Conformity and Challenges in the Eisenhower and Kennedy Years 351powers were now developing hydrogen bombs, much more explosive than
atomic weapons—was more than irresponsible. It did, however, justify mili-
tary spending on ever-increasing levels.
Despite the virtual impossibility of preventing a massive loss of life if
nuclear war were to occur, the plans for civil defense, and hysteria and alarm
that came with it, continued. On June 14th, 1954, the Civil Defense
Administration had a nation-wide drill in 54 cities, Puerto Rico, Hawai’i, and
Alaska; Canadians even joined in it. The participants were to respond to a
simulated nuclear attack by aircraft and submarines. Alarms went off all over
at 10 A.M. and people took that as a cue to find shelter in buildings, schools,
subways and other places and prepare for the attack. Even the president took
part, with Eisenhower heading to an underground bunker in Washington D.C.
[much as President George Bush and other officials sought refuge after the
terrorist attacks in 2001]. The drill only lasted 10 minutes but the results were
dreadful. Civil Defense officials assumed that the attack had killed 2 million
people in New York alone while Washington D.C., a main target because it
was the nation’s capital, would be wiped out. In all, they estimated, 12 million
FIGuRE 7-3 Schoolchildren take cover under their desks during a nuclear
fallout drill