Retrospect : Stocking Your Shelter

records bringing you retrospects a film Excursion in the past events events which form the patterns by which we live today retrospect is brought to you by the office of civil and defense mobilization in cooperation with your local civil defense office and your local station now here's your host Douglas Edwards contrary to the way we remember it the joyride of the prosperity during the 20s was not shared by everyone the Forgotten man during those years was the farmer but even though he went through a grave crisis in the 20s experience and tradition had taught him that the remedy for hard times was harder work well the rest of the country plunged into despair during the Depression the farmer went right on working he hadn't been getting rich anyway then in 1933 tragedy came full cycle the farmer was suddenly faced with his oldest and dreaded enemy drought throughout the Great Plains from Montana to Oklahoma and Texas from Arkansas to Colorado the high winds Came To Blow Away weakened crops and topsoil sweet Prairie air became thick with destructive clouds of dust standing crops were buried under the drifting soil and not a Farm building home or piece of equipment proved tight enough to keep out the invading dust storms continued for days sometimes weeks at a time turning night into day and day into night they made every Highway in Black Road a constant Hazard the Farms would not be alone to suffer dust made a howling Wilderness out of a prairie town all of them all over the Midwest against the forces of nature man as always could only look on and helpless frustration the farmer prayed for daylight when daylight came he would find only sterility perhaps there would be time to salvage something to infuse new life into that which he feared deep in his heart was lifeless perhaps the dust would not return perhaps perhaps he dreamed it all the dust returned again and again throughout the drought years to consume the fruits of man's labor to squander his Daily Bread to shatter what little hope he harbored for the future then the dust storms ended there's nothing left to take there was left only the Grim evidence of the Havoc that they had wrought those who had drawn their nourishment from the land could only wonder why a lifetime of toil and hardship should end in famine throughout the Dust Bowl Mass evacuation the farmer prepared to leave the land forever his place of shelter his daily tools now impotent and worthless from the Prairie states there began a great Exodus highways saw a steady stream of Tin Lizzies each loaded down with all the worldly possessions of the nomads They Carried their destination California not everyone made it along the way they constructed shatty towns where they could rest from the exhausting Journey where they could talk of the future with hope in their hearts where few if any ever spoke of the past the first to arrive were not disappointed entrenched Farms of California the more opportunities for those who wanted to work the weary Travelers wanted nothing more for all the opportunities California could handle only so many trenches the yokies as they were called represented a potentially serious unemployment problem in addition there arose a question of Public Health but in spite of the drastic measures taken by the state to check the influx the homeless thousands kept coming only to find awaiting them the long arm of authority and the disenchanting knowledge that there just weren't enough brass rings to go around there were those who stayed behind making the best of what they had and overcoming a tragedy for which they had not been prepared it's important to remember that preparedness is a vital part of our lives every home is a vital Link in our National Defense the director of the office of civil and defense mobilization has stated that if America is attacked with nuclear weapons survival at the beginning would be a personal and individual responsibility there would be a brief lapse of time before local government could function efficiently this is the reason the national plan for civil defense and defense mobilization established two years ago by President Eisenhower States every individual must be prepared to survive without outside assistance for at least two weeks following enemy attack what kind of supplies would be needed how much food and water Mrs Norton Pearl director of women's activities of the office of civil and defense mobilization is here today to give us an idea of what we need for shelter living welcome to the program Mrs Pearl here does this shelter look pretty well stocked to you indeed it does and any family with a shelter like this would feel much easier knowing that they're prepared for emergency notice how well utilized the space is this is a very large Factory to consider when you store necessary items for a two-week stay well food seems to be taking up most of the space Mrs Pearl is there are a special list of recommended Foods or is the decision left up to the individual Homemaker well it's a combination of both no government agency can attempt to choose foods for an individual family but we have drawn up a list of easily stored and easily prepared foods with plenty of vitamins we suggest that the family rearrange this basic list to suit its own individual tastes you see this shelter has been stocked with well let's see with suits with vegetables juices fruits evaporated milk beef stew tuna it's a well-rounded ounce of food supply well the foods have to be changed often well not too often we recommend that they be used regularly and replaced now the water of course should be changed every six weeks and don't forget that there are many good helpful processed foods on the market today that are easily stored and will keep for quite a long time well I know they have quite a bit of water stored in the shelter is that much water necessary yes it is we recommend seven gallons per person for the two-week stay but of course you can include all liquids in that seven gallons and don't forget that your hot water