Document Type

Article

Department

History

Abstract

This paper analyzes the messages found in American children’s visual media during the early years of the Cold War. Many producers in the film and television industry took to the screen to express concerns about possible Communist infiltration. These fears had grown over several decades of political and international instability, beginning in the early twentieth century and the first Red Scare. Thus, the explosion of the Cold War prompted producers to create media intended to socialize children around American ideals which would challenge the growing threat of Communism. The events which led to production of this media will be interpreted and connected to the messages presented in the media itself. The ideals promoted to children in visual media such as film and television will be analyzed to demonstrate American values and how they were intended as a means to socialize children to prevent the spread of Communism.

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