Sleepcore: Nightmares of the Nuclear Age! 

People look mature, responsible, articulate and sober. Quite different from 2022.

After experiencing the deadly evacuation of Houston fleeing Hurricane Rita in 2005, i know cities aren’t ready for anything remotely like this. I think I might just stay and get blown up. What’s left to live for if nuclear war breaks out? A future of misery.

i grew up towards the end of the cold war. i asked my father about it once, and he said he wouldnt want to survive a nuclear war. the ppl who are killed by the blast are the lucky ones, and the survivors have nothing but pain, conflict, and hardship to look forward to.

Shall we play a game? How about global thermonuclear war? A strange game. the only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?

I lived through this. I had hoped my grandkids wouldn't have to.

yup. There's nothing like lying flat on the ground and pulling your your shirt collar to survive a 10 Megaton nuke. That should work.

Ironically, when Mount St Helens erupted in Washington State, even after weeks of warning, confusion reigned. Makes me feel real confident…

I just found this channel and it's oddly soothing and educational even though the subject matter is quite morbid. These, are the facts.

Was told this when 8 yrs old in 1963 If you are outside and we are under attack lay flat on ground face down if you have a jacket pull it over your head. Do not look at the flash. Every Saturday at 12 PM The alert sirens were cranked up for 1 minute. Twice every school year we had an evacuation drill everyone at my school who lived in my immediate neighborhood had a purple badge with our name on it every one in the purple group Gathered and walked from school to our homes the older kids making sure the younger kids got to there home. 1st through 6th grade this was the drill. I remember going to the local Safeway grocery store on a Sunday with my parents in 63 to look at underground bomb shelters that were on flat bed big rig trucks in the store parking lot. It was pretty scary especially after watching many of the above ground nuclear test blasts on TV. Even at 8 you know that you won’t live through something like that. It was always on my mind through out my life until I was 20 or so. In addition to that the stats of number of viet cong killed and American solders killed were on the evening news every night. The war I watched on tv when I was 8-9 years old in 63-64 was still going on when I was 17 in 1972! Damn. It was unbelievable. I seriously never thought I would live to see 25-30 and never have kids to see grow up. One good memory was the day it seemed like every kid in our part of town was at the local High School to take our sugar cube with the Polio vaccine on it and then stood in line for various other vaccinations in the arm and the then into the auditorium to watch Cinderella. Wow. This was Phoenix Arizona in the early 60’s. When we weren’t locking our doors and in the summer it was normal to fill my canteen and ride out to the desert with a friend and I had to be home before dinner at 5 I had a stay at home mom and we all ate at the table every day. It was very leave it to beaver’ish Seriously I never met stranger danger If I was ever thirsty we drank out of any facet or hose at any house we chose. Nobody ever said do much as boo to us That’s just what you did. I was frightened by the thought of the ‘bomb’ But was not afraid of anything in the world I lived in. In retrospect I should have feared the sun It was always out in Phoenix and hot Most days shirtless had enough sun for several life times. I’m thankful I never developed melanoma. Sun screen had not been invented then. Nor microwave ovens. And gas was leaded! And my fathers VW camper bus had no air conditioner. Honey bear was Sugar Bear And my sun tea had as much sugar as I saw fit That bowel was never empty. I’m rambling The MAD policy was crazy Mutually Assured Destruction That was it we had enough to blow up the planet several times over. So It caused the players to think real hard about pushing the button. Dr Strangelove was very much the real deal. No shit.

The good old times when we used to dump nuclear waste at sea. Good times

Mystery Science Theater 3000 would have had a field day with these films!

In my small Upstate NY village my Father took a radiation monitor training course in 1977 and was assigned to get a certain number of Village officials to the Shelter in the basement of the County Building built in 1962 in case of a nuclear attack. Years later, I worked in that same building and the shelter had showers, desks, phones and blackboards covered with the headings of various radiated areas in the County. Sleeping areas and a very modern kitchen. It was used by Emergency Management and was finally restructured in the mid 1990s.

I was on a navy base in charleston south carolina in 1962 during the blockade my dad was a sailor on one of those ships.

