The "Cold War" years of the 20th century highlighted the threat of Soviet nuclear-armed ICBM's raining down on us from the skies. But did you guys know that in the early 1960's there was talk of a new kind of threat to the United States, not from above but from below?

The idea was Communist China would attack the United States by digging tunnels through the Earth, targeting every major city in the United States, and unleash wave after wave of soldiers from beneath our feet, overwhelming our ground forces and take over our country.

Did I ever tell you guys that there was a movie based on this "attack from below" idea?

"Battle Beneath the Earth" is a 1967 MGM movie losely based on one of the craziest ideas I've ever heard. I say "losely" because this movie has more in common with the Flash Gordon comic books than any serious depiction of a possible threat.

And just like Flash Gordon, the leader of the Chinese attack from below is a cartoonish "Ming the Merciless" clone, more laughable than threatening. I lost it with the corny "Dragon" emblem stincled on the Chinese equipment.

The entire movie is on YouTube but I find the old trailer a lot more intertaining the the actual movie!