“We all know the atomic bomb is very dangerous.” Learn to duck and cover like all the cool kids during the 1950s. Burt the Turtle will help you get ready by teaching you the method for hiding under your desk, a sure-fire way to survive a nuclear blast.
The Federal Civil Defense Administration released this video in approximately 1951 to teach school children what to do if the Russians launched an attack on their city.
“First you have to know what happens when an atomic bomb explodes. You will know when it comes, we hope it never comes but we must get ready! It looks like this…” The best part is when they show buildings being shredded and then warn you that it is much worse than sunburn.
Gordon Carlson is a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He is pursuing a PhD in New Media Communication. His work focuses on the role of technology in communication. Gordon's dissertation work looks at improving edutainment across various media. 