I lived through this throughout the 1980's. When I was 13, c. 1987, I remember being at my Comprehensive School (read: High School) talking with a guy I've known since Infant School, about what we would both do if, whilst at school, the sirens started whaling for the 'Four Minute Warning'. Depending on the size of the delivered warhead (and Soviet ICBM warheads had quite large blast yields at the time), given the distance from Heathrow Airport, a 5MT airburst would've wiped out the entire school; either burnt to death, or crushed under tons of rubble, if it hadn't caught on fire, first. Neither of us were told of any contingencies, as in which area(s) of the school was less vulnerable than others, and so forth. In fact, I doubt even if the teachers themselves knew ... But one thing us kids did know: that the living would envy the dead ... Even the Soviet populations knew. There is a grim joke of that era that can be translated as thus:- "In event of a nuclear war, you should cover yourself with a white sheet, and make your was slowly to the nearest cemetery ..." "But why slowly, Comrade ...?" "Because, my dear Comrade, you're not supposed to panic anyone else ..." What neither the Americans, nor the Soviets, truly failed to grasp, nor accept, was each was equally terrified of the other: Yuri Andropv, the Soviet Premier, truly believed that during the NATO exercise, _Able Archer '83_ , that it was based on a pre-emptive Soviet attack, first shutting of West Berlin, then pushing into West Germany, proper - an action which would only escalate to use of Tactical, then Strategic nuclear weapons, it also meant the three NATO nuclear forces (Britain, France, and the US) would use that same exercise as a prelude to a First Strike of their own. He actually raised their nuclear forces Alert Level - allegedly - to that of the equivalent to DEFCON 2; and sent all mobile missile launchers, with their C-n-C into 'the field', with each commander have their own authority to launch if all communications where to fail ... ... in the meanwhile, the Americans, knowing the Soviets were beginning to struggle, worried that they (the Russians) would reach the conclusion of 'better now, than be hit first', and had drawn up a First Strike plan themselves ... especially when their number of stockpiled warheads exceeded the Americans, in both number, and blast yields, in the megaton range ... For American readers, if you can, find 'Threads' a British drama about the outcome of a nuclear war. It was produced, and aired in 1984, so it looks/feels dated ... though so am I, as I was ~10 at the time ... ... but what hasn't dated is the utter fear, and sheer dread, throughout. According to American reviewers, it makes 'The Day After', also a television drama-film about nuclear war "almost like a Disney Movie, such was the optimistic view, rather than come as close to the grim, gritty, reality of 'Threads' ..." ...

@2:33 Cool to see the old Orpheum Theater that was demolished in the 70s here in Portland. Of course the "traffic jam" depicted is just a typical afternoon now.

Duck and Cover Your ROASTED DUCKS 🦆☢️🦆☢️🦆☢️🦆☢️🦆☢️🦆☢️🦆☢️

My grampa build his own boat and planned to put in at Toledo and go north into the Great Lakes upward to Canada or out the Seaway. . The boat was always stocked with survival gear.

And the blind were freaking out because they didn't get to read the "There is not an attack coming" on the TV screen.

Nuclear blast! Rush into the area fellas and get the power back on! What radiation? Geez.

Life under the hammer, welcome young ones to our nightmare.

0:58. That's Mayor Terry Schrunk of Portland. He was Mayor from 1957 to 1973 (while I was growing up there).

The voice of Alexander Scourby was such a mainstay of these time capsule docs.

"I won't kid you about the A-bomb. I've seen what it can do... it's deadly. ...It's like a woman."

Yeahhhhh like that's gonna be orderly. You bet mass chaos would occur. This is a best case scenario.

I absolutely love these old training and information films, and both during my service and since retiring I must have seen thousands, and it is interesting to compare the differences in the facts as they were and are now known, not just about atomic/nuclear weapons but about civil defence or personal actions you can take in various situations, natural disasters, medical emergencies, road safety and so many other scenarios, but the way that the films, like this one, try to explain how safe or how atomic/nuclear weapons work are fantastic, fantastic in how they try to convince us all how we should NOT worry, well, I’m sorry but if it ever comes to the M.A.D scenario I for one will sit on my porch, gin and tonic (without the tonic) in hand (after about a bottle of gin in 15 minutes) and catch an instant sunshine bomb tan, followed, a fraction of a second later, free cremation and ashes scattered in the wind (nuclear wind that is), and why would I do it that way????, easy, life wouldn’t be worth living in a situation where the very air you breath can kill in a horrific and painful way, nothing would survive for long, not even cockroaches (contrary to popular belief). Even those living in their subterranean converted missile silos and special bunkers for the rich/powerful won’t guarantee survival, at least not for long. The last video about the safety of American airborne weapons “accidentally” detonating was probably very reassuring at the time, but what about other countries with “the bomb” back then and now? I don’t think that their regard for weapons safety was, or is, anything like as comprehensive as the allied/NATO nations, and that is scary, especially with the madman Putin in control (or not) of Russian weapons, and I believe he will use them if he thinks it would “turn the tide” of the war on Ukraine 🇺🇦, but it wouldn’t, Hitler believed that his “V” or “Vengeance” weapons would turn the tide, and look where that got him, and that is why I believe Putin would use them. Ok, rant over and soapbox put away, spleen vented and essay completed, thanks for sharing these old but comforting brainwashing titbits, very enjoyable and Halloween 🎃 inspired, you know when you have entered the twilight zone. Thanks again. 😀👍🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇺🇸🇺🇦

