"YOUR CIVIL DEFENSE" COLD WAR NUCLEAR DEFENSE / NORAD HISTORIC FILM 28182

About

Featuring Leo Hoegh, the director of the Office of Civil Defense, "Your Civil Defense" discusses the Cold War situation and what might happen if the "forces of Communism" were arrayed against the "forces of Freedom." To counter this threat the USA has many early warning systems including the DEW Line and NORAD, fallout shelters, counter-strike weapons -- and huge stockpiles of medical, engineering and other supplies buried in underground bunkers. The survival of every family in a nuclear disaster will rest with individuals, since "the strange menace of fallout" might make it impossible for aid to be delivered by government entities. The film shows a fallout shelter with fully stocked shelves of canned goods, intended to ensure two weeks of survive for a typical family. Thus, national security was equated with personal responsibility.

0:00 Images of natural and man-made disasters including Hiroshima. 0:44 Leo Hoyt, the director of Civil Defense, introduces the new reality of the nuclear age. One hydrogen bomb has more explosive energy than all bombs dropped in WWII. 1:34 Hoyt emphasizes that an attack is an "inescapable danger." The nation must have an effective non-military defense to assure its survival. 2:46 A comprehensive national civil defense plan, based on the premise that every citizen and all levels of government share the responsibility for protecting life and property from enemy attack. 3:38 The Distant Early Warning (DEW) line is described as America's first line of defense. 4:33 These far-flung radars are sent to warning centers of the North American Air Defense Command (NORAD) . 5:00 NORAD can alert over 200 warning points across the nation, which can then transmit the warning to local systems and the public. 5:46 If an attack is imminent, tv and radio stations will be silent to deny the aggressor navigational aids. However, some radio stations will return at reduced power to broadcast local survival instructions on the 640 and 1240 CONELRAD frequencies. 6:08 A national communications network is also ready to coordinate emergency government operations. Federal agencies are ready to operate from relocation sites. 6:44 Vast resources being marshaled for disaster. 7:07 Critical special items stockpiled by the federal government. These include medical supplies and nearly 2,000 complete pre-packaged 200-bed hospitals . 7:54 Engineering equipment is also stockpiled. 8:00 A computer center is being established to assess surviving resources after an attack. 8:22 A radiological defense program is underway, with thousands of measurement instruments being distributed. Men and women are being trained to measure fallout radiation, and high school science departments will aid in training over a million students a year. 9:10 The film shows ongoing research into various fields, including inexpensive home warning devices, sound systems for noisy commercial areas, and shelters to provide protection from blast, heat, and radiation. 9:51 The film emphasizes that after an attack, many areas may be isolated, so self-sufficiency is key to survival . 10:08 Survival plans have been developed for individual states and communities. An example is Portland, Oregon, which has provided for a succession of key officials, given city services alternate disaster assignments, and trained citizen volunteers. 11:01 Portland's plan includes rapid evacuation if time permits and the use of available shelter if it does not. The city also has a protected alternate operation center with duplicated vital records. 11:34 The film stresses that, despite well-laid government plans, survival will be a "starkly personal matter." It is essential for individuals and families to make their own preparations. 11:52 Every home should have a fallout shelter with enough water and food for two weeks, and a battery radio. 12:11 Every household member should understand their community's emergency plan and be prepared to administer first aid. 12:23 The film concludes by stating that civil defense is everybody's business , and the nation's survival depends on both individual and government preparedness. This readiness serves as another deterrent to war.

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