What is Martial Law ?

1.  Temporary rule by military authorities, imposed on a civilian population especially in times of war or when civil authority has broken down. It may also be used during outbreaks of deadly illnesses.


2.  The law imposed on an occupied territory by occupying military forces. Among aspects of martial law are censorship of radio and newspapers, prohibition of the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages, prohibition of gatherings of more than five persons in the streets, and a requirement of a permit from the local military authorities before any public meeting can be held.
Religious meetings inside may be tolerated by the authorities, held at hours not conflicting with the curfew.  In rare cases, martial law has been in effect with armed soldiers barring citizens from being out-of-doors after sunset.

Interesting Facts

Martial law can be declared due to natural disasters, Stock Market crash, no electricity, riots, biological attack, and anything leading to the breakdown of law and order. The following is a list of executive Orders that are now signed into law.

Executive Order 12656 "Assignment of Emergency Preparedness Responsibilities", " A national emergency is any occurrence, including natural disaster, military attack, technological emergency, or other emergency that seriously degrades or seriously threatens the national security of the United States.  Policy for national security emergency preparedness shall be established by the President."  This order includes federal takeover of all local law enforcement agencies, wage and price controls, prohibits you from moving assets in or out of the United States, creates a draft, a draft, controls all travel in and out of the United States, and much more.

Executive Order 10995 Seizure of all communications media, radio, television, newspapers, CB and Ham radio, telephones and the internet (in effect, suspension of the first amendment) 

Executive Order 10997 Seizure of all electrical power and fossil fuels.

Executive Order 10998 Seizure of all food sources, farms and farm equipment. Food will be rationed. Today some states have anti-hording laws on the books, stating that anything over a one week's supply of food is considered hoarding and against the law.

Executive Order 1099 Seizure of all transportation and control of all highways, interstates and seaports.  Any vehicle, public or private, can be taken.

Executive Order 11000  Seizure of all civilians for work under Federal supervision.

Executive Order 11003  Seizure of all airports and aircraft, public or private.

Executive Order 11004  Housing and Finance given authority for population relocation.

Executive Order  12919  Directs various Cabinet officials to be ready to take over virtual all aspects of the United States economy during a "state of national emergency" at the direction of the President.

Executive Order 13010  Directs FEMA to take control over all government agencies in the times of emergency.  FEMA is under the direct control of the executive (Presidential) branch of government.

executive Order 11490  establishes presidential control over all United States citizens, businesses, and churches in the times of "emergency"

How To Survive Martial Law

If martial law has been declared in your city or in the country, there are some things you need to do in order to survive the weeks to come. What exactly you do depends on many factors, including where you live, how extensive the limitations are and what kind of prohibitions are set in place for the civil population. City martial law  rules may also be different from those imposed by the federal government.

Put safety first. Martial law is often declared in times of danger, attacks or social revolts. To survive the time, it's important to protect your home (use an alarm system and make sure you keep the house locked at all times) and your family (no walking alone and no straying away from safe, busy areas).

Follow the rules. During martial law, civil liberties are put far behind public protection. By not attracting attention to yourself, obeying curfew and making sure you follow the rules, you will increase the chances that you will survive martial law without any problems.

Prepare yourself as soon as you hear martial law is imminent by getting a survival kit ready, stocking up on gas and making sure you have cash available (your use of credit cards may be limited). If you can get out of the city and stay in the countryside for a while, you will probably be safer and less exposed.

Limit your protesting. As much as you would like to oppose martial law, your best way to survive it is to stay away from the media and avoid making negative comments to anybody, as you never know where and how information may leak.

Follow official broadcasts. Officials will let you know what rules are in effect and how to survive them as easily as possible. Since the rules may change day to day, depending on the general situation of the area, it's important that you listen to official newscasts consistently.

Forget relying on the media for accurate information. As soon as martial law is declared, freedom of the press becomes severely limited, making most forms of media less reliable.

The most important thing you can do to survive martial law is to stay calm. Mass hysteria, acts of public disobedience and riots may happen during martial law. Stay away from any areas that are prone to these types of displays, and make sure you protect your home and your family.