That Time the US Government Brainwashed America into DIY Bomb Shelters

·39 min·3 clips

The US government downplayed nuclear radiation risks in civil defense pamphlets to keep the public calm.

This episode explores the US government's Cold War propaganda campaign that encouraged Americans to build DIY bomb shelters and practice duck and cover drills. It delves into the historical context of nuclear paranoia, misleading civil defense initiatives, and the cultural impact of these efforts, using examples like Bert the turtle and the Family Fallout Shelter pamphlet.

As heard by us

A funny look at civil defense propaganda that pushed survival onto the public.

Ridiculous History treats Cold War civil defense as a story about how official messaging pushed fear onto the public and called it personal responsibility.

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Why you'd press play

You want the weird history behind civil defense bunkers and the propaganda around them.

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