ATOMIC-ANNIHILATION

1954 ... 'Warning Red!'

2012-01-23T10:33:00.003-05:00

... "Warning Red" a 1954 push for Civil Defense preparedness. Guy stops off to buy some ice cream and gets Nuked, jeeze!

... thanks to the guys at 'Conelrad Adjacent'

... little more bicycle bell!

2012-01-23T10:05:00.004-05:00

... Stephen Colbert imitates a nuclear explosion.
Pretty good job!

... fallout families.

2012-01-22T01:16:00.000-05:00

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1952 ... Duck And Cover! (pamphlet)

2012-01-22T00:00:00.000-05:00

... as has been discussed at some length in previous posts; the concept of 'Duck And Cover' was not as naive as some of us smugly assume.

The 'Bert the Turtle' training film was produced and distributed to grade schools in 1951-52. At this early stage of the Cold War, arsenals were stocked with 'A-Bombs'. These were the type of Uranium based atomic fission weapons used to end World War II. The much more powerful Thermonuclear, 'H-Bombs', had not yet been developed and deployed. Factual analysis of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki showed that many lives would have been saved if the inhabitants had been forewarned to do as 'Bert' told his elementary school audiences. Unless you are very near to ground-zero (at the epicenter of the blast) there is several seconds between the flash of light and the arrival of the blast wave. Dropping behind the nearest cover can indeed protect a person from much of the thermal effect and flying glass and debris. An old fashioned school desk made of Oak and Iron can, in fact, be good protection.

In the early 1950's the vast radar network warning in advance of enemy aircraft had not been perfected. There was great fear of a Pearl Harbor style sneak attack. 'Attack without warning' was a distinct possibility. Fission bombs, or 'A-Bombs', produced far less radioactive fallout than the later developed H-Bombs. If you survived the initial blast than you had a real chance of escaping away from the contaminated area and avoiding radiation poisoning.

(Fantasies that in a Nuclear War all victims conveniently are 'vaporized' or that given a possibility of survival you would 'rather die' are the truly naive attitudes.) Besides the film was made for children. Even the most cynical of us can hardly say that trying to save children from being burned and maimed is 'pointless pacifying misinformation'.

'Duck And Cover- WIKI
'Duck And Cover' the 9 min film-1951

1951 ... flying artillery!

2012-01-21T23:58:00.001-05:00

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1959 ... 'Bounder'

2012-01-17T21:16:00.003-05:00

... the fearful belief that the M-50 'Bounder' was an Atomic-Powered aircraft was based on a 'hoax'.
Which could be another term for a skillful piece of deliberate 'mis-information'.

M-50 Bounder- Wiki

M-50 Bounder- video

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1950 ... 'close' counts!

2012-01-16T02:11:00.002-05:00

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1950 ... early air defense!

2012-01-16T02:09:00.002-05:00

1950 ... how to!

2012-01-16T02:08:00.002-05:00

1950 ... 'Peacemaker' tour!

2012-01-16T02:06:00.000-05:00

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1972 ... TU 22M 'Backfire' bomber USSR

2012-01-09T18:49:00.003-05:00

... here's one that has made the US and NATO nervous for decades. This Russian, swing-wing strategic bomber is capable of supersonic flight. Arguments and controversy

about it's true range have made it an important chess-piece in arms reduction talks.

Present day 'Backfire's have had their re-fueling probes removed, keeping them in the stable of Russia's 'intermediate range' bombers. A very formidable aircraft.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backfire_bomber

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1951 ... B-36's vist UK

2012-01-09T18:22:00.001-05:00

... in the early 1950's Gen. Curtis LeMay was working hard to whip the USAF Strategic Air Command into a credible 'deterrent force'. Groups of SAC's bombers were regularly moved to 'forward bases' in friendly countries. In time of crisis these huge lumbering bombers would have an easier and quicker time of reaching their Soviet targets from these closer locations.

