I remember this particular film being shown in my school. Looking back at it in retrospect, I realize that if I am even able to duck and cover, I might as well kiss my goose goodbye. Looking back at this now I realize just how sad and stupid it was all at the same time. Because if it goes down, there’s really no place to run to. Time to say your prayers.
Yes, indeed. As I wrote on my website some years ago, about a government booklet called 'The Atom Bomb and You'--and this 'Duck and Cover' video: The booklet is "based on the official U.S. Government Publication Document 130, National Security Resources Board, Office of Civil Defense.” The title of this book implies the notion of managing your “relationship” with an atom bomb in an effort that was being promoted at the time to make the public feel empowered with the idea that they could “do something” about a nuclear attack. Films like “Duck and Cover” were distributed to schools and shown to children with this premise. But all you were really empowered to do was this: crouch, hide, and worry all the time. This book’s text gets right to the point: “The atom bomb appears first as a ball of fire...” Uh ohh. That can’t be good."
I always thought this was hilarious considering what we were told growing up in the 1980's. Mom just said, "you won't have to worry, we live between 3 major targets so we'll be vaporized. You won't even know what hit you." I spent the first 15 years of my life thinking they were going to blow up the world.
I can still remember this lol, the kids these days are completely unaware of what we lived through during the cold war years. Growing up with the threat of nuclear bombs being dropped on you was quite sobering!
I don't know, guy. Today they have "active shooter drills." I'm not sure I'd trade with the present generation. It's insane to lay this kind of fear on children--then, or now. I think the grown-ups need to learn to get along.
It is actually good policy. You have to consider the time this film was made - this was prior to the development of thermonuclear weapons, when the USSR and US had relatively limited stockpiles of fission-based weapons, which were delivered by aircraft. Accuracy was considered relatively low, and there was a chance that bombers could be shot down, limiting the destruction. In the event that you were at or near the epicentre of a nuclear detonation, obviously you would not survive. Everyone understood that, even most of the children watching this film at the time. Of course, if you were close enough, you might not even see a flash. The expanding nuclear fireball and heat would be so intense and quick, that you would be vaporised before your optic nerve could convey any signals to your occiput (I actually think it would be one of the most painless deaths imaginable - you would die before your thalamus could even interpret any signals from pain fibres in your body). But for those on the periphery of an explosion, the advice could be useful. If you lived far enough away, after seeing a flash, you may have a few seconds to position yourself to reduce your exposure to super-heated air, pressure and flying debris. It could increase your odds of survival significantly. Japanese survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki often did state that sheltering behind walls or throwing themselves to the ground aided in their survival. of course, with modern thermonuclear weapons, ICBMS and MIRVs - duck and cover is no longer as useful. At least 3 warheads will be assigned to any strategically important economic asset (i.e city), usually with overlapping fields of destruction, so the odds of any survival if you live anywhere close to a major city is practically zero. And even if you did manage to survive, you'd probably easily find yourself in one of those "the survivors envy the dead" scenario. But remember, this film was made in 1950, or close to it. Nuclear war with the weaponry available to them at the time would not have been as devastating, and you could even rationally argue that it was " survivable", from a nation-state perspective. Depending on the efficiency of air defences, you could prevent enough bombers from invading your airspace to possibly avert total destruction. So - Duck and Cover was reasonable policy for the time.
Spoken like a scientist, without a word regarding humanity or child psychology. This film was made to make a defenseless public feel that they could “do something” about a nuclear attack. But all we were really empowered to do was this: crouch, hide, and worry all the time. And this, you say, was "reasonable policy for the time?"
alright, so you might know this already but a lot of views from this now are because the intro "duck and cover" jingle was recently sampled in indie horror shipwrecked 64 as the theme that tells you you're being chased
That close to a detonation I would stand outside and wait for it. I would rather die in a millionth of a second than survive with nuclear winter, cancer and all the many things that would make life miserable.
What a choice! I think the world's leaders need to learn to get along. Starting with ours. I've had just about enough of our politician's war-mongering. How about you?
I remember the city air raid sirens would sound and we would duck and cover under our desks. These drills were done once a month.
I remember this particular film being shown in my school. Looking back at it in retrospect, I realize that if I am even able to duck and cover, I might as well kiss my goose goodbye. Looking back at this now I realize just how sad and stupid it was all at the same time. Because if it goes down, there’s really no place to run to. Time to say your prayers.
