Watch Nuclear Attack Civil Defense Films

Nuclear Attack Civil Defense Films is a documentary film that explores the impact of a nuclear war on the United States as a nation. The film is a compilation of actual footage taken during the height of the Cold War, when the threat of a nuclear strike was a daily concern for Americans. The movie begins by examining the political and social climate of the early 1950s, when the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a tense arms race. People were building bomb shelters in their basements and schools were conducting air raid drills. The fear of a nuclear attack hung over everyone's head, and the government responded by producing a series of propaganda films to educate citizens about how to prepare for such an event.

The documentary then delves into the various measures that were taken to protect citizens in the event of a nuclear attack. The government constructed fallout shelters in public buildings such as schools and post offices, and issued pamphlets on how to build a shelter in one's own home. The film displays instructional videos detailing how to construct a shelter using simple household items such as lumber and cinder blocks.

As the 1960s approached, the threat of a nuclear attack began to fade somewhat, and the government shifted its focus to nuclear energy. Footage shows nuclear power plants being constructed and the public being reassured that nuclear power was safe and would provide cheap, clean energy for the future.

However, the specter of nuclear war still loomed over the nation, and the film examines how this was portrayed in popular culture. It depicts the paranoid atmosphere of the 1960s, with films and TV shows like Dr. Strangelove and The Twilight Zone showing exaggerated scenarios of nuclear attack and fallout. The film contrasts this with government-produced films that strove to present a more realistic portrayal of a nuclear attack and how citizens could protect themselves.

The movie also examines the aftermath of a hypothetical nuclear attack, displaying footage of ruined cities and testimonies from survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The documentary highlights the devastating effects of radiation, both on the environment and on human health. The prospect of hundreds of thousands of deaths from the long-term effects of radiation poisoning was a very real possibility in the event of an all-out nuclear strike.

The documentary concludes with a discussion of the legacy of the nuclear age, examining how the fear of nuclear war has continued to shape international relations in the decades since the end of the Cold War. It also notes how the development of nuclear weapons has led to new arms races, with more countries seeking to develop nuclear weapons in order to protect themselves from potential threats.

Overall, Nuclear Attack Civil Defense Films is a sobering and thought-provoking documentary that examines the impact of nuclear weapons on society. It presents a detailed look at how the threat of nuclear war has influenced the way we live our lives, and how the legacy of the nuclear age continues to be felt today.