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Civil Defense Literature Collection
SPC.2017.010
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Contributing Institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
Title: Civil Defense Literature Collection
source:
United States. Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization
source:
United States. Federal Civil Defense Administration
source:
United States. Office of Civilian Defense
Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2017.010
Physical Description:
1 box
Physical Description:
.84 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1941-1960
Abstract: This collection includes booklets, advertisements, pamphlets, leaflets, and ephemera related to civil defense. Subjects include
advertisements on blackout products, civil defense literature and decal products, and World War Two ephemera. Also included
is material related to radioactive, nuclear, and atomic attacks; and fallout shelters.
Language of Material:
English
.
There are no access restrictions on this collection.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives
and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
For information about citing archival material, see the
Citations for Archival Material guide, or consult the appropriate style manual.
The Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) was established by President Franklin Roosevelt in May of 1941 to create safety measures
and procedures to protect citizens in the case of air raids, blackouts, and other war-related attacks. The office was also
in charge of the morale of the citizens and for the creation of a citizen volunteer recruitment or what would eventually be
titled the Citizen's Defense Corp. Citizens were encouraged to join through Citizen's Defense volunteer offices who would
assign roles and train volunteers for positions such as driver, messenger, auxiliary police, as well as other volunteer positions.
After a volunteer had completed training, they were able to wear an armband or uniform with the insignia of the position they
were trained for. The OCD continued throughout the war to establish safety measures and assist in volunteer recruitment.
The program officially concluded in June of 1945. After the OCD program was dissolved;the Federal Civil Defense Administration
(FCDA) was created by President Harry S. Truman in 1950 due to the detonation of the Soviet Union's first atomic weapon. In
1958 the FCDA was superseded by the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization when President Dwight D. Eisenhower merged the
FCDA with the Office of Defense Mobilization.The civil defense functions of the office were transferred to the Department
of Defense's Office of Civil Defense in 1961.
The Civil Defense Literature Collection (1939-1966; undated) consists of .42 linear ft of booklets, pamphlets, leaflets, advertisements,
and ephemera related to civil defense in the 1940s-1960s relating to war emergencies; and radioactive, nuclear, and atomic
attacks. This collection includes literature with information about civil defense and Citizens Defense Corps as well as advertisements
and posters for war-related products and efforts.
Processed by Jennifer Hill in 2018.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
World War, 1939-1945
Civilian-based defense
Civil defense warning systems
Civil defense
Fallout shelters
Radioactive fallout
Cold War
United States. Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization
United States. Federal Civil Defense Administration
United States. Office of Civilian Defense