The Atomic Age & Cold War

This week in Visual Culture we were looking at the time of The Atomic Age and Cold War. I am going to briefly look over why there was a cold war and what was meant by the atomic age. There was 2 main sides in the cold war, the communist side, which was mainly recognised as being Russia (USSR) and there was a Capitalist side, which was mainly recognised as being America. Communism in Russia had caused them to lose creativity, well not lose it, but they were prevented from expressing themselves through art as they were forced to take on the art form of 'Social Realism'. Social Realism was the only art form allowed to be produced and this was used on many occasions within Russian propaganda posters and to show their leader as a wonderful man.

Thanks to dear Stalin for a Happy childhood, 1936 [1]

In the image shown above you can see how one of the Russian leaders called 'Stalin', who was one of the main believers in communism, is made out to look happy along with the children. He is made out to be the good guy, which is hat he wanted as this would make more people like him.

Now I am going to take a little look at the Capitalist side in America. The Cold War was affecting the USA massively as they were challenging to be the stronger side over Russia. The Americans had created a character known as 'Captain America', which they had created as a type of fear relief. Captain America was a strong soldier, that was big with younger audiences as it was mainly aimed towards them. Behind the creation of Captain America they were hiding the fact that there was a potentially huge nuclear war on the horizon.

Captain America Comic Book [2]

In the comic book above you can see the character of Captain America, but he is depicted fighting against Hitler, who also ran a communist nation trying to take over he world. This comic book basically shows that America will fight against communism and it will not back down. The suit that Captain America is wearing is a reinvention of the American Flag so it will be seen as a symbol of honour.

This leads me onto the space race. America and Russia were in a battle to be the first people into space, to which the Russians won the first part of he race by getting a satellite called 'Sputnik' into space on 4 October, 1957. They were then the first nation to get someone out of the Earths atmosphere and into space, this man was called Yuri Gargarin. He completed this milestone in 1959, but the American's were preparing something to better both of the Russian successions. In 1969, the USA managed to get a space craft out of the earths atmosphere, and to land onto the moon. To which the men who manned the craft got out of it and stepped onto the moon. I believe that this was a much better achievement than the Russians. Also to show their honour towards their country and express its strength, they placed an American flag on the moon to mark it down as being first stepped on by the USA.

Neil Armstrong, Moon Landing, 1969 [3]

Finally I am going to look into the Atomic Age where America and Russia where both in the possessions of Nuclear Warheads. Through many advancements scientists had come across ways not only to produce and maintain nuclear, but also to use it for negative purposes, like when the USA dropped a nuclear bomb on Japan in the Second World War in 1945 to end all disputes. This leads me to believe that the USA has a slight psychological advantage over Russia when it comes to the potential of Nuclear war as they have already used a Nuclear Bomb in the past.

Japan Nuclear Bomb, 1945 [4]

I would like to say that these times of the Atomic Age and The Cold War must have been very scary times across the whole world, with two leading countries such as America and Russia being on the brink of Nuclear Warfare. They Both had different views on how the world should be, to which they both fought for their way to become global, in which the Capitalists and America seem to have won as communism is very scarce in todays world.

Image Reference:
[1]http://vi.sualize.us/thanks_to_dear_stalin_for_a_happy_childhood_1936_soviet_ussr_propaganda_picture_vYA.html
[2]http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/Shadowgeek10/news/?a=53475
[3]http://www.dezinteressante.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Apollo-11-astronaut-1600x1200.jpg
[4]http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photos/bombnag.jpg