Fall Out Shelter, Bomb Shelter: Nuclear Fallout of 1950s

This piece of Cold War Propaganda attempts to reassure the public about the aftermath of a nuclear attack on American soil. Told in a calmly scientific tone (a popular type of propaganda), the film uses both animation and live action to illustrate the effects a bomb might have and the dispersal pattern of fallout. Downplaying the dangers involved, the film recommends fallout shelters for every family as a standard for Civil Defense. The narrator gently assures the audience that two weeks of hiding out is enough before a family can emerge into a relatively safe world again. The dangers of fallout radiation are absurdly minimized as instructions for decontamination measures are given. About Fallout is one of the best examples of propaganda in American history and a great look at now antiquated nuclear fallout shelters. The film was originally sponsored by the US Department of Defense.