With the birth of atomic weaponry in the world came times of great fear and responsibility. These devastating weapons had a profound mental effect on civilians during The Cold War and even now. In Zarlengo’s “Civilian Threat, the Suburban Citadel, and Atomic Age American Women” we see that prior to World War Two there were efforts taken to prevent or limit air attacks on civilians. However as the war progressed accidents occurred and there seemed to be somewhat of a disregard for civilian casualties. Dropping bombs on civilian targets seemed to have a psychological effect on the afflicted hindering morale and disabling war efforts.
The atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki claimed the lives of thousands of civilians, however it was argued that these bombs also saved thousands (even millions) of American lives. The bombs were a crippling blow to Japanese morale and lead to their eventual surrender. The magnitude of these attacks however was insurmountable and weapons of mass destruction were used without full understanding of radiation exposure. With tensions still high after the war, and communist Russia acquiring their own nuclear technology a threat loomed on the horizon.
Atomic Café (1982) captures American hysteria over The Cold War. With the arms race in full swing the documentary showcases the American response to fear, methods of understanding nuclear technology, methods or preparation in case of a nuclear attack, propaganda film, and the gruesome realities of those affected by the bomb. When the U.S. military had sole possession of the bomb the American people there was a sense of comfort as a world power. However as soon as Russia acquired this same deadly technology, unease and panic ran thick through the air. It’s sort of like going punch for punch with a friend wouldn’t you say? We could dish it out but we didn’t want to take it.
People all over the country went to great precautionary lengths for survival just in case a bomb was dropped on American soil. People built bomb shelters into their homes and places in their neighborhoods. They moved out to the suburbs away from major cities as these locations were thought to be perfect targets for nuclear strikes. There was a particular clip in Atomic Café where they showed a man dressing his son in lead clothing to prevent radiation poisoning. The government and education institution issued information on what to do in case of a nuclear attack. They implemented the duck and cover technique in the classroom to increase chances of survival. Scientists however would state that a nuclear blast would eradicate everything in a 12 mile radius of a nuclear blast, making these techniques and inventions futile. Although there was a great deal of fear amongst civilians everyone was expected to fight the threat of nuclear war by living their lives as normal as possible. Women were expected to maintain the home (and the bomb shelter) and were often restricted from working jobs as they used to during world war two. Men were expected to carry on in their careers to make the U.S. as great as it possibly could be during dark times. Although nuclear threats remain present today it is incredible how people perceived them decades ago. The atomic bomb defined the period. Our generation today may have a laugh at the irrationality of those involved in the cold war but for those people it was a time of great uncertainty.
