For a planet so often on the edge of nuclear apocalypse, we sure do like our post-apocalypses. Seriously, how often do we indulge in fantasies about the end of the world? Like, three times a day. Double that if you read the Daily Mail. It's terrifying how often we daydream about total armageddon considering the amount of times we've nearly faced it ourselves, with the amount of nuclear weapons stored across the globe being easily enough to cook the entire planet several times over and make sure nothing else could live here for hundreds of years hence. Weapons which could end the world and are frequently mislaid, accidentally launched, or waved around like they wouldn't destroy all life on Earth. Oh and yeah, most of these accidents happened in America. Because of course it did. Over the course of their history the US have been responsible for dozens of near misses, very nearly tipping the rest of the world into non-existence, and we let them get away with it! Well, for the most part. We think they're using all this post-apocalyptic fiction to distract us from the fact that they frequently have almost caused an apocalypse themselves, but we won't stand for that anymore. Here's times the USA almost destroyed the world, and you can join us under this school desk - guaranteed to save you from nuclear fallout! - when you're good and paranoid.
Tom Baker is the Comics Editor at WhatCulture! He's heard all the Doctor Who jokes, but not many about Randall and Hopkirk. He also blogs at http://communibearsilostate.wordpress.com/
