Prague air raid siren

We were almost to the the top of Petrin Hill, overlooking the city of Prague on a Wednesday at midday, down in the city centre, a loudspeaker bellowed out what seemed to be a set of instructions for an extended period - then silence. Then what seemed to be an air raid siren cranked up filling the air with with this ear splitting noise, it must have been incredible down in the city centre.

I was ready for Russion Mig-29s to streak across the sky followed by T-70 tanks rolling down the main street into the main city square reminiscent of the 1968 Soviet invasion. As a central European country behind the iron curtin, tank and air battles could have been fought between NATO and Warsaw Pact countries, the threat was ever imminent. Many of these European countries did, and still do require two years of military service by young men just out of high school. For an Australian, we were always mindful of the Soviet threat of conventional and nuclear war, however, conscription and national service ended in the late 60s for Australians jaded with our involvement in the Vietnam war.

Not so for Europeans on the frontline of the cold war, the threat was more than perceived, it was a reality.