One thing I've noticed in this recent Ukraine\Russia conflict, is it seems that as a culture, we have lost the fear or even respect for the possibility of nuclear warfare.
I was a kid in the 80's, and in those days, and there was endless propaganda of the horrors of nuclear warfare. There were movies, mini-series on it all the time. My guess is in 1985, the average kid knew how many times over USA and Soviet Union could blow the world up with their current arsenals. We all knew how many miles a blast would be, and how far the radiation would be. Most boys had post nuclear life plans in the back of his head in those days.
The 1960's was before my time, but it sounds as if the fear then may have been greater. If you talk to some older citizens, they will talk about the Cuban missile crisis as if it was the most horrifying event of their lives. (this was a short stand off between USA and Soviet Union regarding USA blocking Soviet missiles being transported to Cuba.). The people of that time were absolutely TERRIFIED of the idea of engaging in a war with another nuclear power, because they this very easily could lead to the deaths of millions, if not the end of mankind. (prove them wrong?)
At the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Soviet Union had 500 warheads while USA had 7000. Today Russia has 6000 nuclear warheads while USA has about 5500. Yet, we act like the previous fear was just the imagination of previous generations.
We are doing everything in our power to provoke Russia. NATO or allies have most certainly sabotaged Russia's valuable pipeline. If this had happened back in the 1960's, the President would most likely have been impeached, for even giving the impression it was possible we were responsible.
Now it seems nobody fears or even respects the possibility of nuclear war. The Ukraine flag people are all celebrating and keep screaming "but the regions of Ukraine!!" "We have to do something!"
Are we sleepwalking into armageddon?
Watch "The Day After (1983)" if you want to be scared.
https://rumble.com/v109e7r-the-day-after-1983.html
I do not think a nuclear war will happen. I don't believe any real bombs will be donated anywhere close to our country in this Scare Event. If any do, we are up shit creek without a fucking paddle, and you can take that to your soon to be ransacked banks.
Had nightmares in my teens after seeing that one. And to this day I don't want to go near any big cities.
I won't let my kids watch these movies, they do not need to be worrying about it.
The Day After was a kid's show. If you really want a really horrifying depiction of nuclear war, you can't beat the movie Threads.
That was intense. My favorite scene though is when he comes around the corner at the mental institution. Omg her reaction of terror is so genuine it still gives me goosebumps. Brilliant👌
100% agree. I might have to watch it again now for the zillionth time🐸 Whenever the woke crowd whines about strong women represented in movies... c'mon, Sarah Conner has the best arc in those 2 films. So badass & plausible badass as well.
See #10 above.
Media certainly influenced my interest in nuclear weapons and got the ball rolling.
I went farther and read stuff like this to really understand that a single 500kt / 1MT detonation will fuck over a very big area with long term radioactivity
https://ota.fas.org/reports/7906.pdf
Also worth watching: Trinity and Beyond from 1999 and Atomic Filmakers from 1995.