
Crisis management is nothing new - but it has evolved. Each month, we delve deep into the history books and ask our readers to apply modern day communications to an olden day crisis.		Rewind is sponsored by Speed Communications. For a chance to win a bottle of champagne, send your submissions to neil.gibbons@communicatemagazine or join the debate online via the hashtag #commsrewind

Next month - The Cuban Missile Crisis

From 14 to 28 October 1962, the world was gripped by the Cuban Missile Crisis, which threatened to thaw the Cold War and bring about nuclear conflict between the United States and the Soviet Union. It ended in an uneasy, partly-secretive truce between President John F. Kennedy and the Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev - but how could the US government convince the American population that the threat had truly subsided, and that mutual assured destruction was no longer a possibility?

Comment here, tweet with the hashtag #commsrewind or email your response to molly.pierce@communicatemagazine.co.uk

The Great Fire of London

In September 1666, the Great Fire of London raged for three days, destroying the homes of 70,000 of London's 80,000 residents. Due to the indecisiveness of the Mayor, firefighting techniques weren't implemented until too late, and in the aftermath law and order broke down in the streets. What comms advice would you give to the city's governing bodies to get pubic opinion behind the rebuilding efforts?

Australia

In the 19th century, governors of Australia realised their only hope of prosperity was by encouraging free settlers to come over. What comms advice would help them rebrand Australia from penal colony to appealing place to live?

The Elgin Marbles

In 1816, the British government was accused of vandalism, pillage and looting for removing the sculptures from Athens. What comms advice would you give the government to repair its standing both domestically and internationally?

The Great Plague

The UK's last great outbreak of the bubonic plague, the epidemic of 1665, caused mass panic and fleeing from London. What comms advice would you give to the City Corporation to restore calm and contain the outbreak

The Hitler Diaries

In 1983, the Sunday Times staked its reputation on what were purported to be the diaries of Adolf Hitler. When the diaries were discovered to be a hugely embarrassing hoax, its credibility was shot to pieces. If you were leading the paper’s comms function, how would you restore its reputation?

President Johnson

Inaugurated only because of his predecessor’s assassination, Lyndon B Johnson faced a battle to establish credibility and genuine support among the electorate. How would you suggest he make his mark after succeeding the hugely popular JFK?

The Titanic

When the ‘unsinkable ship’ sank in April 1912, the backlash faced by its shipbuilder Harland & Wolff was fierce. With public feelings running high and its reputation plummeting, how would you advise the company to restore public trust?

Spartacus

Having emerged at the leader of a ragtag band of disaffected slaves, Spartacus sought to transform them into a united army with enough singularity of purpose to take on Crassus and the Romans. Given how dangerous this was, how could Spartacus convince his supporters to buy into that mission?

The Suffragettes

In the early 20th century, campaigners for women’s suffrage began to take direct action. This hardened much of the opposition they faced. What modern-day advice would you give to help the suffrage movement win hearts and minds?