On August 6th, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Japan. Three days later, another bomb dropped on Nagasaki. Today, these events are known as the end of World War II, and also the only time that the military used nuclear bombs in wartime. The bombs not only impacted world history, but also caused the American public to feel uncertainty regarding the implications of nuclear physics and radiation and how using this scientific knowledge impacts daily life. In 1937, Ernest Rutherford published The Newer Alchemy, a book written about his work with nuclear physics and radiation. At the time, the public thought that radiation was an all-powerful source of energy that could power entire cities. The concept took on
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In response, the government created propaganda on how to survive an atomic bomb in order to reassure society that they were safe while also attempting to minimize the intense fear and hopelessness that some people carried (Reeves). This idea sparked the worldwide campaign “Duck and Cover” that taught children to hide under their desks in case catastrophe struck during the school day. The good intentions of the government had very little effect on the public because during the 1950’s, fear of atomic annihilation escalated with the very public fear of communism. There is very little coincidence that this time period marks the beginning of the arms race with the Soviet Union. Furthermore, the growing tension between the United States and Russia created competition for the space race, which lead to an American man landing on the moon. The Apollo 11 space mission is one scientific accomplishment that stemmed from the alarm that the Russians would send missiles to the States from the moon. Additionally, the uncertainty about whether or not both countries had atomic bombs in their arsenal kept the tension surrounding the Cold War at an all-time high. The potential weapons developments kept the battles at bay because both countries knew that if either opponent sent a bomb, the only viable result would be a mutually destructive nuclear
In response, the government created propaganda on how to survive an atomic bomb in order to reassure society that they were safe while also attempting to minimize the intense fear and hopelessness that some people carried (Reeves). This idea sparked the worldwide campaign “Duck and Cover” that taught children to hide under their desks in case catastrophe struck during the school day. The good intentions of the government had very little effect on the public because during the 1950’s, fear of atomic annihilation escalated with the very public fear of communism. There is very little coincidence that this time period marks the beginning of the arms race with the Soviet Union. Furthermore, the growing tension between the United States and Russia created competition for the space race, which lead to an American man landing on the moon. The Apollo 11 space mission is one scientific accomplishment that stemmed from the alarm that the Russians would send missiles to the States from the moon. Additionally, the uncertainty about whether or not both countries had atomic bombs in their arsenal kept the tension surrounding the Cold War at an all-time high. The potential weapons developments kept the battles at bay because both countries knew that if either opponent sent a bomb, the only viable result would be a mutually destructive nuclear