Atomic Age in Media

Don't think the Atomic Age was a big deal? Look no further than Godzilla. Before then, no one had thought of giant lizards as being radioactively enlarged; they had come prepackaged. In 1954, Godzilla changed the world. One critic said, "Godzilla is pop culture's grandest symbol of nuclear apocalypse." Indeed, he is. Enjoy the trailer, though here's a warning: It is in Japanese.

After today's lecture, I realize how much this post missed the mark. The Atomic Age affected the entire political structure of the world. As the A and H bombs propelled the United States and Russia into a prolonged Cold War, both sides used media for their own use. For the second part of this post, I will focus on the United States' use of the "Atomic Age" to portray an Era of Technology and Prosperity.

When I think the Atomic Age, my mind turns to bombs first, then families. It was in the 1930's that the term Nuclear Family became popular. The television during the 1950's and 60's was inundated with Leave it to Beaver-esque families.