A Is For Atom (1952)

Although the "Atoms for Peace" campaign was formally launched in 1957, corporate America began to promote peaceful uses of atomic energy as early as the first few months after Hiroshima. A Is For Atom, an artifact of this effort, takes this highly loaded and threatening issue straight to the public in an attempt to "humanize" the figure of the atom.
A Is For Atom speaks of five atomic "giants" which "man has released from within the atom's heart": the warrior and destroyer, the farmer, the healer, the engineer and the research worker. Each is pictured as a majestic, shimmering outline figure towering over the earth. "But all are within man's power Ñ subject to his command," says the narrator reassuringly, and our future depends "on man's wisdom, on his firmness in the use of that power."
General Electric, a long-time manufacturer of electric appliances, power generation plants, and nuclear weapon components, is staking a claim here, asserting their interest in managing and exploiting this new and bewildering technology. Its pitch: this is powerful, frightening, near-apocalyptic technology, but managed with firmness, it can be profitable and promising. This "Trust us with the control of technology, and we'll give you progress without end" pitch resembles what we've seen in films like General Motors' To New Horizons (on the Ephemeral Films disc). But the automobile, of course, wasn't a weapon of mass destruction.
In its first two years of release, A Is For Atom was seen by over seven million people in this version and a shortened ten-minute theatrical cut. In 1953 it won first prizes in both the Columbus (Ohio) and Turin (Italy) Film Festivals, the Freedoms Foundation Award, an "oscar" from the Cleveland Film Festival, and a Merit Award from Scholastic Teacher. In 1954 it won first prize in the Stamford Film Festival, a Golden Reel Award from the American Film Assembly, and a second Grand Award from the Venice Film Festival. The film was remade in the mid-sixties and is still available for rental.
Like other John Sutherland films, A Is For Atom presents a portentious message in a visually delightful and often self-deprecating manner. "Element Town" and its quirky inhabitants, including hyped-up Radium and somnolent Lead, is unforgettable, and the animated chain reaction manages to avoid any suggestion of nuclear fear.

[@munguiafloyd2410]

Tame Impala, Powerlines! :)

[@cowboyatthebebop]

before i knew better i thought that was the actual video for that song.

[@Youmanoofficial]

lol, same

[@zeitGGeist]

I wish I could watch a video illustrated and narrated like this about every single thing that happens

[@ThillerKillerX]

Yeah I love propaganda also

[@orange70383]

​@@ThillerKillerX You completely missed his point, typical.

[@orange70383]

@Barb Mulvaney You completely missed his point, typical.

[@thomasfleig1184]

I use to love these cartoons. They taught kids about things in a simple and easy to understand format. Something that could be useful again, with today's youth. Who are dumb as a box of rocks after graduating school. Thanks to the government's control of the school system. It amazes me just how little high school graduates know these days. College graduates as well, for that matter. Which is why there are so many "educated" people working minimum wage jobs, which they could have gotten with a high school diploma, while trying to pay off a huge college loan they took out to get a useless degree.

[@arnoldzhen8857]

@@thomasfleig1184 you didn't miss his point, cool

[@shwill21]

I love the building that just says "Science".

[@Trund27]

I miss these kinds of narrators!

[@hajerjm]

This film made me understand my high-school nuclear physics, and here I am watching it again after 4 years :) ❤️

[@squilliumfancyson5228]

Idk if you like tame impala, but watch the video for his song powerlines

[@hajerjm]

Squillium Fancison just watched the video. Wow it’s from this short film

[@Vox_Rhododendron]

I remember being super into science when I was super little. Still am. I found this video when I was around 8 or 9 on KZbin by accident, being the strange child I was, and loved it. I doubt I understood it completely, but I found chemistry and physics concepts so cool. I think I might study nuclear physics when I’m older, now that I’m starting to grasp the math in high school!

[@strayeddm2882]

I grew up in the 2000's and I grew up with a cold war nostalgia. This video taught me about nuclear fission in third grade. Man I miss being little...

[@orange70383]

You'll never grow up.

[@jacobbaird951]

I'm trying really hard not to laugh at you.

[@equitium]

This is a fantastic piece of history..

