Duck and Cover

Duck and Cover 1952

5.90

An instructional short aimed at school-aged children of the early 1950s that combines animation and live-action footage with voice-over narration to explain what to do to increase their chances of surviving the blast from an atomic bomb.

1952

Young America

Young America 1942

1

Young America is a 1942 American drama film directed by Louis King and written by Samuel G. Engel. The film stars Jane Withers, Jane Darwell, Lynne Roberts, Robert Cornell, William Tracy and Roman Bohnen. The film was released on February 6, 1942, by 20th Century Fox.

1942

Red Nightmare

Red Nightmare 1962

6.00

A man takes his American freedoms for granted, until he wakes up one morning to find out that the United States Government has been replaced with a Communist system. The basis for this short film, narrated by Jack Webb, is the alleged Soviet re-creation of US communities for the purpose of training infiltrators, spies, and moles.

1962

What to Do in a Gas Attack

What to Do in a Gas Attack 1942

1

Explains what war gas is, how it is used by the enemy, and how simple household items, such as bicarbonate of soda and bleaching solution, may be used to prevent casualties. (archive.org)

1942

Alert Today - Alive Tomorrow

Alert Today - Alive Tomorrow 1956

5.00

This short shows how the city of Reading, Pennsylvania would implement civil defense procedures to help residents survive a nuclear attack. Through a network of volunteers, makeshift hospitals would be set up, auxiliary police officers would maintain order, and other elements of the civil defense program would be put in place.

1956

The Rear Guard

The Rear Guard 1976

1

The Rear Guard was a 1976 pilot episode for an American adaptation of the British situation comedy Dad's Army. Set in World War II, The Rear Guard followed a band of men in the American Civil Defense who were part of an auxiliary force in the event of an invasion of the USA. The episode was an adaptation of "The Deadly Attachment", in which a German U-Boat crew are placed under the supervision of the platoon. The pilot was aired on Tuesday the 10 August 1976, broadcast simultaneously on American Broadcasting Company channel 7 and 8. However it was not popular and never made it past its pilot to become a series. As it was a failure, the original tapes the show was recorded on were wiped. However copies of the show are in the possession of the show's director Hal Cooper and other producers that were associated with the show.

1976