About Fallout

Some things in history are conveniently left by the wayside -- racist cartoons, bell-bottom blue jeans, nuclear fallout propaganda films...

About Fallout is an instructional film demonstrating how to survive a nuclear bomb attack. It was first released by the Department of Defense in 1955. Against an auspicious musical background, the film provides such useful information as how to protect oneself from radioactive particles that travel thousands of miles in minutes. Within 100 miles of a nuclear blast, particles will be the size of sand or salt and are still "a problem." Down winds make things worse. Millions will face death without shelter.

The narrator explains that we live with radiation every day. I think he calls it "natural background radiation." But to handle larger amounts, we must "keep our distance and shield ourselves."

Near the crater area of a nuclear blast: almost total destruction. Large amounts of pulverized debris and molten earth are pulled up into the mushroom cloud and the radioactive atoms produced in the explosion join with the particles of earth and debris. The cloud climbs higher and contains billions of highly radioactive particles that we call fallout.

Never fear, your personal weapons of defense are here: 1. distance, 2. mass and 3. time.

The further away from the blast one is the better. Mass, in the form of a concrete bomb shelter, made of earth and steel, will serve as adequate protection for a family provided it is well stocked with canned foods, a radio and large bottle of tranquilizers. Or, one can wait it out in the center of a high rise (comforting to many apartment dwellers) as the outer shell will serve as a barrier.

In just two weeks, the particles will be only 1/1000th of their original size and, although the film didn't specifically say this, it will be OK to leave the bomb shelter. Did you know there's a federal government nationwide fallout shelter program?

A pamphlet was also produced with written instructions, photographs and fallout shelter designs. Here's one suggestion:


Looks safe!
To see this crazy little film, visit the Prelinger Collection. It was updated in 1963. And to see the pamphlet, click here.

So why don't we see anything like this nowadays? Aren't there more nuclear weapons than ever? Aren't there other consequences of making, storing and utilizing nuclear materials for which we should be prepared?

After reading "50 Facts About US Nuclear Weapons," by the Brookings Institution, I'm a little uneasy. You?