Made in 1950, “You Can Beat the Atomic Bomb” shows the various modes of Civil Defense that were being developed to protect the American population in the event of a nuclear war. As part of the effort the film attempts to educate people about the survivability of the bomb and the radiation it emits. In an era before the hydrogen bomb, these facts were somewhat salient; but once the thermonuclear weapons became a reality films such as this one were obsolete. According to the film, a mere six feet of earth, or three feet of concrete, or one foot of steel, could protect a family from radiation following the bomb. In the film, such activities such as closing blinds and shutting windows and doors are important in the event of a nuclear war, and an average family facing nuclear attack calmly prepares for the aftermath.

One segment at the end of this film, appearing about the 18 minute mark, is about the H-bomb — this was likely added on after the creation of the original film.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com