Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

speak easy

(10,342 posts)
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 03:46 PM Mar 2021

For those who can remember: The fear of nuclear war in Reagan's first term

was real and justified.

On September 26, 1983 we were five minutes away from the end of the world (see Alternative History Hub video below).

As David Byrne wrote: 'Our President's crazy - did you here what he said'

He said - 'The Soviet Union is an Evil Empire'. He said '[They have] a Mickey Mouse system [destined for] the ash heap of history'. He said 'My fellow Americans, I have just signed legislation outlawing Russia forever. The bombing begins in five minutes'

The Zeitgeist was venomous. We were on the edge.

Franke Goes to Hollywood- Two Tribes


Kate Bush - Breathing


David Bowie - Let's Dance




We were as close to the end as the Cuban Missile Crisis. I opposed the Fool on the Hill with all I had. I make no apology ... to this day.

September 26, 1983





12 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
For those who can remember: The fear of nuclear war in Reagan's first term (Original Post) speak easy Mar 2021 OP
It was also Reagan who started toning it down. Dave Starsky Mar 2021 #1
... speak easy Mar 2021 #2
Absolutely terrifying to this day. Dave Starsky Mar 2021 #3
They got the EMP, electromagnetic pulse weapon right. speak easy Mar 2021 #4
I guess nobody cares anymore. speak easy Mar 2021 #5
Thanks for sharing this. Mike 03 Mar 2021 #9
I was high school when "The Day After" was released. Aristus Mar 2021 #7
And that f'er Trump thought nuclear weapons were awesome. Hong Kong Cavalier Mar 2021 #10
That was when I knew we were in big, BIG trouble. Dave Starsky Mar 2021 #12
I wish I could recall more. There was a lot of important discussion going on Mike 03 Mar 2021 #6
... The Call speak easy Mar 2021 #8
I just remember getting very drunk with my best friend on election night catrose Mar 2021 #11

Dave Starsky

(5,914 posts)
1. It was also Reagan who started toning it down.
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 03:54 PM
Mar 2021

After he watched The Day After, and it scared the shit out of him. Trump wasn't the first president who got inspiration from the boob tube.

Dave Starsky

(5,914 posts)
3. Absolutely terrifying to this day.
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 04:01 PM
Mar 2021

BTW, those incredibly impressive mushroom clouds were bright orange paint dumped into a tank of water against a blue screen, then color-reversed. I've always been amazed at how scary and realistic that looked.

speak easy

(10,342 posts)
4. They got the EMP, electromagnetic pulse weapon right.
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 04:06 PM
Mar 2021

The first thing people would know today is the internet going down.

speak easy

(10,342 posts)
5. I guess nobody cares anymore.
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 04:13 PM
Mar 2021

Reagan's warmongering was critical to my transition form a libertarian to liberal.

Mike 03

(16,616 posts)
9. Thanks for sharing this.
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 04:49 PM
Mar 2021

I'm totally fascinated by what moves people either into politics or from one position to another.

Your posts are making me wish I'd been more politically aware during that period, but I was a typical self-involved teenager planning my next trip to the movie theater or record store. My mother was the most politically-alert person in the family during that time. She despised Ronald Reagan.

Aristus

(68,067 posts)
7. I was high school when "The Day After" was released.
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 04:40 PM
Mar 2021

After that, we used to joke that a good theme from Prom would be Nuclear Winter.

Hong Kong Cavalier

(4,585 posts)
10. And that f'er Trump thought nuclear weapons were awesome.
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 04:51 PM
Mar 2021

I recall Morning Joe reporting that he'd asked back in the summer of 2016, when he was getting foreign policy briefings since he'd become the GQP nominee, "What good are nuclear weapons if we don't use them?" and stunned the assembled military officials.

https://www.cnbc.com/2016/08/03/trump-asks-why-us-cant-use-nukes-msnbcs-joe-scarborough-reports.html

I think he's on record in an interview gushing over the 'power of nuclear weapons'. I can't find that interview at this time, though.

Dave Starsky

(5,914 posts)
12. That was when I knew we were in big, BIG trouble.
Fri Mar 5, 2021, 09:16 AM
Mar 2021

That dumbass was raised during the same Cold War that I was. He went through duck-and-cover drills and saw all the same movies about nuclear war, radiation, etc., that I did. Same as we ALL did. How the living fuck could he even ask a question like that? How thoroughly stupid would a person have to be?

Mike 03

(16,616 posts)
6. I wish I could recall more. There was a lot of important discussion going on
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 04:32 PM
Mar 2021

just in general, not particularly just about Reagan, and I remember two large publishing events: The release of "The Cold and the Dark: The World After Nuclear War" and also Strobe Talbot's book "Deadly Gambits" (those were two of the first nonfiction hardcovers I ever owned). So in high school and then college I had classmates talk about Reagan causing a nuclear war, but these were not adult, serious discussions and I think we were repeating things adults were saying or were influenced by the thinking of other people because we went on with our educations and didn't spend that much time thinking about it as a reality. Maybe if we'd had been older it would have been another story. Maybe we came close and didn't know it.

My father was in the Naval Reserve or Army Reserve (?) during the Cuban Missile Crisis and was moved to "On Call" or "On Duty" status (I wish to God I had asked him more about this when he was alive--he did actually get transported somewhere, so it was probably more than just being "On Call" ) and he always said that he was scared shitless. That was according to him one of the scariest times of his life. Recalling that week he said, "I didn't know if I would ever see your mother again." The two historical things he never forgot were being called up during the Cuban Missile Crisis and being a reporter during the assassination of JFK.

speak easy

(10,342 posts)
8. ... The Call
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 04:41 PM
Mar 2021
I don't think there are any Russians
And there ain't no Yanks
Just corporate criminals
playing with tanks


catrose

(5,227 posts)
11. I just remember getting very drunk with my best friend on election night
Thu Mar 4, 2021, 05:08 PM
Mar 2021

We were sure we wouldn’t see another election, maybe not another year.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»For those who can remembe...