Although the first 'intercontinental' bomber in the US inventory, the B-36 was vulnerable to defending Soviet jets. It's vast size and complexity was a long reach for the technology of that day and it was prone to frequent mechanical failures. De-classified reports now show that although it's proponents claimed a 10,000 mile range; when fully loaded with fuel and nuclear weapons, attack missions to and from the USA would leave the big bomber's ten engines running on empty.( If they made it back to home at all.) Never the less, the Convair B-36 'Peacemaker' was a successful deterrent, showing a determination that America could strike the USSR even if Europe and the Far East were over-run.

Today, we take for granted taking a Jumbo-Jet from New York to Hong Kong non-stop. Sixty one years ago, before aerial refueling, flying to Russia and back, on one fill-up, was a considerable technological accomplishment!

All of this crazy and amazing machinery of the Cold War. It certainly is a blessing that we never had to find out if it would have really worked!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-36

1950 ... attacking a port!

2012-01-09T17:46:00.002-05:00

... fear and imaginations ran highest during the early part of the Cold War. In 1950 Soviet Russia had only a small number of atomic bombs and an air force only capable of 'one-way' trips to the North American continent. But a reliable and coordinated air defense had yet to be developed and memories of Pearl Harbor were fresh. Everyone knew that just a few bombers getting through to their targets would be catastrophic! above from LIFE magazine

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1950 ... Hanford. WA

2011-12-19T00:52:00.000-05:00

... wonderfully scary drawings from 'Life' magazine. From an article explaining some of the mysteries about where and who was building the bombs of America's nuclear defense.

... Oak Ridge

2011-12-19T00:47:00.002-05:00

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1950 ... Oak Ridge

2011-12-19T00:45:00.001-05:00

... from the above mentioned 'Life' magazine article.

... cutaway Redstone IRBM

2011-12-12T12:35:00.000-05:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redstone_rocket

... cutaway B-70 Bomber

2011-12-12T12:32:00.000-05:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-70_Valkyrie

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... Cowboys And Reds!

2011-12-12T12:26:00.005-05:00

... newly released documents from the former Soviet Union indicate, that while visiting Hollywood on his U.S. visit, Premier Khrushchev challenged actor John Wayne to a...

"shood-em-up at za OK'd Korral moo-cow place".

Unfortunately Wayne was on location filming 'Genghis Kahn'.

1948 ... Nixon Hunts Commies!

2011-12-05T00:47:00.001-05:00

... then Congressman Richard Nixon inspects documents involving espionage.

Great 'photo-op' for Dick. The agent on his left is nicknamed 'blinky'-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnCC2gYmAMk&feature=related

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... USAF UFO's?

2011-12-05T00:43:00.001-05:00

1951 ... B-50

2011-12-05T00:41:00.001-05:00

... what a dorky drawing!

1947 ... recruiting

2011-12-05T00:40:00.001-05:00

1954 ... United Kingdom Civil Defence

2011-12-05T00:38:00.001-05:00

... call now!

2011-11-25T23:49:00.001-05:00

... great 'box-art'

2011-11-25T23:47:00.001-05:00

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... Hanford Atomic Labs

2011-11-25T23:28:00.001-05:00

... feeding sheep radioactive food to see where and how much the radiation accumulates; led to the first glow in the dark sweaters. Unfortunately the AEC was unable to suppress reports of 60 ft. man eating 'Sheep-a-shark-octapuss's'. A missing battalion of Green Berets and several destroyed Abrams tanks have not been confirmed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanford_Site

... the truth is out there!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLTUV1RitPM

' ... the ace in the hole'

2011-11-20T16:26:00.001-05:00

... one command facility ( above and center) controlled ten or more widely dispersed
missiles in silos. The same basic set-up still exists for the current Minuteman III force.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGM-30_Minuteman

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1965 ... building 'in' shelter

2011-11-20T15:49:00.001-05:00

... as a kid growing up during the 'hottest' years of the Cold War, and having a vivid imagination, I was always aware of the shelter potential of any structure I was in.
The above example would have been a winner on my list. It reminds me of the modern "International Style' Protestant church we went to. The big deserted glass lobby would be great for a quick run upstairs to check the rad level and peer at the glowing landscape. "Ooo- Buicks melt the best!" However there was likely to be a crowd of decaying atomic-zombies pressing there gooey faces against all that plate glass. I'd also have to keep an eye on the large planter area under the flying staircase because atomic-zombies love hiding behind rubber trees.

