On a channel I found online called Periscope Films, there are a wealth of shorts produced from the 1930s until around the 1960s, and many have interesting subjects. This was one of the few shorts that wasn't obscure enough for IMDB and thankfully it actually has a page here. If you're familiar with the 1950s, you'll know that the decade was dominated by paranoia over nuclear attacks. Until mankind manages to create something like an antimatter bomb someday, nuclear weapons remain the go-to choice for people looking to end entire civilizations in colossal explosions. This short instructs people what the primary dangers of atomic weapons are, how to survive a blast if you live in a likely target (major city), and what to do afterwards. The short says that by studying what happened to people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki post World War II, researchers were able to figure out that the 3 most dangerous aspects of atom bombs are the immense heat generated by the explosion, the explosion itself and its shockwaves, and radioactive particles. From the viewpoint of the year this was made, it seems unfortunate that they weren't able to predict how dangerous fallout is. The film says that some people in Japan who suffered radiation burns are now able to live normally. In reality, most of these people probably developed cancer later on. The short also says how if everyone panics and tries to live the city in the event of an attack, it would be a disaster. This is not only because such an act would cause traffic for miles, but also because the enemy would like nothing more than to see a nonproductive city where nothing is getting built. This mindset is to be applied to your home too, since the film says not to leave it. The basement is the most safe place to be during an explosion, since it offers many layers of protection against a blast wave and heat. Having access to canned food is also a good idea, since they're sealed and apparently immune to radiation. Disconnecting your stove is important too, but puzzlingly, the short says to close your doors, but not lock them. If you're unlucky enough to be out in the open when a nuke explodes and have no time to get indoors, the best course of action is to either crouch down in a corner, or lay down face first and cover your head. Don't bother moving until you hear all the flying debris and broken glass come to a stop. If you're in your house, it says to go under a table or go near a wall with your back facing the window. If the bomb exploded near water or dirt, particles contaminated by radioactivity will fall back to Earth and pose a threat. This is why the window must be sealed with cardboard shortly after. After learning how to wash yourself after you get radioactive dirt on you, the short ends. Even though I didn't expect much from this film, it was still ok. It's your typical 50's atomic war fear propaganda, where government officials try to calm everyone by saying you can survive a weapon that mimics the hellish furnace of our sun by hiding under a piece of wood. It's pretty ridiculous. I did at least like looking at the stoves, water bottles, canned food, etc. Since it's always nice to see how normally common items looked 70 years ago. Overall, this short wasn't anything special, but at least it gives people insight into the Cold War and how bad it must have been to live through.
Review of Survival Under Atomic Attack
