Friday Movie Review: The Day After

Why not start the movie blog out with two terrifying movies? Last week, I reviewed Fail-Safe and this week we have another movie along similar lines. (I am not going to reveal too much in this review. I hope to give you enough that it will persuade you into watching it, if you already haven't.)

One of the most terrifying things about the movie is how it begins; just a normal day. You start by watching people go about their normal business. Dr. Russell Oakes and his wife are shown starting their day before the doctor takes off for Kansas City for work. Farmer Jim Dahlberg and his family are at their farm house preparing for their daughter's wedding. Stephen Klein, a student at the University of Kansas is hitchhiking home to Joplin, Missouri. The movie follows them as they do their regular routine, but then you begin to notice things that are out of the ordinary. They begin to casually mention events relating to the Cold War, and then they begin to see reports on the TV. No one can really believe what is going on, but the severity of the situation is realized once the counter attack is launched by the US and you see the missiles slowly float over the cornfields.

The attack sequence is probably the most horrifyingly real portrayal of what an attack would be like. Just have a look for yourself. If you were ever wondering what an attack would be like, this is it.

The rest of the movie follows the main characters and how they cope in the aftermath of total destruction. We see those who follow the recommendations of the CD and survive, while some do not and suffer the consequences. This is another movie where I won't reveal too much due to the fact that the shock value lies in the story and how it unfolds. I can however tell you that this movie, like Fail-Safe, does not lose this shock after multiple viewings. I watched the linked video of the attack sequence to make sure it was what it said it was, and I am thoroughly depressed now. This movie is a must see for anyone interested in the Cold War.

The Day After: DEFCON 1

-scary effects
-interesting story
-realism
-Steve Guttenberg (You have to love him!)

Memorial Day

Today is a day to remember those who have given everything to protect our wonderful country, and also to keep in our prayers those who still give in order to preserve it.

Friday Movie Review: Fail-Safe

I found it fitting to begin my movie review blog with one of the best Cold War movies ever made. Fail-Safe was directed by Sidney Lumet. The movie came out in 1964, two years after the Cuban Missile Crisis. During this time, the USA and Russia were still on pretty rocky ground regarding the Crisis as well as the tension of a possible nuclear war at any point. The movie was based on a book by the same name, and stared Henry Fonda, Dan O'Herlihy, Walter Matthau, Frank Overton, Fritz Weaver, Dom DeLuise and Larry Hagman.

(This movie is really good, and it is a must watch. So unlike other reviews, I am going to not reveal the end of this movie. You should watch this movie if you have any interest in the Cold War. I am not joking. You will thank me.)

This movie is a fictionalized account of a nuclear crisis during the Cold War. American radars erroneously detect an incursion into American airspace. Several bombers are directed to their "fail-safe" points where they await the "go code" to attack. They wait there while the SAC scrambles to find out what the unidentified object on the radar is. When they identify the object as a lost airliner, the alert is cancelled. However, there is an error somewhere along the line that actually transmits the "go code" to one group of bombers. At the same time, the Russians are using radio jamming which cuts the bombers off from any communication, including those communications from SAC.

The President of the United States and SAC then try every possible method they can to bring the bombers down, including attempting to shoot them down. When this doesn't work, they enlist the help of the Russians in order to stop the bombers. At first, both sides are reluctant, but then they realize the severity of the situation. When the bomber succeeds in its mission, the President has a choice to make; either face an all out nuclear war, or order the unthinkable.

I am not going to give away the end to this one. I feel the shock of the movie lies in its end. The first time I watched this, it shocked me so greatly that I ended up having to watch two really mindless, funny comedies in order just to get sleep that night. The movie is very well done, and the acting is impeccable. If I were to relate it to other movies in this regard, it would be right up there with 12 Angry Men and Hunt For Red October. Fail-Safe is one of those movies that will stick with you after you watch it, and  you will find yourself thinking about it well after you have seen it. This is one of those "what-if" movies that really hit hard during the Cold War. It showed the people who watched it that it only takes a few little things to go wrong to annihilate the world. This movie is shocking, and don't expect it to get any less shocking the more you watch it; I probably saw it for the 8th time while working on this review and I still got goosebumps at the very end.

