Reference no: EM133735982
Assignment: History Proficient Method to Endure a Nuclear Attack
The goal of the Film Club discussion is two-fold:
I. To replicate the back-and-forth exchange of ideas of an in-class discussion
II. To articulate your understanding of the historical issues and materials in the assigned films.
The subjects of Film Club are two government-sponsored instructional films
I. Atomic Alert (Elementary version): Encyclopaedia Britannica Films : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
II. Duck and Cover : Archer Productions, Inc.: Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Things to Keep in Mind
I. Keep the focus of the discussion upon the films. Draw upon the Historical Content of previous weeks if appropriate, but do not draw upon non-course materials. The use of external sources will result in a zero for the discussion.
II. Express your own, original thoughts in your own, original words. I am interested in what you think, not what someone else thinks and definitely not what some bot or AI program thinks you should think.
III. Support/illustrate your ideas and conclusions in each DQ response with specific, concrete historical evidence from the films. General, vague, or unsupported responses do not fulfill the assignment.
IV. Answer each of the following in at least 100 words. Support/illustrate your ideas and conclusions with specific evidence from the week's lectures and historical documents.
A. According to the films, what should a child do to survive a nuclear attack? Give examples from each film. In your view, would this advice be effective in the event of an actual nuclear attack? Why or why not?
B. Who were the authority figures in the films? Who was not depicted in the films? Give examples from each film. What does this suggest about American society in the 1950s?
C. What was the historical context in which the films were produced and shown (i.e., what else was going on in the 1950s)? Did the films refer to the Cold War and communism, explicitly or implicitly? Do you think these films were produced to educate or to stir up fear of America's Cold War enemies? Give examples from each film.
D. Would you characterize these films as Public Service Announcements or as propaganda? What lead you to your conclusion? Give examples from each film.
E. What might be the long-term impact of these types of films upon the children who saw them in the 1950s? In other words, how might the films influence the world view of those who became adults in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s? Support your conclusion with examples from each film.