[@willy7369]

Schools should use things like this to help todays kids learn more and make things like science fun.... I can remember watching all kinds of animated films and little show to help me learn and the were some times wierd but you learned better...

[@ahmedsaafan9687]

A sad memory; This short video shows the kind of dreams and trends in pop cultures in the 50-70s. Building space ships, exploring other planets, understanding the elements, contacting other worlds, basically there was a strong believe in science and technology was seen as a tool to achieve these "silly" dreams and visions. People back then had really high hopes in the future, dreaming that we will ride flying cars and teleport by the year 2000. It's really sad when we compare the dreams of our "advanced" time with those old days, our pop culture is basically shit, following asses and liking silly dances on phone apps. Big tech companies are Ads agencies seeking the goals of making people buy more and click more. What's is even sadder is the quality of our problems and discussions, dark and shallow views on life, no propose and nothing even matters right?! Living to waste time until we die. I remember how hard was it to connect to the web, how amazed was the young me when I first saw Wikipedia, telling myself I have tons of knowledge that I will never feel board again. Now it's just news sites and a little bit of social media, telling myself I can't find anything interesting online, I have seen it all! Don't know what went wrong, is it even fixable or not, but the only thing I know it's just sad.

[@andreikamiKaze]

The way the artist actually represented the space around the sun is amazing. it really express the weight of the sun itself and how it curbs the space around it so the planets just slide around.

[@katiempojer]

I showed this video to my baby boomer parents and they started laughing it reminded them of the days when they had to hide under desks like that would keep you safe from a nuclear attack.

[@Elitist20]

I saw this at school in the 70s. I remember the radium dance!

[@supressorgrid]

Good to show your kids. Educational without any PC pablum.

[@AlternateArtisan]

It's sad that they don't make these kind of educational videos anymore. that 1950s optimism is enough to get high off.

[@cjtaylor606]

If it helps, students such as myself still get assigned to watch this one.

[@Gunnanmon]

This is one of the best KZbin videos I've ever watched.

[@yaldanazaryan9082]

Gonna leave this cm and come back in couple if years thanking the person who made this vid in the 1950’s. This vid literally explained everything I had been learning for years in just 15 min.

[@BARRIEMOREBARLOW]

This is very enlightening. A very good presentation on a complicated subject.

[@Eric_Malbos]

Very balanced and objective view over atomic energy. The idea of the giants under man power is a great image. These explanation are still true today!

[@StrangeScaryNewEngland]

I just find it absolutely mind-blowing that were able to split something that we couldn't even see. Human mind and willpower is something of the Gods.

[@bretwalters4150]

Such a great video!

[@snakes3425]

A is for Atomic, N is for Nuclear Winter, R is for Radiation Sickness, and W is for we're dead

[@elgroxo]

11:30 those are the planes found in Fallout 4

[@leerman22]

Wing cabin, no need for fuel!

[@kf160k160]

Wow...this video can gives you knowledge faster and clearer

[@giggythore]

Dude radium is going HAM.

[@saturninesweetness]

Trés magnifique!

[@theq4602]

8:04 SEISURE WARNING!

[@wenner6009]

I had showed this video in the clip of tame Impala, I studies chemistry and I like so much of things that showed in the video ❤️ I'm Brazilian sorry for mistakes

[@MylesV]

"But the automobile, of course, wasn't a weapon of mass destruction. " debatable

[@RichtoffenRoach]

What about quantum superposition and collapsed wave function?

[@scottishwarrior8014]

Great 👍

[@DaelinZeppiTheComputerGamer]

This is the best thing ever.

[@jdbrown371]

@SpaceTime4D It was intended to get the public to accept a new technology with a broad range of applications from energy to medicine. The classic techniques are all there, assertion, bandwagoning, glittering generalizations, card stacking, plain folks, transfer etc. Everything was positive. Anyone who doubted these new technologies was holding us back.

[@SkullPrism]

I literally came all the way here from the cover of a HOME single called Cave Painting...

[@MacrossSD]

@ 14:12 -- The hubris dripping off of that statement just made a puddle on my desk.