Evacuation? That's a joke. What do you think you're going to evacuate to?

as kids during this time, it was interesting and scary, but things change, and life moves on we all made it. today folks living around southern calif are finding old bomb shelters in their back yards from what we call the good old days now we have this mess we are living in such fun. take care of each other that's all we have in this world

Seems like we need to start doing these drills again everywhere

A lot of this dialogue is unintentionally hilarious. I especially like how he advises, in the event of a bombing where you have no shelter, for you to lie down on the ground and cover yourself up! 😂😂😂 might as well wrap yourself in foil.

How very quaint to be back then in the 1950s before ICBMs and have hours before an attack (especially in a coastal city) instead of 5-30 minutes of either pure panic or no notice at all.

The first film, with Glenn Ford is A Day Called X.

Before ICBMs.

That was a lie when he said after the nuclear blast 2 minits later you can walk to the blast site to do work helping people due your military duties.

I was born in 1960, so this nuclear war stuff was an accepted and forgone conclusion. It was what it was, and by the 70's, I just wanted to live near a target zone so I could go quickly (I lived near LAX, and so I was good with that).

this day and age, in Portland, if they did a mass evacuation, when the citizens who left returned, it would for sure look like a nuke bomb had gone off.

Given the state of the world today… I’m gonna let myself skip this one!

Actually every labor day weekend in Parsippany NJ they have a giant 1950's/ oldies super festival called LEAD EAST. And every year besides doo wop and rockabilly music and a prom complete with vintage clothes, they have tons of civil defense/duck and cover materials from that golden era....

I remember having air raid drills in school, in the 60’s. BTW, I’d LOVE to have 1of those bomb shelter things with the bunks & all! (Like in the thumbnail)

Nightmares of a nuclear angel

Can you imagine the panic and meltdowns that would occur if they tried a nuclear bomb drill like that in modern day Portland?

16:58 "It's... like a woman!" XD

Two minutes after the blast it is safe to enter the area under the blast! That's ok, I will stay far far away

Wow this is kind of educational kinda scary but the way it's been Described is kinda relaxing

Ok seeing that little lone dog run down the sidewalk broke my heart.

Love all the Poodle Skirts

If this was a real scenario you would see nothing less than total violent chaos . And one calm person in the middle of town looking up and sticking the middle finger at a unavoidable fate. We all know someone who would be that person.

Just where did they intend evacuating everyone too? The next city that may have been the intended target?

It's so interesting to think that at one point, this was classified as absolute top top secret. To achieve the information explained in this film, billions of dollars were spent, hundreds of thousands of hours of research, tests, and experiments. Government agents would protect this information with their lives. Even though now 70 years later we now know some of this info as false, but still it is very interesting. Thanks!

Wow. In light of late events.. Now I will never sleep. Thanks. LOLZ

What do you do in case of fallout? Put it back in and take shorter strokes....

Timely 😥

I just thought of something while we're watching this film of what bureaucrats might be doing during a nuclear disaster? I want to see the film of all the people partying their ass off knowing they're going to die!!!

My poor mom is still a slave of the GOV. I keep tryin to tell her the GOV is fulla shyt. Poor thing she still lives in 1961. I love her..

Everything old is new again!

LOL I don't think you'll have space to be "alone" in that small confinement with that amount of people. :-D

50:08 He puts the "valuable material" in his pocket. (edit) THESE ARE THE FACTS.

Worked for me! Put me into a deep, trance-like state of profound slumber. Say what you will about that ;)

an egg...an atomic...egg

Having worked various BDOCs and disasters, if we reported our departments status as slow as some of these folks, it would be unacceptable. Cut out the excess words and info and give just what is needed. "Let's face it gentlemen" type comments are a waste of critical time.

this vid is gonna blow up im sure 4.398 views right now...

