The launch of Sputnik on October 4, 1957 signified the start of a new era in technology and warfare. Sputnik 1 was the first satellite and a Soviet satellite. The satellite weighed 184 pounds and forced America to try and catch up with their own satellite which was 6 pounds. This satellite was never put in space because it detonated 5 feet above the launch pad and was named Flopnik by the press due to the failure. Many Americans feared that since the Soviets could put a satellite into space then they could put the bomb into space. An example of this can be seen from John, “The first time I saw Sputnik I was at a drive through movie theater and after the movie than man went on the speakers and said if …show more content…
This all started when the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization was founded in 1958 and ended in 1961 due to merging which encouraged people to build their own bomb shelters. Though this wouldn’t have a huge boom until the 60’s and 70’s but it would have origins from the 50’s. The first major boom of it was in the late 50’s and early 60’s. As John states, “We never had a bomb shelter but we did have a tornado shelter, we filled it up with more goods and than usual, mostly canned food and water.” There would be many different types of bomb shelters and would become a requirement for many household by the 60’s. Bomb shelters were only beginning to be thought of in the 50’s and wouldn't have a major impact until further into The Cold