... cutie commie!

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1950 ... Atomic Attack!

... three pages from the book "Atomic Attack: How to Survive". It is important to keep in mind the military and historical context. 1950 is only five years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and only one year since the Soviets have tested their first atomic bomb. At this point Russian nuclear weapons are in the 20 kiloton range ( the same size as the Hiroshima "Fat-Man" bomb). Much of the Civil Defense instructions concentrate on avoiding the type of injuries that occurred in Japan. Atomic weapons are not magical and most of the casualties were of the same types suffered in conventional bombing.

The Cold War is still in it's very early phases and much of the technology and strategy we take for granted were not in place yet. The irony is that many feared a surprise attack by Russia more during this period; than later when bombs and stockpiles were much larger and "Mutual Assured Destruction" wad a well known factor of deterrence. Stalin ruled the Soviet juggernaut and a common theory was that Russia would strike as soon as they were capable!

1951 ...

Before the advent of Hydrogen Bombs made mere survival problematic, there was a lot of ballyhoo about the need for good citizens to crawl out of the rubble, dust themselves off and get to work on bringing the GNP back up.

...here's the AV Kid with "Our Cities Must Fight"

Beware the speech that focuses the fear and the prejudice of the people.
It is a technique the Nazis used only too well.

...gritty

Serious scowlers these communists. You'd be scowling too if your WWII death toll far exceeded all other countries combined!
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Soviet sailors didn't get much chance to serve aboard ships in a Navy that went kaputsky- so usually they are seen like this- serving as foot soldiers.
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I used to think that the big stars shown on Russian soldiers helmets were a bit of artistic license for the posters- but they really did that. Wonder if it made a good target. "Hey Comrade, hand me that sand paper!"

early Soviet posters

 Giant Stalin and other guy balloons float over Thanksgiving Day parade. Worlds largest paper mache tanks pass in review.

Lenin does interpretive dance- has anyone ever seen this guy smile?

In the color and font division of the propaganda war the Soviets had us beat hands down.
"That's straight tens for the Russians on modernist, negative space usage. Bad news for the Americans who seem to be stuck in colloquial realism. Boy,that's gotta hurt!"

Russia was soooo into Red

I love propaganda art. East or West. But the Communist Block nations had stuff that was so over the top it makes us "dirty capitalist swine" look lame in comparison. Much of Western propaganda came in the more subtle from of the biggest brother of the capitalist system- advertising.

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