Rex 84

The readiness exercise 1984 was a plan by the United States federal government to test their ability to detain large numbers of American citizens in case of massive civil unrest/national emergencies.

Readiness exercise 1984 Bravo was a classified scenario and drill developed by the United States government to detain large numbers of United States residents deemed to be "national security threats" in the event that the president declared a national emergency.

The plan was first revealed in detail in a major daily newspaper by reporter Alfonso Chardy in the July 5^th, 1987 edition of the Miami Herald. Possible reasons for such a roundup were reported to be widespread opposition to a U.S. military invasion abroad, such as if the United States were to directly invade Central America. To combat what the government perceived as "subversive activities", the plan also authorized the military to direct ordered movements of civilian populations at state and regional levels, according to Professor Diana Reynolds. Existence of master military contingency plans (of which Rex 84 was a part), "Garden plot" and a similar exercise "Lantern spike", were originally revealed by journalist Ron Ridenhour, who summarized his findings in an article in counterspy magazine.