During the Cold War, both Russia and the U.S. were more obsessed with the capabilities of nuclear weapons than actually using them to blow each other up. This led to a number of nuclear tests at home to see the damage they could inflict, if only hypothetically. There were so many of these tests that it almost seemed like the countries were at war with themselves.
Survival Town was one such nuclear test site used by Americans in 1951. Not only does this vintage video show us what a nuclear explosion looks like, but also the effects it would have on a creepy, fake town filled with old J.C. Penney mannequins.
(via YouTube)
The 31-kiloton blast extended three miles from ground zero. Around 6,000 people watched from six miles away. Luckily, there wasn”t much of a firefight during the entirety of the Cold War, but it would appear that Americans were more than prepared to wipe out an entire Russian town if it came down to it.
If you need another reminder of why the Cold War was so frightening, check out these articles.