LBJ sure has the look of a guy who always keeps his six-shooters loaded with plenty of megatonage.
Black and white Presidents looked much more grim and ready with their atomic trigger-fingers. Although the secret was that Reagan was really black and white and they just added the color with make-up.

1947 ... cosmic ray gun!

2011-11-13T01:21:00.001-05:00

... from the beginning, the Cold War had problems with the difference between Science and Science-Fiction.

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1961 ... the Berlin Wall

2011-11-13T01:19:00.001-05:00

... 100 tons

2011-11-13T01:11:00.001-05:00

... shortly before the test of the first atomic device in New Mexico in 1945- engineers detonated 100 tons of TNT in order to calibrate measuring and recording devices.

"Hey! You on the left! Put out that cigarette!"

... B-70- from here to there.

2011-11-13T01:05:00.001-05:00

... this type of diagram seems an unintentional promotion for Missiles over Manned Bombers!

B-36 ... 'the office'

2011-11-13T00:59:00.001-05:00

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1949 ... watching out!

2011-11-01T18:09:00.000-04:00

... today we take it for granted that steely-eyed technicians and computers are always scanning the far horizons for threats. But that system took a long time and a lot of money to build. In the early years of the Cold-War radar coverage was neither complete or reliable.

This accounts for much of the fear of 'sneak-attack' morosely intoned in pop-culture and propaganda.

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... 50's Future Fighters!

2011-10-25T00:05:00.002-04:00

... not even vaguely practical; the Army researched one man flying 'Vegomatics'. A better idea would be to launch it at the enemy un-piloted and watch them flee the 'spinning blades of death'! Below is more in the competition for best Silly Soldier Award."Don't shoot the enemy- make them laugh to death!" Fortunately no one could recognize him!

Hey; on 'The Atomic Battlefield of the Future' anything goes!

... lookee there!

2011-10-17T00:55:00.000-04:00

... as far as our covert agents have been able to determine this is a publicity photo of film starlet and rugged hero type actor on location at air base.

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... infrastructure of doomsday!

2011-10-17T00:52:00.000-04:00

... it's those companies with the innocent sounding names you've got to keep an eye on!

1963 ... dig deeper!

2011-10-17T00:43:00.002-04:00

... 200 to 300 megaton weapons. Yikes!
Gives credence to the legend about the SAC attack menu: "rubble, dust or glass?".

... CD Alert Today!

2011-10-03T11:21:00.002-04:00

"... drive faster Daddy!"

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... pesky commies!

2011-10-03T11:16:00.000-04:00

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1955... you are about to participate

2011-09-16T11:25:00.002-04:00

... from an informative pamphlet sent out to residents of Nevada regarding open-air nuclear testing in their area.

2011-09-13T11:20:00.002-04:00

... talk about 'the stuff of nightmares!'

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2011-09-13T11:19:00.000-04:00

... Recruiting

2011-08-26T01:20:00.000-04:00

... bombers of the West

2011-08-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

... top the British Vulcan bomber. Below- B-52s and KC-135 tankers parked on 'ready ramps' at Minot AFB, N.D.

... no more recess!

2011-08-13T00:10:00.000-04:00

... this might explain my third grade teacher!

2011-08-13T00:09:00.000-04:00

2011-08-13T00:06:00.000-04:00

1959 ... time enough!

2011-08-12T21:41:00.003-04:00

... Burgess Meredith in the post-apocalyptic Twilight Zone episode 'Time Enough at Last!"

"Time Enough at Last!" full episode- part one

1955 ... dog-tags for Armageddon.

