Judith Toth's experience as a young student suggests that American anxieties during the Cold War were high and even permeated into the classroom. Her question, "What is a bomb shelter?" caused embarrassment and ridicule because it revealed her lack of knowledge about a topic that was considered to be common knowledge during that time period. The existence of bomb shelters was seen as a necessary precaution against the threat of a nuclear attack, and not knowing about them implied a lack of preparedness or ignorance about the dangers of the Cold War. Additionally, the fear of nuclear war was so widespread that it became a part of daily life and education, making Toth's question seem out of touch with the reality of the time.