Remembering Cold War Atomic Toys and GamesRemembering Cold War Atomic Toys and Games

The Strong Museum of Play's inventory includes reminders of the Cold War fascination with all things atomic.

Dan Carney, Senior Editor

March 20, 2023

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Nuclear War Card Game 1983 copy.jpeg

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Nuclear War card game, 1983.The Strong Museum of Play

During the Cold War showdown with the Soviet Union, the prospect of nuclear armageddon seemed imminent.

This sparked a fascination with all things atomic, as people pondered the benefits and threats associated with harnessing the atom.

The Strong Museum of Play, in Rochester, N.Y., has accumulated an array of atomic-themed games that provide insight into people's thoughts during the Cold War.

There was also a strong tolerance for risk on those days of omnipresent cigarettes and unemployed seat belts, as demonstrated by the Atomic Energy Lab, which contained actual radioactive isotopes!

But is may have been the final screen of Missile Command that best summed up the jangly nerves of the atomic cold war era.

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About the Author

Dan Carney

Senior Editor, Design News

Dan’s coverage of the auto industry over three decades has taken him to the racetracks, automotive engineering centers, vehicle simulators, wind tunnels, and crash-test labs of the world.

A member of the North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jury, Dan also contributes car reviews to Popular Science magazine, serves on the International Engine of the Year jury, and has judged the collegiate Formula SAE competition.

Dan is a winner of the International Motor Press Association's Ken Purdy Award for automotive writing, as well as the National Motorsports Press Association's award for magazine writing and the Washington Automotive Press Association's Golden Quill award.

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He has held a Sports Car Club of America racing license since 1991, is an SCCA National race winner, two-time SCCA Runoffs competitor in Formula F, and an Old Dominion Region Driver of the Year award winner. Co-drove a Ford Focus 1.0-liter EcoBoost to 16 Federation Internationale de l’Automobile-accredited world speed records over distances from just under 1km to over 4,104km at the CERAM test circuit in Mortefontaine, France.

He was also a longtime contributor to the Society of Automotive Engineers' Automotive Engineering International magazine.

He specializes in analyzing technical developments, particularly in the areas of motorsports, efficiency, and safety.

He has been published in The New York Times, NBC News, Motor Trend, Popular Mechanics, The Washington Post, Hagerty, AutoTrader.com, Maxim, RaceCar Engineering, AutoWeek, Virginia Living, and others.

Dan has authored books on the Honda S2000 and Dodge Viper sports cars and contributed automotive content to the consumer finance book, Fight For Your Money.

He is a member and past president of the Washington Automotive Press Association and is a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers

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