Did you know that during the Cold War, the UK had a plan called Blue Peacock that involved burying a nuclear mine in northern Germany? The idea was to deter a possible Russian invasion by causing radioactive contamination in the area. This plan, which included using chickens to keep the bomb warm and operational, was eventually canceled after a single test.
The UK government was concerned about the threat of a Russian invasion through northern Germany during the Cold War. To counter this threat, they devised a plan in the 1950s called Blue Peacock. The plan involved burying a 10-kiloton nuclear mine in northern Germany that could be activated remotely or by a timer on an up to 8-day delay.
One of the challenges faced was that the only available nuclear bomb, the Blue Danube, needed to be stored under specific climate-controlled conditions. To solve this issue, the researchers came up with a unique solution – using chickens. The plan was to seal a group of chickens within the bomb’s casing to keep it warm and operational. The heat from the chickens’ bodies would ensure the bomb remained functional.
Although prototypes of the nuclear mines were created, the project was ultimately canceled after a single test. The plans were revealed by the UK National Archives in 2004, which coincidentally was April 1st. This led to some confusion, with many initially thinking it was an April Fool’s joke. However, it was later clarified that the project was indeed real and not a hoax.
“It is not an April Fool. These documents come straight from the archives at Aldermaston. Why and how would we forge them?” Professor Peter Hennessy, curator of the Secret State exhibition, explained. “The Civil Service does not do jokes,” added Tom O’Leary, head of education and interpretation at the National Archives.
In the end, the Blue Peacock project may seem bizarre, but it serves as a reminder of the lengths countries were willing to go to during the Cold War to protect themselves from potential threats.