Talk:Duck and cover

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[edit] Those wacky Americans

Duck and cover... glad to see American intelligence was the same back in the fifties as it is now.

-G

It was used more as fodder to keep people from being upset that if a bomb WERE to drop, chances of survival would be pretty slim.

-- Liz —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.81.207.88 21:12, 13 June 2007 (talk • contribs)


In fact this strategy must works where you will need to improvise. The first danger by a nuclear weapons is the shock effect, if you duck and cover your chances to survives are high, not for the radioactive protection (yes but a little) but for earthquakes, flying debris (mainly glasses and broken windows) and for protect of the shock. Before the shock effect you must look some shelter, you will have from 7h-9h to do it before the fallout... and if you can obtain a secure shelter then you must survive at least 2-3 weeks inside it. This will be the worst part ^__^

The another options is to run (opposing to the wind) and pray for the wind don't change the direction.

Even when duck and cover is a simplist way to say it, it's a effective way to explain the most common oportunity. Of course is way better to be inside a 1meter-leaded shelter with a suply of air, food and such but for many people we will be very short of options.

--Magallanes 01:13, 29 June 2007 (UTC)

The fact of the matter is, if you have time to react after seeing the flash, then you are most likely *not* in the complete destruction zone, so duck and cover is sound advice. Regardless of liberal spin, it was and still is a worthy idea. Gigs (talk) 02:25, 6 December 2007 (UTC)
Agreed. Most of the reactions to this are demonstrated by the comments, they boil down to European's/G's comment: "Haha, stupid Americans obviously ducking and covering will not save you from an atomic bomb if it lands on your head!! ROFL" (No one said it would) or for the modern American elitist: "LOL look how dumb teh peoples back in 1950s was they think stpuid things lik this will save them" (Learn how to spell). The introduction to the article needs to be changed. It's worthy noting that the idea is now satirized in popular culture, but which experts are saying that it's worthless and served only to spread paranoia? I'd like to see these experts stand with their entire body exposed to even a distant atomic explosion instead of ducking behind a wall. Otherwise the summary should accurately describe the article, because right now the summary says its a silly idea, and the body says it is not such a bad idea 130.71.241.182 (talk) 07:28, 9 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] -

The "assessment" is preposterous. It's entirely a cynical, revisionist, post-Vietnam spin on history. It is indisputable that g like "Duck and Cover" was part of some insidious plot to instill fear of the ever-harmless Soviet Union and had no practical value, this section needs to be fundamentally changed. --ArminTamzarian 09:46, 30 Nov 2004 (UTC)

That's absurd. Cite a single source. Do you even understand basic physics? Shards of glass, flying debris, gamma rays (would be 50% blocked by a brick wall). The basic laws of physics are not cynical propaganda, they are facts. 130.71.241.182 (talk) 07:34, 9 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] CD drills vs. fire drills in schools

I grew up on Patrick Air Force Base, the military supply and defense command for Cape Canaveral, during the Cuban missile crisis.

One reason the drills were discontinued was that elementary school children could not distinguish between civil defense drills and fire drills. Imagine a fire where all the kids hid under desks and in bathrooms. The schools involved were Patrick Elementary School and Spessard Holland Elementary school in Brevard County, Florida.

References to paranoia are wrong. There was a real threat to the safety of many Americans. The fear of nuclear attack was not illogical, projective or imaginary to Floridians during the Kennedy administration. Slang usage of psychiatric terms is best avoided in any case.

There is much opinion throughout that needs to be objectified, linked and sourced. In paragraph 2, the critics are unnamed yet "paranoia" is no sopressure groups. --Bonarien 00:09, 14 Mar 2005 (UTC)

[edit] merge?

Anyone want to speak to the merge issue? Tedernst 22:35, 9 November 2005 (UTC)

  • No. I created and worked very hard on the film article, and so did many others. If something is important enough to be in the National Film Registry, it deserves its own article. :) -Litefantastic 04:35, 13 November 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Inane

If anything, this article is too fair and objective. I grew up in L.A. during the Seventies, and we had these drills quite frequently. As early as in the third grade we knew what a farce it was. One day, I recall, as our teacher was giving us the routine "in the event of an emergency" talk, some kid suddenly yelled out, laughing, "You mean if the Russkies nuke us?" The woman immediately snapped back, "I didn't say that," because of course they were under instructions not to "traumatize" us poor tykes. Complete dissociation from reality. Everyone knew that a nuclear attack would make us instant crispy critters. Hence: "In the event of a nuclear attack, get under the desk, cover your head with your hands, and kiss your ass goodbye."

  • Duck and cover makes sense. Of course if you are standing 10' from the bomb you will be disintegrated, but further away it will increase your chances of survival. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 85.225.134.150 (talk • contribs) 18:47, 18 June
"Everyone" knew wrong then. Kids always think they're so clever and know better then adults, nothing new there. People at my high school had similar attitudes about tornado and earthquake drills "Well if a HUGE tornado comes through here we'll all be dead anyway." 130.71.241.182 (talk) 07:37, 9 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] West Coast only?

I entered first grade in suburban Boston in 1971... to my knowledge, no Boston-area schoolchild ever heard of this in the 1970s. Surely this was phased out most everywhere in the U.S. by the early 1960s? --Wlindley 23:51, 22 October 2007 (UTC)

[edit] "citation needed"

with those, having one after each sentence. Can we drop at least some of those, please? It's heavily distracting.

[edit] Unique?

I'm very surprised by ridiculous claim that this is something "unique" to USA. I remember vividly "Civil Defense" days at elementary school, when we practiced "lay down and cover" with raincoats and plastic bags (to cover hands and feet). "Remember - always feet towards epicentre!"

Unfortunately, I have no evidence aside my own memory from late 1980s Czechoslovakia. Podlesh 21:58, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Masonic Eye

Just watched this video and was intrigued by the image used after the credits. It's attached. This looks very similar to the All Seeing Eye, which I know is frequently brought up in conspiracy theories and stuff like that. Anyway, is there a spot for this observation on this page? I don't really know anything about it beyond the fact that it is there.

Image:Duck and Cover End Title.jpg Hendo1769 20:21, 11 November 2007 (UTC)

I don't think so. The triangle in a circle had been the Civil Defense logo since 1951 and is the international symbol. I wouldn't put that on the page. --GABaker 20:27 11 November 2007 (UTC)
Fair enough. Thanks. Hendo1769 22:25, 11 November 2007 (UTC)