I grew up under the threat of nuclear annihilation (the 1960s). It was always floating there in the background. I was in the military during the Cold War. I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons aboard the submarines I served on. People who grew up then or lived through that know what that means.
I grew up under the threat of nuclear annihilation (the 1960s). It was always floating there in the background. I was in the military during the Cold War. I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons aboard the submarines I served on. People who grew up then or lived through that know what that means.
A lot of that disappeared with the collapse of the Soviet Union. We let ourselves forget about that because it seemed like it was gone--nobody realistically thought the Chinese would use theirs and Russia was too fubar to worry about.
Now we have Jack Nicholson from the Shining, hacking his way through the door to stick his head through the hole and say.. "I'm back." Only a lot of people aren't really ready to think about that yet.
I wasn't in the military, but grew up during the 50's & 60's myself, so I do indeed "know what that means." Lots of memories from that time, vis a vie nukes, Russia etc. And the background noise of that continued on for a long time in my life. As you said, we let ourselves forget about it...with emphasis on the word "let". And for those who came later, the visceral fear of what a nuke launched in anger would mean for the world is an unknown.
What you just wrote is so well put. Jack Nicholson, indeed!
I grew up under the threat of nuclear annihilation (the 1960s). It was always floating there in the background. I was in the military during the Cold War. I can neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons aboard the submarines I served on. People who grew up then or lived through that know what that means.
A lot of that disappeared with the collapse of the Soviet Union. We let ourselves forget about that because it seemed like it was gone--nobody realistically thought the Chinese would use theirs and Russia was too fubar to worry about.
Now we have Jack Nicholson from the Shining, hacking his way through the door to stick his head through the hole and say.. "I'm back." Only a lot of people aren't really ready to think about that yet.
I wasn't in the military, but grew up during the 50's & 60's myself, so I do indeed "know what that means." Lots of memories from that time, vis a vie nukes, Russia etc. And the background noise of that continued on for a long time in my life. As you said, we let ourselves forget about it...with emphasis on the word "let". And for those who came later, the visceral fear of what a nuke launched in anger would mean for the world is an unknown.
What you just wrote is so well put. Jack Nicholson, indeed!