Now that the war on terrorism is well and truly under way the question is: "How will the British public react, knowing that they may be the target of terrorist sympathisers?" Will the threat of counter-attack disrupt business or will the British bulldog spirit of previous wars prevail?

After what seemed like a long wait, the war on terrorism was truly declared as America and Britain launched the first military strikes on Afghanistan, targeting the Taliban regime.

But how are the British public likely to react in their everyday lives in the knowledge that our shores may now be a prime target for retaliation by terrorist sympathisers?

In previous wars of the 20th Century, the British bulldog spirit prevailed. But this is a very different war with different boundaries.

Dr Robert Boyce, senior lecturer in international history at the London School of Economics, says: "In the great crises of the 20th Century I don't think there is any question that where the issues were clearly understood and the enemy clearly identified, the home front in Britain remained relatively stable.

"Governments didn't have to look over their shoulders at domestic opposition or worry that they would be undermined by opponents at home. The condition was that the conflict was a straightforward one - and that is the great question mark here.

"The enemy has been identified - Osama bin Laden and the Taliban regime is the starting point. There's an acknowledgement from President Bush that we can expect a long campaign and that it is an open-ended struggle.

"But if this conflict spreads and sparks crises in neighbouring countries then it may become a messy situation more akin to Britain's alignment to the US during the Vietnam crisis.

"We were told by US presidents in the 1950s and 1960s that it was a limited operation. It proved to be something different. With Vietnam, Britain didn't send ground troops or military support but remained friendly with the US and avoided criticism of US policy. Opposition within Britain gradually grew and provoked student unrest, which led to a lot of social turmoil."

However, Boyce believes that the immediate threat of counter-attack will not change the lives of the British public.

"This country is extremely well equipped to deal with it. We've experienced a great deal of anxiety in the last 20 or 30 years with the threat of IRA bombings.

"This country is very mature in its recognition that there are risks involved but we have to get on with life. We are far better equipped to deal with such a threat than the US.

"It will be business as usual. London carried on throughout 20 years of IRA threats, which led to the loss of waste bins in the capital and restricted entry points into the City of London. But London still thrived. People will get on with life."

It's likely that in the short-term more people will be buying newspapers and watching the news on TV, fewer people will be flying and more may be taking holidays away from London, says Dr James Thompson, senior lecturer in psychology at University College London.

"If there are attacks in London some people may fall into the 'deniable' category, finding excuses to be out of London, extending their holidays and visiting relatives, but not admitting it's because they are frightened.

"You may see a drift away from the city to the country, but it won't be major."

Already, the airline industry is in crisis, with slashed services, job cuts and falling shares. British Airways' overall traffic in September was down 11.6 per cent year on the year and they predicted that October would be 30 per cent down. Other airlines anticipate the fall in passenger demand to be as high as 30 per cent to 50 per cent in the next six months.

Demand for property may dive by 25 per cent this autumn as consumer confidence is shaken by events in the US and the global economic slowdown, research carried out by mortgage bank Alliance & Leicester has found.

Most people appear to have put moving plans on hold, rather than just postponing them, the research found.

"Longer term, people are less likely to invest and more likely to spend on entertainment and leisure pursuits to take their mind off events," Thompson predicts.

People will not yet have got to the stage where they are living for the day - that would only happen in the event of visible attacks on this country, he adds.

Ian Berry, consultant psychologist to the Jersey Department of Health, says: "One of the ways people manage uncertainty is by absorbing themselves in activities. Some people may throw themselves into work, while others may take part in more social activities to take their mind off things.

"Retail therapy is one way of absorbing yourself, so consumer spending may increase in the short-term. The situation may also cause some people to put their own everyday problems at the back of their mind in the face of the enormity of what's happened.

"However, others will find that concern about events will exacerbate their feelings of anxiety about their day-to-day problems," he adds.

But, the bulldog spirit in this country remains, Berry concludes.

"When this country finds itself in these situations, there's a tendency to close ranks, while common beliefs throw you together. Even in the last two weeks I've been amazed by the people with very diverse political beliefs who have felt that taking action is the only solution."