I feel it only natural to rate these movies with a Cold War style rating system, so I am going to adapt the DEFCON system to movie reviews. With 1 being the most severe (and for my intentions best) and with 5 being the least severe (therefore the worst) I will rate each movie.

Fail-Safe: DEFCON 1

-great acting
-suspenseful story
-great relay value
-scary as heck!

Signs, Signs, Everywhere....

I am going to spend a little time today talking about the symbols of the Cold War; always in the background and working their way into your subconscious.

The threat of total annihilation hung heavy over the world during the Cold War. You could read about it in the paper, listen to radio shows about it and watch shows devoted to it on the TV, in school and in the theaters.  Some of the most effective messages during the Cold War were not the verbal or written messages, but the symbols that were used by the government to convey the danger of the situation. These symbols spoke volumes without having to use many words, and they were instantly recognizable during a time when seconds counted.

The fallout shelter sign is probably the most recognizable symbol of the Cold War. Many people see this sign today and think "radiation", but in reality this sign symbolized protection from fallout. These could be seen in numerous public and private buildings. People would pay attention to these signs, especially when the threat of attack was at a high level. In a nuclear situation, if the people could not make it home safely, they were supposed to find the nearest shelter and wait out the initial attack and radiation period.

The next most recognizable symbol is the Civil Defense symbol. This symbol is not from the Cold War, rather it has its origins in WWII, but it was adopted by the Civil Defense during the Cold War, and it came to symbolize the efforts of the nation the be prepared if the worst happened. It was important to prepare people for the worst, so that when it happened complete anarchy would not take over.

The evacuation routes were a series of roads that were meant to carry people out of the larger cities and into the safer rural areas. These signs were to be obeyed during an evacuation, and whether they would have worked or not is still hotly debated. Some of the old routes have been used to evacuate cities in the path of a hurricane and the success rates have varied.

And last, but not least, we have Bert the Turtle. Bert is my favorite, so he will be showing up a lot. But this time, Bert represents all of the cartoons that were made for school children during this period. Characters like Bert came to represent the lessons the school children learned regarding civil defense during the Cold War. Think of some of the most vivid memories you have from when you were a child. How many of you can sing your favorite cartoon's song, or list some phrases said by your favorite cartoon character? While the adults could easily tune out the messages related to civil defense, the children could more readily absorb the messages taught by these films.

There are many more symbols used during the Cold War in order to convey the danger of the time. These subconscious symbols were constant reminders of the dangers we faced, and the steps we could take to prepare for the worst.

Cold War Biographies

Hello faithful readers! First, I have to apologize for a lapse in blog posts. Not only am I the Social Media Manager for the Cold War Museum, I am a graduate student in Museum Studies and Nonprofit Management and it was the end of the semester. I was swamped with three papers and a couple of tests.

Now that I have some time to breathe, I would like to begin with a new style of post called "Cold War Biographies." This isn't a biography in a traditional sense. Biographies tend to be about super famous people, like Nikita Khrushchev or Ronald Reagan. However, there are a lot of interesting stories waiting to be told, stories about Cold Warriors, scholars of the Cold War, Civil Defense enthusiasts and those with loved ones that were involved in the Cold War. While not as famous as four-star generals, fighter pilots or spies, the people I wish to showcase have stories to add to the history of the Cold War. These are people I think we should know a little more about, and I hope you enjoy this new weekly segment. This will be on top of the regular post, which will now be moved to Wednesdays. Also on Fridays there will be another special post which reviews films and shows related to the Cold War. That is three posts a week, so make sure you check back often!

I thought the best person to start with would be someone very close to home, someone who you hear from every week. Even though this person is 30 years old, she has a very strong interest in the Cold War and has become an expert in Civilian Civil Defense. The person for the week is yours truly:

"That's me in 1944... Well, historically reenacting a USO dance from 1944."

I decided to start with myself because I think you all should know who is writing these blogs and posting all the interesting stuff for you. The question I get asked the most is how someone so young (I always chuckle a little at this because I am 30 so I don't see myself as young anymore) can know anything about the Cold War. Well, I will tell you my story from the beginning to the present, and hopefully I can explain the madness a little.