[@EFUgyrgyr]

I was expecting Oppenheimer instead of Dr. Atom. Show us your credentials dammit!!!!

[@jefflyon2020]

Nuclear Vault has the moat amazing vintage films made during mid 20th century right in the middle of the cold war.

[@sadiefagen2562]

I wish I’d lived there!!

[@FilmChimp]

Fallout 4, something I'm sure they watched in the class room of a vault, fun video even though its old, it would be cool to see this in class back in the day.

[@TheGreatFace]

LOL danceing Radium XD

[@abloogywoogywoo]

Legaslov: The atom is a humbling thing. Boris: It's not humbling, it's humiliating.

[@sadiefagen2562]

All of the atoms \ elements houses inside and outside please!!!!!!!

[@jonathanthron5728]

Why are you so negative / pessimistic? But thank you anyway for posting this optimistic and positive film.

[@TheBeyBladeNation]

@katiempojer lol that was more of a way to reduce panic in the"final" moments then protect lol

[@filthyduck]

I'm old enough to remember the duck and cover drills...

[@gettyfanatic8860]

1:20 The Walrus and the Carpenter reference

[@GustavGriswold]

Nice 'How to build a nuclear bomb' video :D Actually really interesting.

[@rbsnacks_]

04:33 Radium reminds me of the frenchcore act Radium

[@DanieleGiorgino]

I wish the interest in nuclear technology today had the same zeal as it did back then.

[@askmeforadispenceronemoret3759]

The sad part is the 50's vision of an atomic age wasn't too far off. only problem is the research was too long of an investment to unlock nuclear fission's true potential. So now were stuck with mediocre power reactors and a planetary self destruct button and not much else :/

[@sirkowski]

That Radium has some moves!

[@tryingmybest206]

Wow. To think this was made 50 years ago.

[@Upwangupta782]

15:15 there are another humans need in this planet like Artists, businessmen, Economists, and Filmmakers who explain and tell the stories of human's achievement across the globe through business. Poets, Musicians, Dancers are also important to entertain people as it is a science of joy and understanding the strings of God's play of the universe, Musicians use their soundwave tricks as a science experiment to transmitt the melody through ears to the heart. Dancers shake their body in a harmonius way to strech all the muscles to heal the dirty atoms from the heart. Artists make stuff like paintings in which every split atoms in colour strokes on canvas shock our eyes to see it many times as a fulfilling pleasure of chilling our eyes and hang it on wall, making scultures and pottery to protect water for drinking and represent the beauty to feel it,Wow"

[@Hamsta.]

@1:18 "Just as other millions and quadrillions of atoms are the tiny building blocks which make up everything in the world." .... @:1:29 "Although no one has ever seen an atom." You just said we're staring at millions and quadrillions of them. xD

[@TheBeyBladeNation]

@TYMMCHN yah im 15 and i see what a horrable future we live in ive always felt that we went from 1st world to 3rd world education

[@TaxiVasion7948]

13:32 for GK Nova 6

[@spookymissyuki4908]

Yes

[@seanbaxter1050]

God this is great stuff.

[@ximenabeltran9757]

Control illuminatis is one shit

[@chrisdaley2852]

Man was always going to maim and destroy whether they had this kind of power or not. Just be thankful that the process lead to other things that weren't so harmful and were even huge advances in humanity. It's a double edged sword but it's not the sword's fault if it killed some people.

[@tec-zee]

@ZettaShark well... basically you are right =)

[@wellfulgoodness8211]

T.I is for Tame Impala

[@lindaeasley4336]

:58. Looks like the Jolly Green Giant or Mr Clean. ( see retro commercials for canned vegetables and floor cleaner )

[@itchyeyelids0_0]

Ooo I’ve seen this before

[@sadiefagen2562]

Look for different A is for atom shows all the Elements houses inside and outside

[@sevenpark]

vaul-tec?

[@thomasfleig1184]

I use to love these cartoons. They taught kids about things in a simple and easy to understand format. Something that could be useful again, with today's youth. Who are dumb as a box of rocks after graduating school. Thanks to the governments control of the school system. It amazes me just how little high school graduates know these days.

[@markmalasics8413]

Did I see that right? Animators, ARNOLD GILLESPIE?

