The Beating of war drums series BOOKS
GROUND ZERO
THE FLAME (Book I)
THE FLAME (Book I)
Ground Zero: War Drums, Global Risk, and Historical Patterns of Conflict
A stark, clear-eyed examination of global risk, Ground Zero uncovers the hidden patterns that precede major wars. It exposes the early warning signs of global conflict, the myths societies believe before disaster strikes, and the preparation mindset families need before world events escalate.
This book guides readers through historical cycles of war, global instability, rising tensions, and the fragile systems our survival depends on.
Inside This Book
- Why wars ignite, and why they often surprise the world
- The illusions of modern safety and global stability
- Key geographic, political, and economic flashpoints
- Mental frameworks for anticipating crisis
THE FLAME (Book I)
THE FLAME (Book I)
THE FLAME (Book I)
The Flame: How to Survive the Next World War
A practical, unflinching guide to surviving the first minutes, hours, and days of a global conflict.
The Flame confronts the realities of modern warfare and the fragile systems we depend on. This book distills decades of research on crisis survival, early-stage war behavior, civilian risk, supply disruptions, and human psychology under extreme stress. It shows readers what actually happens when a major conflict begins, and what families must do immediately to stay alive.
Inside these pages you’ll learn the essential survival actions, mindset frameworks, and critical decisions that protect households when the world enters chaos. From communication failures to cascading shortages, from threat awareness to basic security, The Flame serves as a clear, practical manual that replaces panic with purpose.
Inside This Book
- The first 72 hours of a global war: what breaks down, and in what order
- How to protect your family when systems fail: power, water, communication
- Early-stage survival strategies for civilians in high-risk zones
- How to build a readiness mindset that reduces fear and increases clarity
- Practical checklists and step-by-step responses for sudden crisis
THE SEED (Book II)
THE THREAD (Book III)
THE THREAD (Book III)
The Seed: Two Tales—One of Survival, One of Collapse
A dual narrative that reveals why some societies endure. and why others fall.
The Seed follows two parallel worlds: one that chooses preparation, unity, and wisdom…and one that ignores every warning until it’s too late. Through this powerful split-story structure, the book demonstrates how choices, culture, leadership, and shared
responsibility determine whether communities rise or break during crisis.
This is not just fiction, it is a strategic model of societal survival, rooted in history, psychology, and the lived experience of war-affected nations. The Seed gives readers a vivid, emotional understanding of what collapse truly looks like: how it begins, how it spreads, and how ordinary families navigate fear, scarcity, violence, and moral tests.
At the same time, the “survival” storyline reveals the blueprint for communities that endure — cooperation, planning, neighbor networks, and the quiet discipline of people who prepare before danger arrives. Together, the two tales become a single lesson: seeds of collapse and seeds of resilience are planted long before a crisis begins.
Inside This Book
- Why some communities collapse rapidly while others remain stable
- The hidden warning signs of societal breakdown
- How culture, trust, and preparedness shape survival outcomes
- The psychology of crisis: fear, denial, leadership, and unity
- A story-driven guide to choosing resilience over ruin
THE THREAD (Book III)
THE THREAD (Book III)
THE THREAD (Book III)
The Thread: How Not to Have War
A map of the human conscience, and the fragile pathways that keep peace alive.
The Thread is the culmination of the trilogy, weaving together the lessons of conflict, collapse, resilience, and renewal to answer one defining question: How do we stop the next war before it begins?
Through history, philosophy, diplomacy, human rights, religion, and modern geopolitics, the book reveals the moral and structural “threads” that hold peace in place, and the forces that quietly unravel them.
Drawing on case studies from hybrid regimes, global powers, citizen movements, and the failures of past eras, The Thread shows why peace is never an accident. It is a discipline. A structure. A choice made daily by societies, leaders, and ordinary people who refuse to let the drums of war grow louder.
This book serves as a guide for civic responsibility, shared memory, ethical leadership, and international cooperation. It demonstrates how communities can defend the “middle ground,” strengthen democratic norms, resist propaganda, and build a culture that de-escalates conflict instead of fueling it.
The Thread closes the trilogy by offering a philosophy of prevention, a blueprint for families, leaders, educators, and nations who want to foster a future where peace is not fragile, but intentional.
Inside This Book
- The fragile “threads” that hold peace together in modern society
- How nations slide toward war, and how they can pull back
- The psychology of forgiveness, justice, memory, and human dignity
- Why hybrid regimes and propaganda threaten global stability
- A practical framework for preventing conflict at the family, community, and national level
SAFE HAVEN USA MANUALS
MANUAL I
MANUAL III
MANUAL II
Manual I — Family Preparedness & Covenant
A complete, practical framework for strengthening your home before crisis strikes.
