Loose Cannon is proud to preserve the USA's military history via its unique DVD film collections. Using a combination of U.S. Govt., Dept. of Defense archive films and period newsreels of the time, each film features actual era, wartime footage and or first-person accounts from those that were there.

This disc features the classic Cold War-era Civil Defense films about U.S. and Canadian efforts to educate the public about how to prepare and possibly survive a nuclear exchange. Dating from the 1950's at the height of the concern about 'Atomic War' through the 1970's these film were created to educate the public about civil defense efforts in North America. In the United States, the sheer power of nuclear weapons and the perceived likelihood of such an attack precipitated a greater response than had yet been required of civil defense. Civil defense, previously considered an important and commonsense step, became divisive and controversial in the charged atmosphere of the Cold War.

Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the Cold War civil defense effort was the educational effort made or promoted by the government. In Duck and Cover, Bert the Turtle advocated that children "duck and cover" when they "see the flash." Booklets such as 'Survival Under Atomic Attack', 'Fallout Protection' and 'Nuclear War Survival Skills' were also commonplace. Government institutes created public service announcements including children's songs and distributed them to radio stations to educate the public in case of nuclear attack.

This DVD contains SIX movies:

- 11 Steps to Survival
Canada Film Board (1973) This simply presented film uses stark illustrations and a monotone narrator to give just the brutal facts of what you must do to understand the dangers of a nuclear explosion and how to survive it (if you are beyond the 10-mile ground zero radius that is). Its dry and serious tone makes you pay attention and succeeds in its purpose of 'right to the facts' education. (21 mins.)

- Civil Defense: Why Family Action?
Originally a series of film strip presentations that was designed to be shown at school, neighborhood or P.T.A. meetings to educate the public about dangers of atomic warfare and what they needed to do to prepare / safeguard them families. Covering everything from what air raid alert sirens mean, the importance of private and public shelters, stockpiling of food/supplies, and even fire fighting skills. (17 mins.)

- Civil Defense: Family Fallout Shelters
Another presentation of the series mentioned above; this one focuses on why and how to build a family fallout shelter in your home or yard. (17 mins)

- Civil Defense: Family Action
Another in the series mentioned above; this film is an overview of how the average american family can prepare for a nuclear war. It re-covers a lot of ground that was in the previous two films but with some additional details. (17 mins)

- Walt Builds a Family Fallout Shelter
This Civil Defense film compliments the CD booklet of the same name, "A Family Fallout Shelter". In it a friendly and articulate neighbor shows you in a step-by-step fashion how he built a radiation-resistant fallout shelter in his own basement. Covering layout, materials choices and simple masonry/concrete and carpentry methods this demonstrates the actual process in an easy to understand way that is accessible to your average American. A must for any DIY fan. (27 mins)

- Duck and Cover (1951)
Duck and Cover with the cartoon character 'Bert the Turtle', was a social guidance film produced in 1951 by the United States federal government's Civil Defense branch shortly after the Soviet Union began nuclear testing. Written by Raymond J. Mauer and directed by Anthony Rizzo of Archer Productions and made with the help of schoolchildren from New York City and Astoria, New York, it was shown in schools as the cornerstone of the government's "duck and cover" public awareness campaign. (9 mins)