The Cold War and Civil Defense in the Atomic Age

The Cold War and Civil Defense in the Atomic Age. Fallout Shelter. , Where you are standing is the location of the Aiken Municipal Fallout Shelter. This underground shelter, constructed in the 1960s, was designed to provide an emergency save-haven in the event of a nuclear attack on the United States., A New Threat , The invention of the atom and hydrogen bombs in the mid-20th century created the potential for wide scale destruction. These bombs killed in two ways. First, they created a massive explosion many thousands of times more powerful than conventional bombs. Destruction was measured in miles not feet. Second, they produced radioactive particles known as fallout. This fallout was spread through the air and could contaminate large areas. Municipal shelters like this one were viewed as a necessity during the early days of the Cold War as the only viable option to protect millions of people from the fallout associated with a nuclear attack., What Do They Do? , Shelters were intended for protection from radioactive particles during the aftermath of an atom bomb by limiting exposure to the fallout that would accompany such an event. Shelters could either be underground like this one, or built into the basement of interior of existing buildings. They would need to be self-sufficient and accommodate continuous habitation for 14 days or longer base on the type, proximity, and severity of the attack. Thick concrete walls and hand-cracked ventilation systems were designed to keep out radioactive particles. Because occupants would need to stay for two weeks or more, all the supplies they would need had to be contained inside. Food and other necessities were stocked as well as entertainment like books, card games, and record collections., A Falling Out , The period after world war two through the early 1990s is known as the Cold War. Once wartime allies, the relationship between the United States and the United Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) deteriorated shortly after world war two due to conflicting ideologies and competition for global influence. With the USSR’s test of an atom bomb in 1949, the United States lose nuclear autonomy and the threat of a Soviet attack became very real. In an effort to protect the public from such an attack, the Federal Civil Defense Administration and later the Office of Civil Defense, sponsored civil preparedness programs. These programs designated existing buildings as suitable shelters, and educated the public about what to do in the event of a nuclear attack.