Role of Media

The circumstances of this disaster were not only complex, but also horrific: the United States was responsible for the death of over 100,000 civilians; the dawn of the atomic age was upon them; and this may have ended one war, but it can also be seen as the beginning of the Cold War. How was this explained to American citizens? Media, of course!

Though there are many forms of media, a very interesting subset of that media involves visual representation. This would include, but is not limited to: videos, photographs, films & television, and political cartoons. My research paper focused on political cartoons, which I found fascinating due to their seeming simplicity yet inherent ability to present and resolve the complex tensions involving this disaster. However, I think that other forms are equally relevant and looking at all representations together form a very unique picture.

As far as time is concerned, media continues to cover these incidents even over 50 years after the disasters. To understand the many ways it has been represented, we can see different forms of coverage over the years.