Effects Of A Nuclear War On Children In The 1960s

Chloe Possin
HIST 1811
Primary Source Midterm
3/2/2023
The fear of a nuclear war was present in every American's life after World War II, children especially had to be confronted with the idea of a nuclear war without scaring them. This was done by focusing on alleviating worries and familiarizing Americans with the possibility of atomic warfare. This can be seen in videos shown to children in school and toys that were marketed towards children. A common thread between all of the movements that were happening throughout the 1960s was that young adults were often at the forefront of these fights. Growing up consuming this media and constantly worrying about your country being under attack is what led these children to grow up and work toward

The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) was created in 1960 and consisted of college students of various races, sexes, and backgrounds working together to achieve racial equality. The Black Panther Party is another example of young people in the 1960s leading a movement to work against problems faced by the black communities in the north. The Black Panther’s platform, “What We Want, What We Believe” stated a list of things they want to achieve with their movement including blacks’ freedom, better housing and education, and eliminating police brutality.
The Atomic Energy Lab is a great example of how Americans were conditioned to feel better about the possibility of atomic warfare that was seen in the 1950s. This toy taught children that nuclear energy can be safe. Children were also taught what to do in the event of an atomic bomb through the video “Duck and Cover”, even if it may not have been very realistic in helping people survive an atomic bomb. This is what led the children at this time to aspire for change and lead movements in the 1960s as young