The History
The Cold War era WTBS started as a BBC initiative at the direction of central Government. It was initially based on the service it had proposed to run in World War Two: An entirely BBC controlled and produced operation. However, as the Cold War period progressed, and under the auspices of several Parlimentary acts and Regulations, it came under government control and was part of the UK Civil Defence structure.
The Government War Book
The primary purpose of the Government War Book in times of internation crisis was to avert war. It took into account that the danger of actions that may appear threating to a potential enemy.
The effect of these actions on the public was also considered: That they may lead to a conclusion that war was inevitable with "unpredictable effects on public morale and law and order. "
To this end, although all parts of both state and private organisations would come under direct government control via the various "Powers and Defence" Acts that had been passed since the First World War, their transition to a war footing was to be carried out with as little alarm to the public as possible.
The BBC War Book
When the first War Book for the Cold War period was created by the BBC is still open to conjecture, but it is seems likely that, with the earliest copy in the archives simply dated 1950, with, unlike latter copies, no specific date in that year, that this when the first BBC War Book of the period appeared.
The 1950 version of the BBC War Book, known by the internal codeword “Document F”, is unlike subsequent revisions in that its writing is very “in house”. For example, unlike future copies, it does not list any codewords that would be issued by Whitehall to instigate the various startup stages and actions of the service.
"I remember going to some sort of preliminary gathering at a site in Yorkshire, but I don't remember much else, other than feeling very gloomy about the future by the end of it."
R D - BBC News editor