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1950 ... Hanford. WA


... 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

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1950 ... Oak Ridge

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

... cutaway B-70 Bomber

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

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... Cowboys And Reds!

... 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!

... 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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1951 ... B-50

... what a dorky drawing!

... great 'box-art'



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... Hanford Atomic Labs


... 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'



... 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



... 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!

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

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... 100 tons


... 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.



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

B-36 ... 'the office'

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1949 ... watching out!

... 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!


... 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!


... 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!




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

1963 ... dig deeper!


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

... CD Alert Today!


"... drive faster Daddy!"

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... pesky commies!

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1955... you are about to participate




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

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

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... bombers of the West


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

... no more recess!


... this might explain my third grade teacher!