I just watched one of the most chilling documentaries ever

The whole Soviet threat was a real fear for me during those days. I was 10 when Reagan was sworn in the first time, and there were definitely times -- most notably following the Korean Airline crisis/fiasco -- when I believed we definitely would be nuked.

Then Red Dawn and a couple of other movies showed the other chilling possibility: A non-nuke Soviet takeover of the U.S. Unrealistic, probably, but as a young teen, I thought it seemed real.

For historical references, check out: Countdown to Looking Glass and also one called, I think, "The Children's Story." Also, the movie Fail Safe comes highly recommended by my dad, Rallen13.

 

Ditto for Testament.

Of course all that pretty much pales in comparison to my mom taking me to see The Hiding Place when I was four. What kind of parent takes there kid to see a movie about the Holocaust? A parent whose idea of bathtime fun is playing "Catch the Toaster."

 

I had just started my senior year of HS in the fall of 1983. I have to say I don't remember much talk of those specific near misses when they happened but I do remember the Soviets blowing that Korean airliner out of the sky, Grenada, etc.

The paper in my hometown did a similar story to the one you're talking about too, except it outlined the area of destruction in every big "city" in our state.

Supposedly the Soviets had enough missiles to target every city in the U.S. over a certain population. Since I lived in the state capitol we had a nice fat bulls-eye on us.

I do remember it as being a scary time. Not in an everyday kind of way but it was something that was always in the back of your mind. Movies like Red Dawn didn't help of course.

 

Don't go angling for Batshit Crazy Mother of the Year Award. 21 has that wrapped up. First runner-up, hockeybeat, and third, another fake name.

You're just one in a long list of.

 

My dad was showing me all kinds of movies in this ilk...Holocaust, Memory of the Camps, War and Remembrance, etc. Disturbing to see those at a young age, but it definitely made an imprint (in a good, don't ever forget history way).

 

According to the intel folks who went through both, the '83 situation was far more dangerous than the Cuban Missile Crisis. The obvious difference was that the Missile Crisis was played out in public, whereas the '83 incident was not.

 

That's gold right there.

 

I was hardly a Reagan apologist during his two terms, but I'm pretty sure I slept through Reagan's warmongering. For all I know, he did too.

Reagan struck a hard line – quite a contrast to Mister Peanut – and was prepared to move ahead with a defense system that the Soviets knew they couldn't afford to compete against.

I'm trying to remember, though, which countries the U.S. invaded in Reagan's first term.

Perhaps somebody can remind me.

 

Grenada

 

Maybe your dick's not so dumb.

Eh.. it got me through college.

 

HH, beyond the Grenada issue, did we actually invade anyone? No. But was Reagan rattling the sabers way beyond what needed doing during his first term? Uh, yeah. If you don't remember that, then you truly were asleep.

 

Conservatives would call what Reagan did asserting strong leadership. It's apparently a big GOP thing to focus attention on those they deem "evil." The Bushes did it as well. Focus on an antagonist and use that to develop a "storyline" for an administration. Clearly, the USSR was a competitor for world power, but with their economy falling apart I do think Reagan helped give the Russkies a nudge that both riled them up and quickened their demise.
As a kid growing up post Vietnam it did freak me out to see the number of US servicemen killed go up during Reagan's term, and I don't think any Russians were involved.