Who did you interview? My grandpa, David Griffith
1. When were you born?
I was born in May of 1950.
2. What does the Cold War mean to you?
The Cold War was a time of great fear. Many people weren't trusted and changes were made. I was a young teenager when the Cold War was going on. It was a scary part of my childhood but it almost seems like it grew some families closer together.
3.When you were a child, did you hear people talking about nuclear weapons? How were the general feelings about these weapons?
Yes I did. Since I was about 15 years old, I knew what people were talking about and I knew that they were bad. Everyone that I knew of was scared of the nuclear weapons. Everyday seemed like another lucky one passed. And everyday we had to make sure we were prepared for one to be used.
4. Did you understand who the enemy was? How was the enemy typically portrayed in your society?
Yes, it was the Soviet Union and sometimes Russia. Whenever the enemy was talked about in our society, they has been described as an "evil empire."
5. Did your school have air-raid drills during this era? What were some of the procedures?
Well, no not exactly. In school we didn't have air-raid drills, we had something a little different. These drills were for if a nuclear weapon was used.We were taught to get down and hide under our desk.
6. When you were younger, did you ever hear about or see a bomb shelter? What supplies did people put in bomb shelters? Why? What feelings did you have about these bomb shelters?
Bomb shelters were a very commonly talked about subject when interested in protection. I didn't see too many bomb shelters but I heard many times of what was put in them. Usually the people who could afford them, had them. Growing up, we were a little on the poor side so we couldn't afford one. A bomb shelter was a smaller concrete room that was built under ground for hiding if there was a bomb attack. It had a bed(s), enough food and water for people to survive a couple of days, clothes, and sometimes even games for entertainment. There was no bathroom but they would usually have toiletries, such as toilet paper, tissues, and a toothbrush if lucky. It was definitely common to have some type of radio in the bomb shelter to be kept up to date on the attack status and the smarter bomb shelter owners would have had some extra batteries. If bombs were dropped on us, people would run down to their bomb shelter for protection.
7. Were you ever afraid of nuclear weapons?
I was very afraid. My parents tried to keep all the dangerous talk away from the ears of my two sisters and I. But unfortunately we got an ear full from people talking on the streets and even at school. The most common fear was indeed the nuclear weapons. I knew that if they got dropped on us, then we would be in serious danger and our homes would be destroyed.
8. Describe someone you admired during this time period.
Hmmm....Well just thinking back to this time when I was a kid, the biggest person that pops in my head as a positive role model is Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was the president of the United States at that time. In my opinion, he is the greatest in modern history. He was very smart in the decisions he made and made them to protect his people. He reassured the U.S. citizens of themselves and lead this country with great pride.
9.What do you remember watching on television or hearing on the radio?
Pretty much every time the TV was on, we would be watching the news. It was mostly listening to Walter Cronkite and hearing a lot of warnings. It told many stories about threats on the U.S. from the Soviet Union. I remember hearing about the blockade in Cuba against Russia. It was telling how the Russians couldn't get ships to Cuba because Kennedy had set up a blockade.