Question

Were the "duck and cover" drills, as promoted by civil defense initiatives, effective measures for protection?

A. No, but since the government had no idea how to address the nuclear threat, it created the impression that it had solutions to offer the people.
B. No, but conducting frequent nuclear attack drills helped limit public hysteria by keeping Americans busy and reassured of potential survival.
C. Yes, because the light from the flash of a nuclear detonation cannot penetrate solid objects to burn people crouched behind them.
D. Yes, because fabric had been proved to block the radioactive gamma rays, deflect the heat of the blast, and shield the body from fallout.

Answer 1

The correct answer is B. No, but conducting frequent nuclear attack drills helped limit public hysteria by keeping Americans busy and reassured of potential survival.

During the 1950's and 1960's, Americans were fearful of nuclear warfare taking place between the United States and Soviet Union. The threat of nuclear attack scared millions of Americans. To curtail this fear, the federal government came out with the "duck and cover" method.

The goal of this program was to help people survive a possible nuclear attack by teaching them to duck under objects (like desks) and to cover their head for protection. Despite the fact that this would not work, as the buildings people were in would immediately collapse, it gave people hope that they could surive. This prevented more paranoia and fear from American citizens.