August 6, 1945. This was the day that changed the world. On this day, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later they dropped another bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. These bombings took place during World War II, thus causing the Japanese to surrender, and causing the Allied Powers (the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, and China) to be victorious.
However, even though the United States won the war, there was trouble brewing back home. The dropping of these bombs did more harm than good—not only did they kill over 100,000 people, but it caused fear within America, and it caused the government to use propaganda to control said fear and backlash. The thought of being wiped out by a bomb or having a serious health issue because of exposure to radiation, had a lot of Americans terrified.
Following the war, it is understandable if there were varying responses. On one hand, some would be happy that the war was finally over, loved ones could return home, and the county was victorious. However, in the same breath, just the bombs alone caused so much destruction, the death toll extremely high. I wouldn’t know if I should feel happy or sympathetic. I would be questioning if these bombing were absolutely necessary, or just an act of pure maliciousness. I also wouldn’t know if I would ever be safe. An action such as that could cause an unpredictable retaliation.
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After watching the videos provided, it is obvious that the government was up to no good. Even though the films seemed “helpful,” there was this underlying scariness to it. For instance, film two, Atomic Alert, stated the “positives” about radioactive products. It stated how much we use it in our everyday lives, and it was also pointed out that it is not harmful to us because we are not exposed to too much of it. It was made to be relatable, unharmful. Whereas, there were others that didn’t sugar coat, and showed exactly how deadly atomic bombs can be. Video one, Atomic Bomb, is an example of that. The minute-plus video was nothing but reality. It showed the true essence of an atomic bomb.
There was also a target audience: school-aged children. All of these films either starred children, or they were cartoons (Duck and Cover). Instilling fear and uncertainty in children is the easiest way to instill the same into their parents, and other adults. For instance, in video four, the film explained the science behind atomic bombs, but it humanized the science, thus making it relatable and understandable to children.
Putting myself back in the 1940s and 1950s, confusion is what I feel. I don’t know if I would feel safe and secure, or scared. I say this because after each video, my emotions and thoughts were conflicted. From the research I’ve done, and the videos that were provided unto us, I feel as if propaganda was a tool used following World War II.
These films served as an educational and informative display of the needed behavior during a time of an atomic bombing. They were “meant” to prevent injury and keep citizens safe. Those that made most of these films made sure to keep them PG rated. Meaning they lacked the terms “war,” “death,” etc. They kept most of the films peaceful, filled with nice, friendly faces.
But, the confliction comes with trying to figure out what agenda was being pushed. I feel as if this is something we will never know because the opposite positions are both being pushed to this day.
