Voices of the Cold War in Britain, 1945-1962
This thesis investigates the civilian experience of the Cold War between 1945 and1962 through 44 original oral history interviews with 48 individuals. As the first oral history of everyday life in Cold War Britain it examines the generation born before1945 and the experience of growing up in postwar Britain. The thesis situates these oral histories within the changing emotional landscape that contextualised Britain's Cold War, comparing and contrasting experiences through cultural and documentary sources, as well as oral testimony. This combination of sources and methodologies offers a fresh perspective on two civilian communities that were integral to Britain's early nuclear weapons developments: civil defence recruits and anti-nuclear campaigners. It is also the first study of its kind to compare these group experiences with those of a general cohort of civilian interviewees. An emotions history approach is central to the argument that personal experiences of Second World War memory, gender norms, and the media, coupled with unprecedented technological and cultural postwar developments, contributed to perceptions of nuclear security and Britain's role in Cold War foreign policy. While many individuals responded
Douthwaite, Jessica
Voices of the Cold War in Britain, 1945-1962. This thesis investigates the civilian experience of the Cold War between 1945 and1962 through 44 original oral history interviews with 48 individuals. As the first oral history of everyday life in Cold War Britain it examines the generation born before1945 and the experience of growing up in postwar Britain. The thesis situates these oral histories within the changing emotional landscape that contextualised Britain's Cold War, comparing and contrasting experiences through cultural and documentary sources, as well as oral testimony. This combination of sources and methodologies offers a fresh perspective on two civilian communities that were integral to Britain's early nuclear weapons developments: civil defence recruits and anti-nuclear campaigners. It is also the first study of its kind to compare these group experiences with those of a general cohort of civilian interviewees. An emotions history approach is central to the argument that personal experiences of Second World War memory, gender norms, and the media, coupled with unprecedented technological and cultural postwar developments, contributed to perceptions of nuclear security and Britain's role in Cold War foreign policy. While many individuals responded
voices cold_war britain investigates civilian experience cold_war and original oral_history_interview individual first oral_history everyday_life cold_war britain examine generation born before experience grow postwar britain situates oral_history within change emotional landscape contextualised britain cold_war compare_contrast experience cultural documentary_source well oral_testimony combination source methodologies offer_fresh perspective civilian community integral britain early nuclear weapon development civil defence recruit anti nuclear campaigner also first study kind compare group experience general cohort civilian interviewee emotion history central_argument personal_experience second_world_war memory gender_norm medium couple unprecedented technological_cultural postwar development contribute perception nuclear security britain role cold_war foreign_policy many individual respond