2011-08-03T14:40:00.005-04:00

... because millions of children would most likely be in school if a surprise nuclear attack came; a method was suggested for identifying their crispy, charcoaled little bodies. The program never became widespread.

http://nccdhistory.blogspot.com/2009/07/pet-milk-and-dog-tags-for-cold-war-kids.html

' ... old Iron Ass'

2011-07-22T09:23:00.002-04:00

... General Curtis LeMay - Father of the Strategic Air Command.

... Hustler 'Pod' Revealed!

2011-07-22T09:22:00.001-04:00

... America's supersonic, medium range atomic bomber, the B-58 'Hustler' was designed with an unconventional weapons delivery system. Instead of an internal bombay that was a part of the planes body, weapons would be carried in a large aerodynamic 'pod' under the belly of the aircraft. There were a variety of configurations; including a pod within- a- pod system. This allowed for extra fuel to be carried as well as Hydrogen Bombs. After it had run dry the outer fuel tank could be dropped away leaving the smaller 'bomb' pod- or you could just say 'screw-you' and throw the whole thing at the enemy. Whatever menus were selected it allowed the bomber to shed a lot of weight and drag and go into 'run-like-hell mode' after it has performed it's door to door service.

... Atomic Comics!

2011-07-22T09:14:00.006-04:00

... comic books about the destruction of humanity were a bit much- even for the war-mongering 1950's. There were only four issues of 'Atomic War' printed. If you want to see the 4th cover you'll have to prowl back through the earlier posts!

1945 ... Hiroshima bomb 'Little Boy'

2011-07-03T17:37:00.008-04:00

... top photo is of the actual weapon, in the sunken loading pit, before it was jacked up into the bombay of the B-29 Superfortress. Second photo is of a 'Man of the Future' viewing a replica, 60 years later, at the Atomic Weapons Museum in New Mexico.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Boy

... historical meagatonage

2011-07-01T22:59:00.002-04:00

... very interesting view of the initial huge lead the United States possessed and the ensuing Soviet catch-up. Remember your facts and figures: one megaton = one million tons of TNT.

...atomic advertising!

2011-06-18T23:39:00.000-04:00

1964 ... Kubrick and Sellers.

2011-06-18T23:35:00.003-04:00

... director Stanley Kubrick makes a point to Peter Sellers during the filming of "Dr. Strangelove'. Meanwhile one of the Soviet delegation relaxes on the floor.

... atomic pulp!

2011-06-07T07:19:00.000-04:00

1958 ... XF-108 "Rapier"

2011-06-07T06:41:00.004-04:00

... proposed as a three times the speed of sound interceptor, this North American Aviation design never got very far off the drawing board. It was hoped that SAC would buy a bunch as long-range fighters to protect it's Mach 3 B-70 Valkyrie bomber. Ironically, the Soviets did put a lot of time and money into building the Mig Foxbat as an interceptor aimed at the never utilized B-70. More pieces being moved around the Cold War chess board.

1952 ... truth is grim!

2011-05-30T13:02:00.003-04:00

... adequate and complete early warning systems were not a reality until the late 1950's.
Hence the fear of sudden 'surprise attack'.

1947 ... peaceful payloads

2011-05-30T12:49:00.003-04:00

1958 ... Presidential communications

2011-05-25T23:33:00.002-04:00

... in an era of vacuum tubes and teletypes keeping the President of the United States in control of America's nuclear arsenal while traveling the world was an arduous task.
Also of interest is the mention of 'site R' or Raven Rock. This is an underground 'super-hardened' site intended for use as a doomsday command post.

1964 ... Miss Foreign Affairs

2011-05-25T23:16:00.002-04:00

... Stanley Kubrick directs Tracy Reed as 'Gen. Buck Turgidson's secretary, in a scene from 'Dr. Strangelove'. Miss Reed plays not only the role of the slinky 'Miss Scott' but also makes a momentary appearance as the centerfold, 'Miss Foreign Affairs' , in the magazine being perused by Slim Pickens, 'Major Kong', in the first scene on the flightdeck of the B-52 bomber. Although it looks like it was a lot of work, this particular angle shot never appears in the finished film.