Manual I is the foundation of the Safe Haven USA system. It gives families a clear, step-by-step structure for household preparedness, helping you build stability, reduce fear, and protect the people you love. This manual brings together the essential tools every family needs: emergency supply lists, home readiness checklists, evacuation planning, medical basics, document protection, and communication templates designed for real-world emergencies.
At the heart of Manual I is the Family Covenant, a simple, powerful agreement that aligns your household on shared responsibilities, expectations, and values during times of disruption. This covenant transforms preparedness from a collection of tasks into a shared commitment, strengthening unity long before a crisis arrives.
Manual I is designed for households of every size. Whether you’re new to preparedness or looking to refine an existing plan, this guide teaches you how to build a safer home, develop a readiness mindset, coordinate roles, and create predictable routines that bring order when the world becomes uncertain.
Inside This Manual
- Family communication plans for grid-down or crisis environments
- Tiered emergency checklists and supply recommendations
- Steps for building a 30-, 60-, and 90-day preparedness plan
- Medical, evacuation, and document-security basics
- The Family Covenant: shared roles, expectations, and unity during crisis
MANUAL II
MANUAL III
MANUAL II
Manual II — Community Charter & Local Resilience
A blueprint for neighborhoods, churches, and local leaders to build coordinated resilience before disaster strikes.
Manual II expands preparedness beyond the family and into the neighborhood, the level where survival outcomes are most often determined. This guide provides a comprehensive framework for community readiness, equipping local groups to work together with clarity, cooperation, and shared purpose during emergencies.
At the core of this manual is the Community Charter, a customizable document that outlines expectations, communication protocols, shared resources, safety procedures, volunteer roles, and ethical commitments. This charter helps neighborhoods, churches, and small towns organize effectively, reduce confusion, and avoid the fragmentation that often occurs in crisis.
Manual II teaches communities how to build mutual-aid networks, coordinate essential skills, strengthen trust among neighbors, and support vulnerable residents long before outside help arrives. By establishing clear plans and communication structures, communities become more stable, adaptive, and capable of weathering long-term disruptions.
Whether your group is a neighborhood association, a church, a rural community, or a team of dedicated neighbors, this manual gives you the tools to transform cooperation into resilience.
Inside This Manual
- How to form and structure a community preparedness network
- The full Community Charter template: roles, expectations, protocols
- Communication grids for emergencies and power failures
- Shared resource planning (skills, tools, supplies, medical support)
- Strategies for supporting elderly, disabled, and vulnerable neighbors
- Methods for building trust, unity, and team cohesion during crisis
MANUAL III
MANUAL III
MANUAL III
Manual III — Settlement Survival Blueprint
A long-term planning guide for building sustainable, cooperative, and resilient Safe Haven settlements.
Manual III is the most advanced phase of the Safe Haven USA system. It provides a comprehensive blueprint for designing long-term survival communities, settlements capable of enduring extended disruptions with stability, dignity, and shared purpose. This manual guides groups through the essential considerations of land selection, governance structures, sustainability planning, security layers, and the distribution of responsibilities among members.
At the core of Manual III is the principle of cooperative resilience. This guide outlines how families, churches, or communities can develop sustainable systems for food, water, energy, medical care, communication, and conflict resolution. It helps leaders create governance models that prevent fragmentation, promote fairness, and maintain order without becoming authoritarian.
Manual III also addresses the essential social and psychological elements of long-term survival, shared purpose, moral clarity, community cohesion, and role-based leadership. Whether you are planning a small refuge, a multi-family settlement, or a long-term resilience community, this manual provides the strategic frameworks needed to turn preparation into endurance.
Inside This Manual
- How to select and evaluate land for a Safe Haven settlement
- Governance models for fairness, stability, and conflict prevention
- Security layers and safety protocols for long-term group living
- Sustainable systems for food, water, energy, sanitation, and medical care
- Skill development and role assignments for every community member
- Strategies for maintaining unity, purpose, and mental resilience over time
Post-Trilogy WorkS
When the Ashes Settle
Plato’s Republic (Reimagined)
Plato’s Republic (Reimagined)
When the Ashes Settle — A Philosophy for Living
A post-war philosophy for rebuilding life with purpose, conscience, and resilience.
When the Ashes Settle offers a deep, reflective roadmap for individuals and communities emerging from crisis. It explores how to rebuild identity, restore dignity, and rediscover meaning after disruption. Drawing from psychology, philosophy, ethics, and global history, the book outlines principles for living wisely in the aftermath of fear and uncertainty. It encourages readers to cultivate emotional resilience, moral clarity, compassion, and long-term hope—transforming survival into renewal.