heater is a very good source for water that's in a basement yes be sure and include enough cooking and eating utensils a chafing dish is an excellent idea if the electric power has been cut off and of course of there are many other items too well one I can think of how about a can opener maybe two just in case but another item that's very important is a battery radio only on Conrad wavelengths either 640 or 12 40 will we receive information and instruction and this news can be a vital morale booster when you have to live in the shelter for two weeks also you'll see that there are games stored here and books games for adults and children alike and this will break the monotony should it arise and you should plan exercises too what other supplies do you recommend storing in the shelter well we recommend a household tool kit and a first aid kit is a must don't forget either to put special medicines in for your involutes in your family if you have them one or two flashlights with batteries extra batteries for the flashlight and the radio paper towels grocery bags large cans for waste well this shelter certainly seems ready for just about any emergency that we might think of and we hope it never happens but might thank you very much indeed Mrs Norton Pearl for being with us today on retrospect as a matter of fact we should all take our cue from today's shelter and from Mrs Pearl and start taking the necessary steps to protect our own homes and our own children Japan became the dominant power in the Far East after her defeat of Russia in 1905. by 1920 the Land of the Rising Sun was recognized as one of the big five world powers one of the respected and influential members of the League of Nations the Western World tended to picture Japan as a remote land of apple blossoms butterflies and rice paper few westerners had been afforded a first-hand look at the real Japan a nation with a passion for discipline Authority and regimentation the Land of the Rising Sun in the 60 years since her doors were reopened to foreigners had seen the other great powers of the world expand their Empires Beyond the Seas while becoming a signatory to every major peace treaty of the 20s Japan harbored the secret dream of a new order in Asia behind the Emperor Hirohito a powerful military Clique preached Ultra nationalism as Japan organized the most efficient and destructive War Machine in the history of the Far East in 1931 the worldwide Depression hit hard at Japan heaviest of the economic blows was loss of the American silk Market the time had come said the militarists for direct action in China the Warlords planned the simulated explosion on The japanese-controlled Manchurian Railway they blamed the incident on Chinese Bandits and sent a so-called punitive Expedition into Manchuria to deal with the guilty parties the warlord's idea of a punitive Expedition turned out to be a fully equipped Army drugged by the propaganda of his superiors the Japanese soldier fought with fanatic devotion believing patriotism and sacrifice for the state to be Supreme attributes believing Japan was destined to bring peace and order to all of Asia by invading Manchuria Japan violated two treaties she had signed with the United States the Kellogg Beyond pact and the nine power Treaty of 1922. a Japanese military leaders used a convenient do all diplomacy we act Tokyo explains they said thus did the Land of the Rising Sun launch the first phase of its plan for Domination of the Orient the long military buildup had been worth all the efforts after striking with swift suddenness nothing could stop the forward March of Conquest the poorly equipped forces of Manchuria and China had proved no match for a modern war machine by the end of 1931 the emperor's armies controlled all of Manchuria in response to a protest by China the League of Nations appointed the Litton commission to conduct an investigation of the Japanese aggression commission's report was unfavorable to Japan but the league proved incapable of adding bite to its bark Japan served notice and left the league in 1933. in that same year Japanese Army units moved into the Mongolian province of rejo by 1937 full-scale War had broken out in China in the first three months of this undeclared war more than one hundred thousand Chinese and Japanese were killed after the fall of Fate ping came a series of devastating and senseless Air Raids on the City of Canton then the rape of Nan King soon the blood spilled in China surpassed that of the Civil War in Spain in the wake of Japanese destruction China became a land of homeless people throughout the decade of aggression Tokyo ignored a steady stream of protests from Great Britain the United States and France by 1939 Japanese forces controlled over 90 percent of China's Railway system and every large city she was then ready to prepare for the Fateful years ahead well now an important reminder from civil defense when stalking your shelter choose foods that are easily stored and rich in vitamins stock canned goods in small or average size cans to prevent waste stock enough water to last your family for 14 days remember to rotate the food at least once a year and change the water every six weeks the safety of your family could depend on the plans and preparations you make now for further information on protecting your home contact your local civil defense office or write to ocdm Battle Creek Michigan that's it for now I hope you'll be looking in next time when we bring you more great films of history as it was made until then this is Douglas Edwards saying goodbye for now retrospect starring Douglas Edwards was brought to you by the office of civil and defense mobilization in cooperation with your local civil defense office and your local station survival in the nuclear age is a personal responsibility touching every American Family make sure you take part learn the facts about civil defense preparities start your home preparedness program today the prepared family builds a prepared Nation civil defense is an American tradition [Music] [Music]