County folk back then were better prepared for this if it happened. More people lived in rural areas and had well water, self canned foods. root cellars. 1/4 of homes still used outhouses.

I know the topic is morbid but God it's refreshing to see when our government, state & federal actually DID STUFF. It does not feel like that anymore at all. Our country is capable of so much more potential & it definitely seems like they are letting a lot go to waste.

Ahhhh we knew the bad guys during the Cold War. Happy times.

Portland? Good idea!

I'm 55 now and remember a big part of this in the 80s. Sorta ironic the first one was spose to have took place in the city I grew up in and still living in and around! I still say we all should get PTSD pay for having to live through this!😆😅🤣.....JK!!!!😉

♪♫♬ Duck....and cover! ♪♫♬

Greg Stillson: The missiles are flying! Hallelujah!

I grew up during the cold war and watched the Iron Curtin finally fall and the collapse of the communist state. Even as the wall fell and individuals, groups, and governments poised to pound swords into ploughshares. Unfortunately human nature does not change and here we are; everything old is new again.

This all based on the unlikely premise that the "authorities" will tell you the truth about the dangers you are really in......

17:46 Well suppose I ain't one for supposin', mister?!

It would have been weird if an earthquake had happened.

I was born in the 70's so the USSR was still a thing there was still a cold war not as intense as it wasn't those days for that generation but nevertheless still a scary time things could have went left at any time luckily it didn't thank goodness it led to the end of that kind of Communism at least for that moment and the Berlin Wall came down I remember Reagan meeting with Russian president discussing peace talks the current president dictator Putin is salty because the USSR disbanded and he was in Germany when the Berlin Wall came down pissed him off as a KGB officer so he's not saying that people are not saying it what I think was personally think it's just my opinion that he's trying to rebuild the USSR starting with Ukraine now hopefully something could be done about this madman I don't think he'll use any of Russia's nuclear stockpile against us but you never know so some ways this is like a part two of The Cold war in some sense becoming like that

Ever see the movie “Threads”? That’s how this would end.

The half-life of Uranium 235 is 700 million years, so pack away enough food and water!

Portland lol that is one way of cleaning up that dumpster fire

I'm watching cause I had a dream where a nuke detonatated of the east coast of florida in the daytime sinking a naval ship. In the dream I was astonished the people around me didn't seem to care. like it was normal. Anyway..... so long, farewell.

7:36 talk about not being able to see the forest fire for the tree fire.

"Like an ice cube in a hot toddy............." LOL!!!!!

Cool...I can't wait to $hit in a bucket with everyone else in a small room...

In the late 70's we went through drills in elementary school. We all had to duck and cover under our desks.

Sounds like a protection racket.

Nightmares of the Nuclear Age! The Nuclear age is still here more dangerous than in the 1950s.

Love this!

why there are no more civil defense excercises anymore? Is it bc they became useless since the ICBMs can get to us before any evacuations?

We'll, it's Portland, we've wanted that place gone for years. What's the down side, boy??

Mmmmm, tangible! Love it!

@10:00 is that what you’re wearing to the apocalypse ?

I’m glad my Government has a plan to help.

Targeting Portlandgrad, Seattle, San Fecesco, LA, NYC, Boston, Washington DC, Tampa , Philly, and Chicago.

Good info, really

The confusion that seemed to be present during 9-11 made me very concerned…..an attack was from within was not of course considered. Still some agencies sent planes out over the Atlantic and went up unarmed looking for an external threat, we may never completely know what truly transpired that day, but with world events as they are we are understandably considering a situation that would not have been thought any longer possible?!

9:25 Alex Van Halen gives his report.

Be fair enough away that you can look up and say "WTF was THAT??"

And don't tell your health care insurance!

Who would want to live in the post-nuclear apocalypse? Those who are vaporized are the lucky ones.

Back when Grown ups where in charge.

32 minutes to clear the core in 1955. Today? Gooooood Luck. Not a chance in hell. Not to mention, I very much doubt they'd just sit quietly waiting to find out if the world was about to end. Freaking out would be natural.

47:12... so there is no explosion... just don't breathe. If you breathe in the "harmless" alpha particles, you are as good as toast ol' boy. Now, those are the facts.

Sleep well kids.

And at the end of the day cigarettes is what took them all down 😢..