1961 ... you can survive!

2011-05-25T23:07:00.004-04:00

... scary Life magazine cover from issue that has the nifty illustrations of different family fall-out shelters. (earlier post)

1954 ... communist germs!

2011-05-22T03:29:00.002-04:00

1948 ... attack from the moon?

2011-05-22T03:25:00.000-04:00

1962 ... the facts! (details)

2011-05-01T12:53:00.001-04:00

1962 ... the facts!

2011-05-01T12:10:00.003-04:00

... after millions of Americans saw a cover story like this it is not hard to understand it was hard to generate enthusiastic support for civil defense. I was a seven year-old devotee of Life magazine at the time- hence my life-long nightmares of living in underground catacombs with atomic zombies scratching at the door!

I am surprised by how tough and unvarnished the facts of thermo-nuclear war are presented. Try to imagine that this is a very possible scenario for Ozzie and Harriet and not a forty-nine year old piece of historical flotsam.

1952 ...'ground support'

2011-04-12T01:00:00.003-04:00

... during the Korean War using aircraft to provide 'close air-support' for fighting forces on the ground was further developed. Of course the gung-ho guys at 'Mechanix Illustrated' thought up some helpful, and weird, suggestions.

1949 ... prone pilot

2011-04-12T00:48:00.006-04:00

... putting the pilot in a prone position was thought to be a way to help get through the high gravity forces of jet maneuvers. Instead 'g-suits' were developed; garments that tightened and kept blood from draining away from the upper body. It was also really hard to fly in this wacky position!

1956 ... Talos missiles

2011-04-03T16:18:00.002-04:00

... your choice- with or without nuclear warhead!

... here's your orientation film sailor! ( I'm starting to like the music on these Special Weapons' films)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgFIhomusc8

... SAC command center

2011-04-03T16:10:00.003-04:00

... Offutt AFB, sixty feet underground, Nebraska. Mid 1960's.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offutt_AFB

1951 ... C-54 medical transport

2011-04-03T16:05:00.001-04:00

... what a great photo!

... civil defense comes to town!

2011-03-29T23:37:00.002-04:00

1950 ... here come the British!

2011-03-29T23:31:00.001-04:00

... from a marvelous, and endless, site of aviation history.
http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/index.html

... 'our friend the atom'

2011-03-25T17:18:00.002-04:00

... two ominous images from a recent series of articles I wrote for 'UltaSwank' on the push for atomic power in the 1950's and '60's.

http://www.ultraswank.net/science/our-friend-the-atom-%E2%80%93-part-1/

1951 ... soviet wonder weapons

2011-03-19T10:53:00.000-04:00

1951 ... extreme civil defense

2011-03-19T10:47:00.000-04:00

1950's ... catastrophic comics

2011-03-14T10:52:00.002-04:00

I spoke with someone who grew up in the Soviet Union during the Cold War. He said that he did not remember anything like this being offered to youngsters there.

... NATO air power

2011-03-14T10:43:00.003-04:00

The European countries of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization maintained a vigorous aerospace industry which produced designs equal to the US and USSR. (Draken 1955, Swift 1954)

... cold Cold War

2011-03-14T10:37:00.002-04:00

US Air Force personnel and B-50 Strategic bomber. The shortest air route between the Russia and the US was over the North Pole. A percentage of our atomic strike force was stationed at forward bases in Alaska and Greenland.

... 1951

2011-03-08T10:20:00.003-05:00

... the cover illustration shows what looks to be a MIG-15 in the front position. It was an unexpected leap in fighter technology and a nasty surprise for American bomber and fighter pilots during the Korean War. Not only did Russia provide them to their North Korean and Chinese allies but much of the combat was secretly done by Russian pilots.

