During the 1950s and early 1960s school airraid drills bomb shelters and unnerving civil defense films served as constant reminders of the looming threat of nuclear war. Throughout America a widespread civil defense effort used town meetings public school educational programs and the mass mediatelevision radio and especially motion picturesto mobilize every citizen for a protracted Cold War. This volume explores how American popular culture has portrayed civil defense from midtwentieth century to the immediate postSeptember 11 era. With analysis of everything from early government propaganda films and 1950s science fiction films to Happy Days the Reaganera TV movie The Day After and the smallscreen nostalgia trend after 911 it shows how popular culture reflects American fears and the hope of preparedness.