How the Atomic Tests Looked Like from Los Angeles
a day ago
- #Atomic Tests
- #Cold War
- #Radiation
- The United States conducted 928 atomic tests at the Nevada Test Site between 1951 and 1992.
- One hundred of these tests were atmospheric, visible from as far as Los Angeles, 240 miles away.
- Atomic blasts were covered in newspapers with nonchalant captions, highlighting their power and spectacle.
- Los Angeles experienced 'two dawns' due to the pre-dawn atomic tests, with the glow lasting up to 20 seconds.
- Local TV channels broadcast live atomic events, drawing high ratings despite early morning timings.
- Las Vegas capitalized on the atomic spectacle, advertising detonation times and hosting 'Dawn Bomb Parties.'
- Tourists and locals watched mushroom clouds from poolside and rooftops, with casinos offering 'atomic cocktails.'
- Concerns about radioactive contamination in Las Vegas and Los Angeles were raised, though atmospheric tests ceased earlier.
- Historical parallels were drawn to early 20th-century ignorance of radiation risks, like x-ray shoe fittings.
- Personal anecdotes and government acknowledgments highlight the long-term health impacts of radiation exposure.