Inside This Book
- How to rebuild purpose and identity after crisis
- Emotional and moral resilience for long-term recovery
- Principles of living wisely after disruption
- How communities rediscover dignity and unity
- Philosophy for transforming hardship into growth and renewal
Plato’s Republic (Reimagined)
Plato’s Republic (Reimagined)
Plato’s Republic (Reimagined)
A modern dialogue on justice, leadership, and the structure of a wise society.
This reimagining of Plato’s Republic translates classical political philosophy into today’s fractured world. Through an accessible, contemporary dialogue, it examines what a just society looks like, how rightful leadership should function, and how everyday citizens can uphold the moral structure that prevents tyranny, corruption, and collapse. It forms the intellectual foundation for the Safe Haven model of governance, rooted in wisdom, balance, justice, and ethical responsibility.
Inside This Book
- A modern interpretation of Plato’s principles
- What justice and good governance mean in today’s world
- How societies drift toward corruption, and how to prevent it
- Leadership virtues essential for maintaining peace
- A philosophical blueprint for wise and ethical governance
The Survivor’s Guide
The Survivor’s Guide
The Survivor’s Guide
The Survivor’s Guide — Mindsets, Morals & Renewal After Crisis
A practical and psychological guide for living wisely after upheaval.
The Survivor’s Guide helps readers develop the mental, emotional, and moral resilience needed to thrive after crisis. Blending trauma-informed recovery tools, moral decision-making, and practical lifestyle adjustments, it shows individuals how to rebuild their inner world and strengthen relationships after disruption. It teaches readers to transform fear into clarity, loss into meaning, and hardship into purpose.
Inside This Book
- Emotional tools for post-crisis recovery
- The mindset of resilience and hope
- Trauma-informed strategies for daily life
- Moral frameworks for making wise decisions
- How to rebuild relationships and community trust
The Mind at War
The Survivor’s Guide
The Survivor’s Guide
The Mind at War — Moral & Psychological Lessons from Conflict
A deep exploration of how conflict shapes the human mind—and how to rise above it.
The Mind at War examines the cognitive, emotional, and moral pressures societies face during conflict. It explores propaganda, fear, trauma, memory, and the psychological patterns that emerge in times of upheaval. The book provides strategies for maintaining ethical grounding, resisting manipulation, and developing mental clarity, even when the world becomes chaotic. It is both a warning and a guide: understand the mind in conflict to avoid repeating its darkest cycles.
Inside This Book
- How war reshapes thinking, memory, and behavior
- The mechanics of propaganda and manipulation
- Emotional and moral pressures on families and societies
- Techniques for remaining grounded during conflict
Reflection, Meditation & Moral Resilience
Peace and the Art of Reflection
Peace and the Art of Reflection
A guide to stillness, clarity, and inner resilience in turbulent times.
Peace and the Art of Reflection teaches the discipline of slowing down, of creating inner space where clarity, wisdom, and emotional steadiness can take root. Drawing on contemplative traditions, psychology, and lived experience, this book helps readers cultivate reflection as a survival skill: the ability to think clearly when the world becomes loud, rushed, or fearful. It is a practical manual for grounding the mind, strengthening attention, and creating moments of peace that anchor the soul in times of stress or uncertainty.
Inside This Book
- How reflection strengthens emotional resilience
- Simple practices for stillness, clarity, and grounding
- Managing anxiety, fear, and mental overload
- Cultivating wisdom and perspective in daily life
- Transforming reflection into a tool for peace and preparedness
When the World Trembles
When the World Trembles — Journal of the First Hundred Days
A narrative-driven reflection on shock, adaptation, and human strength during crisis.
When the World Trembles follows a family and community through the first hundred days of upheaval. Told through journal entries, checklists, reflections, and realist detail, it illustrates how ordinary people experience fear, adaptation, cooperation, and hope during the early phase of crisis. The book blends storytelling with practical guidance, showing readers what resilience looks like in real time, and how to maintain clarity, compassion, and structure when the ground seems to shift beneath you.
Inside This Book
- Day-by-day reflections on crisis, fear, and adaptation
- How families maintain order during sudden disruption
- Emotional and psychological insights from the “first 100 days”
- Practical checklists blended into narrative form
- Themes of unity, compassion, and moral courage in hardship
The Missing Keys to Survival
The Missing Keys to Survival
The Missing Keys to Survival
The overlooked human skills that determine who adapts, and who breaks during crisis.
