Cold War on Film Writing Assignment The Cold War began as World War II was ending, American leaders saw the power and ambitions of the Soviet Union as a threat to our national security. On August 6, 1945 marked the beginning of a new era, known as the atomic age. The dropping of the first atomic bomb over Hiroshima influenced the everyday lives of people all around the world. In the early 1950’ people feared communism and nuclear bombs threats throughout the United States during the Cold War. The threat of invasions in the Cold War era led Americans to seek conformity in politics and in culture. The end of the Second World War brought many changes to American culture; family life changed drastically (traditional family), patriotic consumerism
…show more content…
During the Cold War, the perfect nuclear family represented political American success. In order to prevent Communist and rebellious ideas from taking root in America, domestic containment enforced an ideal American family and lifestyle. Americans daily lives is somewhat going to tie with propaganda of the cold war and containment. TV was being used to reinforce traditional family roles; movies were being used to counter the traditional family roles. The ideal traditional family consisted of the bread-winning, rule-making father who always knew everything. The perfect housewife who always looked good, did not work, had no political views and was submissive to her husband. The ideal child was well behaved, never got into trouble and was taught how to be safe in case of nuclear attack. In the movie “Rebel without a Cause” there is a scene where it symbolizes the Cold War fear of a nuclear bomb attack. The symbolism was portrayed when the students were taken to the Planetarium, where they watched a film with load explosions that were similar to a nuclear bomb. Plato, one of the students; fearing the load noise explosions hides under the seats resembling the “Duck and Cover” drill from the Cold War. Another symbolic theme in the movie was the color red (jacket, red sock, lipstick) representing an era of teenage rebellion against conformity, which brought threat to the order of containment. The American youth were the next generation and raising your children according to American standards was very important in the Cold War. In the movie the traditional family life style is not portrayed in the main characters lives. Jim lives with dysfunctional parents, Judy lives with parents that show no love for her and Plato parents abandon him. The fear of rising crime was influenced by the same facts that lead to Second Red Scare, which were considered
During the Cold War, the perfect nuclear family represented political American success. In order to prevent Communist and rebellious ideas from taking root in America, domestic containment enforced an ideal American family and lifestyle. Americans daily lives is somewhat going to tie with propaganda of the cold war and containment. TV was being used to reinforce traditional family roles; movies were being used to counter the traditional family roles. The ideal traditional family consisted of the bread-winning, rule-making father who always knew everything. The perfect housewife who always looked good, did not work, had no political views and was submissive to her husband. The ideal child was well behaved, never got into trouble and was taught how to be safe in case of nuclear attack. In the movie “Rebel without a Cause” there is a scene where it symbolizes the Cold War fear of a nuclear bomb attack. The symbolism was portrayed when the students were taken to the Planetarium, where they watched a film with load explosions that were similar to a nuclear bomb. Plato, one of the students; fearing the load noise explosions hides under the seats resembling the “Duck and Cover” drill from the Cold War. Another symbolic theme in the movie was the color red (jacket, red sock, lipstick) representing an era of teenage rebellion against conformity, which brought threat to the order of containment. The American youth were the next generation and raising your children according to American standards was very important in the Cold War. In the movie the traditional family life style is not portrayed in the main characters lives. Jim lives with dysfunctional parents, Judy lives with parents that show no love for her and Plato parents abandon him. The fear of rising crime was influenced by the same facts that lead to Second Red Scare, which were considered