The Dark Cold War

The thought of having to live in a fallout shelter is simply depressing. People throughout the Cold War feared that they would have to bury themselves in dark hole and live there for up to two weeks until they thought the fallout had passed. People were extremely worried about this terrible situation, that never occurred, making the years during the Cold War extremely dark and full of anxiety.

“The political and nuclear strategist who devised the Gaither Report put together a system of Civil Defense primarily designed not to save lives, but to pretend to save lives and to show Americans that their government was concerned for their safety.” (Garrison, 86).

Watch this video to see the darkness that was brought on by Civil Defense warnings:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tw-0skuQSnU

Burt the Turtle

The Burt the Turtle campaign was used to educate children on what to do in the event of a nuclear blast. It was also known as the "Duck and Cover" campaign. This campaign caused young children to worry about dying or being harmed by a nuclear blast, something they should never have to worry about.

Kidde Kokoon

The Kidde Kokoon was a popular fully stocked fallout shelter that you could buy for $3,000. The Kidde Kokoon turned the threat of a nuclear bomb into a marketing tool. However, the Kidde Kokoon could only hold a family five for up to three days, which was not adequate.

Abo Elementary

Abo Elementary was built as and Elementary School/Fallout Shelter in Artesia, New Mexico. The school was built entirely underground and even had a morgue. The school also brought up controversy over whether or not it was right to send your kids to school under ground.

All the kids are talking about fallout shelters and whether there’s going to be a war or not and Sally Brown’s father is building a fallout shelter in their basement. Aren’t we going to have a fall out shelter? Is there really going to be a war, and will everybody be killed? How do you answer such questions? (Rose, 139).

Anxiety during the Cold War

Throughout the Cold War, Civil Defense published flyer's, advertisements and pamphlets that told civilians what to do in the event of a nuclear attack. These advertisements caused an unnecessary sense of darkness and anxiety throughout the Cold War