Cold War, World War II, post-World War II, nuclear weapon, arms race, American society, disarmament, military, security, nuclear management, Broken Arrow, military policy, nuclear arsenal, Fail Safe
In this post-World War II era, cited by Karl T. Compton's 1952 Popular Mechanics article, there was notable scientific optimism, revealing a vision of unparalleled progress. Compton's deterministic perspective on scientific development, as shown in his forecasts for 2002, gave a glimpse into a world that was set for revolutionary technological and social changes. Nonetheless, this hopefulness was shaded by the dark backdrop of the Cold War era. This period was known for the fierce competition between the United States and the Soviet Union and a nuclear bomb hanging continuously over everybody's head. These ultimate weapons became effective instruments of power and intimidation, spreading panic into American society and becoming a source of anxiety around the world. The Cold War epoch saw the evolution and formation of political discourse, in addition to the molding of public attitudes, with the threat of nuclear annihilation emphasizing the uneasy balance of power on the global stage.
[...] Besides that, they provoked demands for stricter controls and supervision of the nuclear facilities to avoid the same mistakes. Conclusion This essay has extensively discussed the extensive effects of the Cold War and nuclear weapons on American society and the way films played a crucial role in showing explicitly the nuclear issues and the consequences of nuclear accidents. It stresses the imperious necessity of scientific involvement in public advocacy, highlighting the criticality of their expertise in ensuring civic debate and the right decisions in nuclear matters. [...]
[...] Science on the March. Popular Mechanics. Josselin, D., & Wallace, W. (2001). Non-state actors in world politics: a framework. In Non-state actors in world politics (pp. 1-20). London: Palgrave Macmillan UK. Kubrick, S. (Director). (1964). [...]
[...] Strangelove, and The China Syndrome are two films that depict nuclear weapons and nuclear energy, respectively, with nuanced portrayals. These films reflect society's anxiety and ethical concerns regarding the use and proliferation of atomic weapons. Fail-Safe shows the horrific aspects of a nuclear crisis, including human error and possible unintentional escalation (Fail-Safe, 1964). In sharp contrast, Dr. Strangelove reveals the craziness of the Cold War policies and the doctrine of mutually assured destruction while simultaneously exposing the insanity of nuclear brinkmanship (Kubrick, 1964). [...]
[...] Scientists have performed an essential function in influencing the public's views on nuclear weapons and the arms race by the time. A prominent instance is that of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is commonly known as the "father of the atomic bomb." His participation in the Manhattan Project and later his push for the control of nuclear weapons on an international scale developed public debates on the proliferation of atomic weapons (York, 1989). One of the famous Bhagavad Gita's quotes attributed to him - become death, the destroyer of worlds" - vividly highlights the moral and ethical problems of nuclear technology (York, 1989). [...]
[...] Throughout the Cold War, partisans from all sides utilized diverse mass media to craft public opinion and move agendas forward. Propaganda films like Fail-Safe were highly efficient in expressing ideological messages and shaping the idea of nuclear warfare in the public mind (Fail Safe, 1964). In Fail Safe, the movie portrays the dismal outcomes of a nuclear situation, demonstrating the dangers of technological mishaps and underlining the significance of prudence in nuclear relations (Fail Safe, 1964). Moreover, governments and military forces used this medium to propagandize via state-owned media, spreading nationalistic stories and slandering ideological opponents (Josselin & Wallace, 2001). [...]
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