 21:47

But the critical mass of over-heating menopausal women might constitute a weapon of mass destruction and breach the Geneva Convention.

I expect there would be a chap called Dave who 'used to be in the SAS' that insists on standing next to the menopausal regiment and tries to telling the women how they should do it. I'd need to re-read the relevant articles of war but it might be legal for him to be collateral damage.

OhLordyWhatNow · 27/02/2022 22:22

But the critical mass of over-heating menopausal women might constitute a weapon of mass destruction and breach the Geneva Convention.

Good point. Would standard issue fans be issued as part of the uniform?

Dibbydoos · 27/02/2022 22:22

In WW2 they sent people out of cities into rural areas. That's the likely outcome for most of us isn't it?

Wish I'd bought a bunker from gumtree now- I saw them on ebay for small money years ago but hubby was not interested....

So decent morothome/caravan in mid Wales or Scotland might work....!

But really hoping Puton does an about face - someone needs to help him save face to do this though (so he looks like the victor)...

Musermum · 27/02/2022 22:36

Me too. No 'Branaghs' in our family. Sure we'll just torch a few buses and push them towards the nearest Russians... We're good at that.

Musermum · 27/02/2022 22:38

Sorry... Answering ConsuelaHammock

Musermum · 27/02/2022 22:40

Or indeed 1688 when William of Orange invaded and the Glorious Revolution started.

ancientgran · 27/02/2022 22:46

If there's a nuclear war I'd rather go fast. On The Beach was very depressing as the people in Australia waited for the cloud to hit them with their suicide pills at the ready.

Good film but not really suitable at the moment.

ancientgran · 27/02/2022 22:47

@Musermum

Or indeed 1688 when William of Orange invaded and the Glorious Revolution started.
I'm in South Devon so just down the road from his landing spot, hope the Russians choose somewhere else, the roads get clogged up enough down here without tanks on the move.
ancientgran · 27/02/2022 22:48

@OhLordyWhatNow

But the critical mass of over-heating menopausal women might constitute a weapon of mass destruction and breach the Geneva Convention.

Good point. Would standard issue fans be issued as part of the uniform?

I feel a bit cheated as I never got a hot flush. I feel I missed one of life's milestones.
TheMoth · 27/02/2022 22:49

As someone upthread said, the chances are it'll be the economy that's crippled, not soldiers making their way up country.

You'll be fighting your neighbour for a loaf of bread or trying to stop the local teenage gangs stab your dh cos he's trying to stop them breaking in. It'll be more clockwork orange style brutality than any bollocks about 'standing shoulder to shoulder' against the enemy.

ancientgran · 27/02/2022 22:56

@TheMoth

As someone upthread said, the chances are it'll be the economy that's crippled, not soldiers making their way up country.

You'll be fighting your neighbour for a loaf of bread or trying to stop the local teenage gangs stab your dh cos he's trying to stop them breaking in. It'll be more clockwork orange style brutality than any bollocks about 'standing shoulder to shoulder' against the enemy.

My husband's a gun enthusiast, I'm a bit worried about the dead bodies piling up outside. Maybe the first one would put everyone off but if there's a pile and the weather turns warm it won't be pleasant.
pollymere · 27/02/2022 23:03

I'd go to Belgium or Ireland.

Danja2010 · 27/02/2022 23:07

I am US citizen but my husband is a Brit and my son is German and living there. I will stay and fight for freedom here where I live. Cook some Molotov cocktails and if opportunity rose put flowers in the gunstocks of the enemy. That’s what I remember from the 70’s when guns came to US campuses to control the protestors of the Viet Nam war., Otherwise, I will hark back to my ancestors that kicked ( sorry Brits ) butt in the revolutionary war. I am not afraid ! FUCK YOU PUTIN !

VestaTilley · 27/02/2022 23:17

Ireland. I’ve got citizenship (thank you, Grandad), and DS is entitled to it too because I got mine before I gave birth.

One of my best friends lives there and has a decent sized place - it’d be where I’d go if I was in fear and if it looked safer.

Londoncallingme · 28/02/2022 00:35

@Swear

Well we don't have the right to go anywhere. Because of Brexit.
Erm…The whole world is not European
Londoncallingme · 28/02/2022 00:37

@ancientgran

If there's a nuclear war I'd rather go fast. On The Beach was very depressing as the people in Australia waited for the cloud to hit them with their suicide pills at the ready.

Good film but not really suitable at the moment.

Kind of what I’m thinking / stay in london, better to go with a Big Bang with your family than all be slowly and painfully poisoned.
ErrolTheDragon · 28/02/2022 00:46

Erm…The whole world is not European

Yes, but we never had the right to freely go and live in the non EU countries anyway.Hmm

PrincessAnnaOfArundale · 28/02/2022 02:10

I’m in Australia and I already feel pretty safe away from it all for now but it’s heartbreaking watching things unfold. I’m from the U.K and my entire family and friendship group is over there and the idea of things hitting the fan all over Europe is devastating.

I really don’t know where else I would go. I think I’d just want to be wherever my family are. However right now I’m flooded in Brisbane and cut off from the rest of the world entirely so feeling pretty isolated.

It just goes to show though that any of us can become refugees at any time. All nations need to show compassion.

PrincessAnnaOfArundale · 28/02/2022 02:13

Polymere as much as I adore Belgium I’m pretty sure they would be fucked too.

thefootballcoacheswife · 28/02/2022 06:02

I'd stay put i think-we live rurally but in the home counties so a bit too close to London for comfort in a nuclear situation (but in that situation we'd all be screwed in the end anyway). People saying they'd go to New Zealand or even Scotland etc...how would you get there? The roads would be gridlocked, there would be a run on fuel (see recent petrol crisis which was basically started by rumours of fuel shortages not even actual shortages and caused days of chaos), supermarkets would be stripped bare (see beginning of covid), airports would be shut. I don't think it would be easy to get anywhere at all if recent examples of people panicking are anything to go by.

MrsDThomas · 28/02/2022 08:13

Nowhere. More than likely people would come to us from the cities like they did during WW2

Rubyupbeat · 28/02/2022 08:33

My husband has a light aircraft, but hey, anything in airspace will probably get shot down.

Fakenamefornow · 28/02/2022 08:48

Seeing how 'welcoming' we've been to refugees in recent years, I don't think we'd deserve sanctuary anywhere.

ancientgran · 28/02/2022 09:44

@thefootballcoacheswife

I'd stay put i think-we live rurally but in the home counties so a bit too close to London for comfort in a nuclear situation (but in that situation we'd all be screwed in the end anyway). People saying they'd go to New Zealand or even Scotland etc...how would you get there? The roads would be gridlocked, there would be a run on fuel (see recent petrol crisis which was basically started by rumours of fuel shortages not even actual shortages and caused days of chaos), supermarkets would be stripped bare (see beginning of covid), airports would be shut. I don't think it would be easy to get anywhere at all if recent examples of people panicking are anything to go by.
Even if you got somewhere would they let you in? If it gets to that stage, and presumably the whole of europe would be in the same boat, "safe" countries won't feel able to take millions so will shut the door.

I was moved to hear of the countries round the Ukraine opening the borders and then I saw the film of the black students being refused entry. You'd think in this situation everyone would go colourblind but no, not possible.