In 1961, President John F. Kennedy sent out a letter to American citizens warning them about the threat of nuclear war. His solution: fallout shelters.
"We owe that kind of insurance to our families and to our country," his letter read. "The time to start is now. In the coming months, I hope to let every citizen know what steps he can take without delay to protect his family in case of attack. I know you would not want to do less."
Congress allocated $169 million to find locations in public and private buildings that would protect communities from nuclear attacks. These shelters were to act as temporary homes as they waited out the nuclear fallout after an attack. But in reality, they were a last-ditch effort at survival.