... yellow pages

2011-03-08T10:17:00.001-05:00

... airburst: 20 kiloton

2011-03-08T10:09:00.003-05:00

... this illustration by famed artist Chesley Bonestell depicts a Hiroshima sized atomic bomb detonating at several thousand feet above a major American city. Detonating the weapon at an altitude above the target maximized blast damage. Illustrations like this, in major publications, helped to personalize the specter of atomic war. Producing both anti-war sentiment and anti-communist paranoia.

... here is a depressing British documentary about the effects of a bomb 500 times larger detonated over London- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AYMS1po0L8

1951 ... duck and cover!

2011-02-28T20:56:00.002-05:00

... with Russia recently getting it's own A-Bomb, and very little in organized warning or air defense, a blinding flash of light might be your first clue to the start of World War Three!

1952 ... civil defense

2011-02-28T20:53:00.002-05:00

1960 ... more good guys

2011-02-28T20:25:00.016-05:00

... James Stewart was a distinguished bomber pilot during WW2. He remained in the Air Force Reserves for most of his life. He retired at the rank of Brig. General.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Stewart#Military_service

It's sort of strange to imagine that George Bailey kid dropping hydrogen bombs- but he does get kinda riled once in awhile. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruE8yhkHke8

... Nikta conquers!

2011-02-20T10:23:00.001-05:00

1951 ... sneaky Communists!

2011-02-20T10:16:00.003-05:00

1960 ... Convair B-58 Hustler

2011-02-14T14:52:00.004-05:00

... hard to fly, and a real gas-guzzler- America's first operational supersonic bomber was a real headache for the USSR.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convair_B-58_Hustler
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saeejPWQTHw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46KkNnAhWtQ&feature=related

1958 ... John Agar takes on Reds!

2011-02-14T14:49:00.004-05:00

1958 ... what you should know!

2011-02-05T01:48:00.001-05:00

1949 ... anti-red drama

2011-02-05T01:46:00.002-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pDOrUc4gfE

... fallout washday

2011-02-05T01:44:00.003-05:00

...I hope this proposed system from the 1950's pulled water from below the surface!

Here is a similar system in use today- http://www.navy.mil/management/photodb/photos/110129-N-5483N-468.jpg

1962 ... 'One More Pallbearer' Twilight Zone

2011-01-20T17:21:00.005-05:00

Ruthless millionaire, Paul Radin, invites three people to the bomb shelter that he has built. One is a high school teacher Mrs. Langford, who failed him; the second is Colonel Hawthorne, who had him court-martialed; and the third is Rev. Hughes, who made a public scandal out of a woman who committed suicide over him. Radin (with the aid of sound effects and fake radio messages) convinces the trio that an apocalyptic nuclear war will occur in just moments. He offers them refuge in the shelter if they do one thing: apologize for their actions. All refuse, valuing honor above life, and exit. Suddenly, the sound of a bomb detonation shakes Radin's shelter. He takes the elevator to the surface and sees that a nuclear war really has occurred, and the world is in ruins. This twist ending is given another twist, however, when we learn that Radin, devastated by his hoax's failure, has lost his mind and is only imagining that the world has ended.

"[closing narration] Mr. Paul Radin, a dealer in fantasy, who sits in the rubble of his own making and imagines that he's the last man on Earth, doomed to a perdition of unutterable loneliness because a practical joke has turned into a nightmare. Mr. Paul Radin, pallbearer at a funeral that he manufactured himself in the Twilight Zone."

- submitted for your approval: here is the entire episode
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zunKEzzEcM

1954 ... Rickover dives deeper

2011-01-08T11:04:00.001-05:00

... father of America's Atomic Submarines, Adm. Hyman Rickover.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rickover

1950 ... LeMay shapes SAC

2011-01-08T10:45:00.004-05:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Lemay

1962 ... Nikita pouts

2011-01-02T11:17:00.001-05:00

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikita_Krushchev

1960's ... West German fallout shelter

2010-12-31T12:23:00.000-05:00

... plenty of room for long walks.