Instead, they were taught to see it as pedophilia. In the film “Boys Beware”, which focused specifically on young boys and the dangers of strange men, homosexuality was shown as a sickness that was not visible, like smallpox, but no less dangerous and contagious; it was a sickness of the mind (Boys Beware). Using these beliefs, the government could protect the children from catching this “illness” and simultaneously protect their founding ideals. In this way, children would also grow up to appreciate anti-Communism and realize how much better an American society fared compared to that of another country. With education paired with short films, it served as a propaganda tool by focusing on American ideologies of freedom and democracy, and by presenting the Soviet Union as the enemy who held opposing viewpoints like …show more content…
For example, children were advised on how to protect themselves during nuclear threats. Based on the name of the short film, “Duck and Cover,” the younger generation were educated on how to react to and protect themselves from nuclear attacks by ducking and covering (Duck and Cover). Using atomic warfare as a method to emanate fear, government officials were able to show how violent and destructive Communist countries could be, while enforcing American values into children as a way to promise safety and