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?
No comments:
Post a Comment