ATOMIC BOMB EFFECTS & HOW TO MEET THEM "BLAST" & "EFFECTS" BRITISH CIVIL DEFENSE FILMS 83294

The 1952 five-part film series The Atomic Bomb—Its Effects And How To Meet Them, directed by David Villiers, covers numerous aspects of living in the atomic age and how to meet the challenges of the threat of an atomic bomb attack.

“Part Four: Blast” summarizes the different effects of an atomic blast on a group of different buildings, with the groups located at various ranges from the bomb blast, or “ground zero.” Part Four opens with an aerial view of animated atomic blast (00:22). Graphics are used to show the blast’s effects in relation of the height of detonation to the power of the bomb, as well as to show the reflective wave of the bomb blast (01:47). The film then gives examples of damage levels to the buildings—a home, a brick building, a steel reinforced building, and a mid-sized factor (03:07). The example assumes a nominal bomb detonated at 1,000 feet elevation, and shows the damage done at ground zero, as well as ¾ mile (04:15) and a mile and a half (05:26) from ground zero. The film presents footage of destroyed buildings on a city block (06:17) in the wake of a bomb blast. The narrator discusses the challenges of cleaning up after a bomb blast and covers various issues, including the different types of debris and the work required to clean up each type of debris. Part Four closes with a shot of cars and trucks driving on highways (08:24), a shot of a bridge with a boat going underneath it, and a shot of buildings lining a canal (all which face their own set of issues in the event of an atomic bomb blast).

“Part Five: Effects On Personnel” (09:46) examines the effects of the blast on people located in different types of structures (or lack of structures) and at different distances from the blast. Computer graphics show a bomb blast hitting a city (10:15), then cuts to actual footage of a factory where the shift change is about to happen (10:52). The narrator discusses what happens to people exposed to an atomic bomb blast, using the factory that is hypothetically a quarter of a mile away from ground zero (same nominal power and detonation occurring 1,000 feet above ground); graphics are used to show the damage to the buildings and the different outcomes on people depending if a blast warning occurs and people are allowed to get down to a shelter (12:47). Next, the film shows a city street (13:56) that is ¾-mile from ground zero but in a clear and direct line from the blast site. The film reviews what people should do to find shelter from the blast. Graphics are used to show various types of shelters (16:14) and what consequences people in them will face from the blast (heat wave vs radiation). The final two scenarios occur 1.5 and 2 miles from ground zero: “Mrs. Brown” is in her yard when the bomb detonates (17:09) and takes cover in a bomb shelter (18:20); “Mr. Jones” is on his front step (18:51) when the blast occurs, and the narrator reviews the effects of the blast with and without a warning.

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com