[@jdbrown371]

@SpaceTime4D For the most part, the science is OK and it's entertaining, even educational. Each of those propoganda terms I used are standard and well defined in the literature. Just google "classic propoganda techniques" with some of the words I included and you're sure to find all you need. It's a classic example of presenting scientific facts selectively while withholding other important data to obtain the desired result.

[@jeremiahcottrell5076]

what about thorium.....

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

Music by Gene Poddany, who took a job scoring industrial films because it paid significantly better than working for Warner Bros.

[@spencnaz]

Now I know where they got the idea for the movie Prometheus have a look @13:44

[@stan_dinghere]

they really likes characters in the fifties ;]

[@ChangBaek]

Westwood High School Nuclear Project

[@williamthurston5904]

.........uni high...?

[@artsysprinkle3454]

Same! :DD

[@yeeeeeeeeeeeepbanned9585]

dang same

[@nikhilkarnam48]

4 years later still there

[@heyandy889]

veritasium and pbs sent me here

[@simonharukaze2063]

0:57 Jiren?

[@cupcakexrider]

so true this is from when everyone was smart and could understand and no annoying sarcastic jokes and puns where in this to actually be funny... now...we're..just lost i mean the average teenager wouldnt look this up. -sigh-

[@scratchdog2216]

A is for atom, B is for bomb, C is for charred, D is for death, etc...etc...

[@8800081]

*Talk about the feel-good film of the 50s!* Makes you want to go out and hug an atom! I suggest that everyone watch the sequel where the mischievous Little Devils start destroying your living tissue and mutating your offspring, all for the glory of the nuclear crime cartel and the military industrial complex.

[@BunnyRaptor]

@TYMMCHN XD , just giving examples.

[@untoldlegacy4817]

This really reminds me of fallout

[@Raven-Glock]

Cabbages and Kings? Alice In Wonderland references? IN MY CD videos? It's more likely then you think.

[@JesseMaurais]

Very retro 50's. Love that. Also, horribly out of date. Consider that we not only know about the binding force of the nucleus, we have good theoretical understanding about when and how it emerged after the cosmic expansion. But that's cool too. This video demonstrates how far we've come in the last 60 years.

[@StockMalthiel]

A fantastic piece of History about how to destroy the world and his History.

[@orange70383]

Compare this narrator to what tries to pass for one today, that's a good example of how far men have devolved in just 60 years.

[@MacrossSD]

@ 14:25 -- We're doomed then, aren't we?

[@spencer1121324]

epic video, i love it

[@retiredbearry6127]

New Decade Check

[@gibstern64]

Came here from a Tame Impala rabbit hole

[@dragonridley]

14:12 Can you say hubris?

[@gokulnarayanan8400]

WESTWOOH HIGH SCHOOL NUCLEAR PROJECT ITS LIT

[@senteon6431]

Please just....just stop

[@eskimospy77]

I'm the one who taught radium how to dance.

[@popodumman6816]

Who else here is a self-honorary member of the Private "I" Sotopes? And while I'm asking questions, who's watching this in 2020?

[@VexWerewolf]

Who's here from Memory 417?

[@CofCGuy]

C is for coal as in "Dude! It's 2010 and freakin' using coal?"

[@retiredbearry6127]

New Decade Check

[@blackburn-ud9dm]

bruh

[@69kenji]

its 2021 and still we using coal

[@blackburn-ud9dm]

@@69kenji floppa

[@TheBoshy]

It’s like coal is dependable or something.

[@GabrielZorati]

Nuclear reactor in the airplane omg hshshs

[@JesseMaurais]

@SpaceTime4D Pretty damn funny actually.

[@rdc121674]

MY CABBAGES!!!!!

[@MrTurkeybutt]

1 billion billion ?

[@rbsnacks_]

@clouds5 He just wants you to 'think realistically' lol

[@clouds5]

@Thinkrealistically wtf? Have i said anything that offended you?

[@Turrican]

Fallout new Vegas...

[@tec-zee]

"In 1939 some scientists..." discovered Fission - This was Otto Hahn a scientist in Nazi-Germany ;)