Nuclear Threat

• During the Cold War, Americans feared that the Soviet Union would launch an attack on the United States using nuclear weapons. Although the two superpowers never fought each other directly—thus giving the conflict its name—people worried that a nuclear explosion would annihilate their cities and way of life.
  
  

Construction

• Fallout shelters could be made from a variety of materials, but the aim was to reduce gamma-ray intensity by 50 percent. Lead, concrete and even packed dirt could have this effect, but concrete was the most common material used. Home shelters were usually built in basements or buried in the backyard.
  
  

Supplies

• Since the government expected that people would live inside the shelters for at least two weeks after a nuclear blast, they encouraged people to keep food and water supplies in their shelters. Crackers, biscuits and candy were among the recommended supplies.
  
  

Problems

• In reality, many shelters were poorly built and would have caused serious problems for their occupants if they had ever been used following a nuclear explosion. Many had poor ventilation and no means of waste disposal.
  
  

Fallout Shelters Today

• The nuclear threat receded with the end of the Cold War, and fallout shelters were no longer required. Many were dismantled, and their supplies were used or thrown away. Some have been repurposed and survive in private homes as storage areas.