Yes, indeed. As I wrote on my website some years ago, about a government booklet called 'The Atom Bomb and You'--and this 'Duck and Cover' video: The booklet is "based on the official U.S. Government Publication Document 130, National Security Resources Board, Office of Civil Defense.” The title of this book implies the notion of managing your “relationship” with an atom bomb in an effort that was being promoted at the time to make the public feel empowered with the idea that they could “do something” about a nuclear attack. Films like “Duck and Cover” were distributed to schools and shown to children with this premise. But all you were really empowered to do was this: crouch, hide, and worry all the time. This book’s text gets right to the point: “The atom bomb appears first as a ball of fire...” Uh ohh. That can’t be good."
Maybe this was minimal value but not totally worthless. Better than nothing, which is pretty much what we currently have.
I always thought this was hilarious considering what we were told growing up in the 1980's. Mom just said, "you won't have to worry, we live between 3 major targets so we'll be vaporized. You won't even know what hit you." I spent the first 15 years of my life thinking they were going to blow up the world.
That’s about right.
I can still remember this lol, the kids these days are completely unaware of what we lived through during the cold war years. Growing up with the threat of nuclear bombs being dropped on you was quite sobering!
I don't know, guy. Today they have "active shooter drills." I'm not sure I'd trade with the present generation. It's insane to lay this kind of fear on children--then, or now. I think the grown-ups need to learn to get along.
I'm still programmed to react around flashes or loud noises. I noticed this is pre-ICBM as it only mentions enemy planes.
It is actually good policy. You have to consider the time this film was made - this was prior to the development of thermonuclear weapons, when the USSR and US had relatively limited stockpiles of fission-based weapons, which were delivered by aircraft. Accuracy was considered relatively low, and there was a chance that bombers could be shot down, limiting the destruction.
In the event that you were at or near the epicentre of a nuclear detonation, obviously you would not survive. Everyone understood that, even most of the children watching this film at the time. Of course, if you were close enough, you might not even see a flash. The expanding nuclear fireball and heat would be so intense and quick, that you would be vaporised before your optic nerve could convey any signals to your occiput (I actually think it would be one of the most painless deaths imaginable - you would die before your thalamus could even interpret any signals from pain fibres in your body).
But for those on the periphery of an explosion, the advice could be useful. If you lived far enough away, after seeing a flash, you may have a few seconds to position yourself to reduce your exposure to super-heated air, pressure and flying debris. It could increase your odds of survival significantly. Japanese survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki often did state that sheltering behind walls or throwing themselves to the ground aided in their survival.
of course, with modern thermonuclear weapons, ICBMS and MIRVs - duck and cover is no longer as useful. At least 3 warheads will be assigned to any strategically important economic asset (i.e city), usually with overlapping fields of destruction, so the odds of any survival if you live anywhere close to a major city is practically zero. And even if you did manage to survive, you'd probably easily find yourself in one of those "the survivors envy the dead" scenario. But remember, this film was made in 1950, or close to it. Nuclear war with the weaponry available to them at the time would not have been as devastating, and you could even rationally argue that it was " survivable", from a nation-state perspective. Depending on the efficiency of air defences, you could prevent enough bombers from invading your airspace to possibly avert total destruction. So - Duck and Cover was reasonable policy for the time.
Spoken like a scientist, without a word regarding humanity or child psychology. This film was made to make a defenseless public feel that they could “do something” about a nuclear attack. But all we were really empowered to do was this: crouch, hide, and worry all the time. And this, you say, was "reasonable policy for the time?"
yup, I remember seeing this in those Cold War days 🤣
A make you feel safe video.
alright, so you might know this already but a lot of views from this now are because the intro "duck and cover" jingle was recently sampled in indie horror shipwrecked 64 as the theme that tells you you're being chased
I did not know that. Thanks for the info. The view numbers here are quite pathetic, with or without recent interest from elsewhere.
PLEASE NO PLEASE GOSH NO THIS SONG, HEARING THE WORDS DUCK AND COVER.. PLEASE NO
That close to a detonation I would stand outside and wait for it. I would rather die in a millionth of a second than survive with nuclear winter, cancer and all the many things that would make life miserable.
What a choice! I think the world's leaders need to learn to get along. Starting with ours. I've had just about enough of our politician's war-mongering. How about you?
I think I rather be vaporised
I think I'd rather have peace in the world.
@@collectornet I agree 100% but if it did " God forbid " I wouldn't take my chances on being a surveyor