Various governments worldwide adopt their own versions of the 'Redeker Plan' or evacuate to safer foreign territory. Large groups of refugees are to be kept alive outside the safe zones to distract the hordes of undead, allowing those within the safe zones time to regroup. In South Africa, the government adopts a plan drafted by ex- apartheid government official Paul Redeker, which calls for the establishment of small 'safe zones', areas surrounded by natural boundaries and cleared of zombies. Other countries suffer similarly disastrous defeats, and human civilization teeters on the brink of collapse. As a result the soldiers are routed on live television. However, the military relies upon Cold War tactics, weapons intended to disable vehicles, and the wounding or demoralization of human opponents: these have no effect on an undead force that uses wave attacks, has to be shot in the head to be stopped, and has no fear of death. The United States Army sends a task force to Yonkers, New York, in a high-profile military campaign intended to restore American confidence in their army. When the world recognizes the true scope of the problem, a period known as the 'Great Panic' begins.

The United States of America does little to prepare although special forces teams are used to contain initial outbreaks, a widespread effort never starts as the nation is sapped of political will by several ' brushfire wars', and an ineffective and fraudulently marketed placebo vaccine has created a false sense of security. Pakistan and Iran destroy each other in a nuclear war after Iran attempts to stem the flow of refugees from Pakistan by blowing up a central bridge, effectively stemming over half of refugee traffic. Many countries close their borders without their inhabitants knowing it, until an outbreak in South Africa finally brings the plague to public attention.Īs the infection spreads, only Israel initiates a nationwide quarantine and closes its borders. The infection is spread to other countries by the black market organ trade and by refugees. The Chinese government attempts to contain the infection and concocts a crisis involving Taiwan to mask their activities. Through a series of oral interviews, Brooks, as an agent of the United Nations Postwar Commission, describes the history of 'World War Z'.Īlthough the origin of the zombie pandemic is unknown, the story begins in China after an unknown creature bites a young boy (who becomes the official Patient Zero). The book was released on September 12, 2006. It is a follow-up to his previous book, The Zombie Survival Guide. World War Z is a novel by Max Brooks which chronicles the fictional 'World War Z' or 'Zombie World War'.

World War Z by Max Brooks