Over the years, several top-secret U.S. military and intelligence plans have surfaced. These include a war simulator for a potential nuclear apocalypse, the construction of a secret “atomic” city beneath Antarctic ice, and even strategies to control world overpopulation. Among them is a contingency plan for a zombie apocalypse.
Context and origin. U.S. Strategic Command developed CONPLAN-8888-11 in 2011 as a training exercise for officers in operational planning, using a fictional zombie apocalypse scenario.
While the premise may seem absurd, it proved an effective way to teach fundamental military planning concepts without risking misinterpretation as a strategy targeting specific countries.
Goals of the plan. The plan outlines how to protect civilians, secure critical infrastructure, and neutralize the zombie threat—all while avoiding violations of human rights (or the rights of zombies, should they qualify as sentient life).
CONPLAN-8888 divides its strategy into phases, from detecting zombification vectors early to eliminating the threat and restoring civilian authority. It categorizes zombies by origin, including those created by radiation, magical experiments, or even “vegetarian zombies” that threaten the food supply. Steps include awareness training, mobilizing military personnel, deploying reconnaissance teams, and restoring civil authority.
Rules of engagement specify that zombies can only be neutralized with headshots, followed by burning the bodies. The strategy incorporates advanced surveillance, deterrents for potential zombie creators, and synchronized military offensives, even including nuclear weapons to eradicate massive hordes. It also emphasizes caution in the international response to avoid alarming countries like Russia or China.
Tactical innovations. Contingency strategies feature robots to protect key infrastructure and protocols for managing medical facilities infiltrated by zombies. The plan also accounts for the potential use of nuclear weapons.
The “legality” of a surreal plan. The document acknowledges that U.S. law may limit military action in domestic affairs, particularly if zombies are considered citizens. However, it argues that such laws shouldn’t apply since zombies lack sentience—though this claim remains open to interpretation.
The plan emphasizes that zombies were chosen as the focus due to their fantastical nature, reducing the risk of political misunderstandings about real-world threats. Similar approaches have been adopted by agencies like the CDC and the Department of Homeland Security for personnel training.
Although fictional, the Pentagon insists it’s not predicting a zombie invasion but rather enhancing real-world disaster preparedness. While its activation is highly unlikely, the plan underscores the military's ability to prepare for even the most improbable scenarios.
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