Way back in 1992 I was attending a Catholic school. Catholic schools are notoriously slow to change their habits, so we actually participated in a duck and cover drill at the Principal's insistence. Even though I was in third grade, I was keenly aware that this drill was different. For the first time in my memory, we knelt under our desks with our hands over our head. For tornado drills, we would sit facing the wall in the hallway, and this was definitely not the case that day.

I imagine we looked something like this.

This odd drill stuck with me, and I would think about it every now and again. It wasn't until my sophomore year of high school that it clicked what had happened. I realized that I had participated in a duck and cover drill. I went to the library and found an old civil defense book in the collection. It had sadly sat on the shelf for about 20 years until I checked it out, but when I checked it out I was hooked! I began to learn everything I could about the Cold War. The civilian side of things fascinated me. When I had checked everything out of the library about a hundred times, I began to look for online resources. About this time a little Internet start-up called Amazon.com popped up in my search results one day. This store had every book that I could ever need on the Cold War. And I had a credit card. It was on!

The first book I acquired was Barry Popkess' Nuclear Survival Handbook. When I was little, I would see stuff about the arms race on TV and ask my mom about it. "What would happen if there was a nuclear war?" I can clearly remember my mom saying "we will stand in the middle of the street and wait for it to happen." Well, this was my quest to find out what "it" was. Let's just say when I found out what "it" entailed and how close to "it" we had come I had my first panic attack. (And I knew I would not be standing out in the street.) When I came back to my senses, I realized by asking my parents about their times during the Cold War, they could only remember bits and pieces about their entire lifetime spent under this dark cloud. I asked around, and I found the same thing was true from many people. The Cold War, which had been so prevalent in people's lives, was slowly slipping from memory.

As a student of history, I knew this special time in history had to be preserved for future generations. This is where the collecting came in. Shortly after I began college, there was another little start-up called eBay that came across my radar. I checked it out one day and typed in Civil Defense. Handel's "Hallelujah" started to play in my head! I could now acquire the very things I read about without trolling rummage sales and flea markets and endlessly coming up empty handed. I spent hours every week going over the materials, and then purchasing those that I felt had the most historical importance. I would purchase things and store them, look at them and love them. They became little treasures to me, and they taught me so much.

This collecting continued for about 10 years, and I purchased a lot each month. No matter where I moved, it was only a matter of weeks before my postman knew my by name. (Especially the nice older gentleman who lugged a boxed-up sanitation kit up the stairs for me. That thing was huge and that man was a saint!) During this time I had worked for several museums, but hadn't really considered it a career option at that point. I was still in school and after school I decided to try the corporate America route. (I failed miserably at the cubicle lifestyle.) I still actively volunteered for my local museum, and one day I was asked to volunteer for the museum's collector's day. I was amazed at all of the collections on display. There were banana stickers, dolls, china, and photographs. I remember volunteering for 6 hours that day wishing I had a collection to talk about and show...

"Oh right!"

So the next year I showed my collection at the show and people were really interested in it! I talked nonstop for the entire day. People would come by and say "I remember this!" and "I had one of these!" The best question I received was "What was the Cold War?" I answered this question for everyone who asked me. I knew my goal for the rest of my life would be to educate people about the Cold War, and specifically the most forgotten part, Civilian Civil Defense.

After failing miserably at corporate America, I was searching for fulfilment in my life. I asked my boyfriend (fiance as of this writing and husband in less than 90 days) what should I do with my life? He paused his video game and answered, "you have been working in museums for 10 years. Do that." He casually went back to playing his video game and I could have punched him. Not because he answered a question that had been plaguing me since I graduated from undergrad, but because it was so obvious. That day I applied for graduate school and the Museum Studies Program and Nonprofit Management Program. I got in, and everything changed.

(My fiance has been super supportive of me and my goal of teaching people about the Cold War, and getting into the museum industry. Not only did he tolerate my collections, he is going to let me build an authentic fallout shelter in our basement to store my shelter collection. What a gem! If it wasn't for him, none of this would have been possible. I have to take this opportunity to thank him for everything he has done!)