The Missing Keys to Survival identifies the crucial emotional, psychological, and interpersonal skills that traditional survival manuals ignore. These “soft skills” become decisive during real emergencies: communication, emotional control, conflict reduction, moral decision-making, family cohesion, and social awareness. This book teaches readers how to strengthen these human competencies, skills that shape survival outcomes more than equipment or supplies ever can.
Inside This Book
- Emotional discipline and stress management under pressure
- Communication skills that reduce conflict and panic
- Moral and ethical decision-making in crisis
- How families maintain unity during prolonged stress
- The psychological foundations of long-term resilience
Specialized Survival Guides
When the Pharmacies Fall Silent
When the Pharmacies Fall Silent
When the Pharmacies Fall Silent
When the Pharmacies Fall Silent — Natural Supports When Medicine Is Scarce
A practical guide to supporting health when medical systems fail or medications become unavailable.
When the Pharmacies Fall Silent prepares families and communities for one of the most overlooked vulnerabilities in crisis: the sudden loss of access to medications, clinics, and traditional healthcare.
This comprehensive guide outlines natural, nutritional, and practical supports for hundreds of common conditions, from pain and fever to digestive issues, respiratory problems, skin disorders, stress reactions, and more.
Designed for both everyday households and survival-minded readers, this book helps individuals maintain basic health, comfort, and stability when pharmaceutical options are limited or completely offline.
Inside This Book
- Natural and nutritional supports for common illnesses
- Herbal and household remedies with practical applications
- Managing symptoms when prescriptions are unavailable
- Health planning for families with chronic conditions
- Safe, responsible approaches to non-pharmaceutical care
- Crisis-ready health logs, checklists, and quick-reference charts
Echoes of Survival
When the Pharmacies Fall Silent
When the Pharmacies Fall Silent
Echoes of Survival — Stories, Reflections & Lessons from Human Endurance
A powerful collection of reflections and narratives that illuminate the emotional and moral journey of surviving crisis.
Echoes of Survival gathers stories, testimonies, guided reflections, and philosophical insights that reveal how ordinary people find strength in extraordinary times.
Combining narrative moments with practical wisdom, this book explores memory, fear, courage, grief, generosity, and the quiet triumphs that define human resilience.
It also serves as a tool for self-reflection, offering prompts and meditative insights to help readers process hardship, record their own experiences, and find meaning in the middle of uncertainty.
Inside This Book
- Personal reflections on crisis, resilience, and emotional endurance
- Guided journaling prompts to explore your own story
- Wisdom from survivors and historical accounts
- Themes of courage, hope, grief, and moral clarity
- Lessons for building emotional and psychological resilience
Endurance, Hope & the Human Future
Our Hope, Strength and Resilience
The strength to prepare, the wisdom to endure, and the hope to rebuild.
The books and manuals of Safe Haven USA reflect a single truth: resilience is not built in fear, but in clarity, purpose, and love for the people we protect.
Whether you begin with survival strategies, community planning, moral reflection, or philosophical renewal, each work in this library points toward the same horizon, a future where families are stronger, communities are wiser, and peace is built intentionally.
These writings offer more than preparedness. They offer perspective.
They remind us that history has known dark seasons, yet humanity continues to rise, adapt, rebuild, and rediscover what truly matters.
In crisis, the body endures.
In rebuilding, the mind strengthens.
In reflection, the spirit grows.
And in unity, hope takes root again.
Safe Haven USA exists to guide that journey, from warning to wisdom, from survival to renewal, from fear to a deeper kind of peace. Here, you’ll find the knowledge, tools, and inspiration to prepare your home, strengthen your community, and build a future grounded not in panic, but in resilience and purpose.
About THE AUTHOR and the mission
Our Mission
“Preparedness is not fear. It is love made practical.”
“Strength is not the absence of crisis, it’s the presence of discipline and hope.”
“The future belongs to those who prepare for it with wisdom,
and guard it with compassion.”
Safe Haven USA equips families, neighborhoods, and communities with the tools, wisdom, and structure needed to prepare early, endure hardship, and rebuild with clarity and dignity. Our mission is simple: protect what matters, strengthen who we are, and build a future grounded in resilience and peace.
Charles DesJardins, Ph.D. is a writer, researcher, business owner, adjunct professor, and resilience educator whose work explores war, conflict, survival psychology, and peacebuilding. Through the Beating of War Drums series, the Safe Haven USA manuals, and numerous companion works, he helps families and communities prepare wisely for an uncertain world.
His mission is to turn warning into wisdom, preparedness into purpose, and survival into a path toward peace.