My memories of the Cold War

Where I was living and influences on my experiences

When I was born, my father (your great grandfather) was in the Army Air Corps (name
was later changed to the Air Force). He entered near the beginning of WW2. He
became a pilot and flew during the war. I was very, very young and do not remember too
much, except for moving a couple of times. Around 1950 we had our first TV and also
went to indoor movie theaters and I remember seeing brief news casts events. From my
birth to 1990 (about when the Cold War ended) I moved at least 14 times. There were
several experiences I remember directly related to the Cold War. The first was my father
deployed for the Korean War conflict around 1950. He communicated with letters and
also ham radio. My mom received her ham radio license and they communicated almost
every day/night when possible. The second was while living in Albuquerque, NM from
1954-1957. Bomb shelters were being build in many, many homes and businesses due to
the fear of an atomic attack. This building continued when we returned in 1959-1963.
Around 1960 I remember a lot of tension and concern and news about a US spy plane
being shot down over Russia. Just hearing the name Khrushchev brought a lot of
concern. Other events during this time was in 1962 war threats were going back and
forth with the US and Cuba and concerns were expressed by your great grandfather and
great grandmother. I remember the tension of the Cuban Bay of Pigs in 1962 and how
close war came.President Kennedy and Castro. In the 2nd half of 1960s I remember for
more than 5 years of during the Vietnam War, in the newspapers I daily read the names
hundreds of US personnel that lost their lives every day. I was searching for any name of
close friends I knew in high school and college. Also during this time, I knew friends
that went through measures writing Congressmen to aid in their retention in college
professional programs (in hope they would not be drafted). I remember in the 1980s
Afghanistan was invaded by Russia along with some atrocities. And, I distinctly
remembering the joy in 1991 that the Berlin wall was to be no longer. Germans were
able to go back and forth from East and West Germany.some seeing relatives not seen
for many years.
Intermittently throughout the Cold War period I remember fear for safety. Communism
was feared, and that US citizens would lose their freedom is Russia should invade. Civil
defense efforts remembered would be the bomb shelters in homes and businesses in
Albuquerque, NM being built.due to bear of an atomic bomb which would disperse
radiation like the 2 atomic bombs dropped in Japan during WW2.
My reaction to so many years of the Cold Waris one of so many years of fears and
tensions, many measures to get through different situations, and many who lost friends
and relatives during different phases of the Cold War.
Hope this helps you with your project!
Love you,
Grandma