This is how I came to work for the Cold War Museum. I entered the program, and my professor told me about the Cold War Museum. It had never occurred to me to look for a Cold War Museum. I emailed them asking if I could be of any assistance and they got back to me almost immediately. I began to do some research on various topics for them, and I had the amazing opportunity to travel to Virginia (16 hours away by car. I don't fly!) and experience the Cold War Museum for myself. I was so impressed with the museum that I knew I would love to work for them for a very long time. Their mission meshed with my personal mission and we couldn't be a better fit together. I started out as a mere volunteer, but then the opportunity to become the Social Media Manager arose. I now had a title! But more importantly, I now have the opportunity to share my knowledge of the Cold War and Civilian Civil Defense with hundreds (and possibly thousands, who knows?) people.

I remember the flutter of panic when I sent out my first tweet, and the pride I felt when I launched this blog. I love what I do and I love teaching you every week. I hope, in my own little way, I can teach people about the importance of the Cold War and how it influences us even until this day. I must also humbly thank everyone out there who takes the time to read this blog. I hope this information I have shared with you in this first biography gives you a better insight into who I am, where I come from, and why a 30 year old knows so much about the Cold War!

A Turtle, a Monkey and National Defense

What does a monkey and a turtle have to do with national defense? Here is a hint:

Bert the Turtle and the infamous Monkey

For many, "Duck and Cover" was one of the most memorable Civil Defense movies from the Cold War era. These movies were created in order to educate the public about what to do in the event of a nuclear war. Often, the films had catchphrases, songs and pictures that were meant to stay stuck in people's memories. (I challenge you to watch Duck and Cover without humming the tune afterwards!) Other movies were created to shock and scare viewers, keeping the reality of nuclear war close in their minds. 

The subjects of these films ranged from ducking and covering, what to do if the bomb falls, how to survive fallout and what to expect after the bomb drops. The Civil Defense Administration not only wanted to teach people how to survive, but they also wanted to educate people about the science of the Cold War. A is For Atom discusses what an atom is, what nuclear energy is and how it can be used not just for bombs but other things as well. The Atom and Biological Science discusses the effects of radiation on the body and some potential practical applications.

Many of these films were geared towards school aged children. The aforementioned "Duck and Cover" is probably one of the most famous videos for elementary children. Ducking and covering was a drill that was widely practiced in schools from the 1950's until the 1970's. (And of course the one chance drill I had in 1988 due to my Catholic school being slow to change their routine.) Atomic Alert was an elementary film that had a dual purpose. Atomic Alert and many other films not only informed children about Civil Defense Procedures, but they also tried to educate children about the science behind nuclear reactions and fallout. Children (and adults) who were educated were less likely to panic in a real life situation, and panic can cause unnecessary deaths.

This isn't to say that all of these films were meant to inform and educate; some were just out to scare you! A Day Called X shows what would take place during a massive evacuation. What is scary about this film is that you do not know what happens to the town at the end. The House in the Middle shows graphic examples of what would happen should the bomb blast hit your house. Atomic Attack follows a family just outside of New York City and their struggle to survive a nuclear attack.

Perhaps the most sobering of all of the atomic destruction films is "The Day After" from 1983. I have vague recollections of my parents watching this movie and my mom crying. I remember watching this movie my junior year of high school for a literature class right before spring break and it was the worst spring break ever... I literally had nightmares every night for four days, and during the day all I could think about was"what if?" This link takes you to a video of the attack sequence from "The Day After." It is still the most terrifying, sobering movie I have ever seen regarding nuclear destruction. Having studied human nature, nuclear war and the effects of fallout, I can assure you this is what would happen! Ronald Reagan watched the film and it affected him enough to write about it in his journal and changed his mind about nuclear war and its effects. I have to reference this film a lot when people try to tell me that the threat of nuclear war wasn't as bad as it seemed.

From cute little cartoons to terrifying real footage, these films can give us a better glimpse into the reality of the atomic threat during the Cold War. How many of these films do you remember? How many of you are still singing "there was a turtle by the name of Bert..." in your head?