After the SoviÂet Union testÂed its first atomÂic bomb in August, 1949, AmerÂiÂcan anxÂiÂety levÂels ran highÂer. The fear of nuclear war was in the air. And a young genÂerÂaÂtion of AmerÂiÂcans soon got its introÂducÂtion to Duck and CovÂer, the litÂtle techÂnique that would save lives if the U.S. ever endured a HiroshiÂma-style bombÂing. Or so it was believed.
In 1951, the US govÂernÂment, workÂing with Archer ProÂducÂtions and stuÂdents from Queens, NY, proÂduced a short instrucÂtionÂal film givÂen the no-frills title Duck and CovÂer. Shown to milÂlions of chilÂdren nationÂwide over many years, the film became a cenÂterÂpiece of the govÂernÂmenÂt’s emerÂgency preÂparedÂness proÂgram. Since then, the film has been entered into the NationÂal Film RegÂistry (2004) and has inspired varÂiÂous parÂoÂdies, includÂing this recent goof from the “AusÂtralian Board of CivÂil Defence.” Hope you get someÂthing from this nosÂtalÂgia-inducÂing piece of film.…
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RelatÂed ConÂtent:
63 HauntÂing Videos of U.S. Nuclear Tests Now DeclasÂsiÂfied and Put Online
HauntÂing UneditÂed Footage of the BombÂing of NagasaÂki (1945)
How a Clean, Tidy Home Can Help You SurÂvive the AtomÂic Bomb: A Cold War Film from 1954
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