By now, many readers are likely aware of my adoration for the mid-century era. Today, we’re referring to it as the “Atomic Age” as we dive into a children’s book that was published by Golden Press in 1956, smack-dab in the middle of nuclear exploration and conversation. The book, titled The Walt Disney Story of Our Friend the Atom, was written by German physicist Heinz Haber and wonderfully illustrated by the Walt Disney Studio as a means to educate and engage with young Americans about the foundation of all material things, the atom.
Shortly after on January 23rd, 1957, “Our Friend the Atom” was broadcasted as part of the Tomorrowland program on the televised Disneyland series that aired on ABC. Hosted by Haber, the episode had a run-time of 53 minutes and described the functionality and benefits of nuclear power for a modernizing world. Haber was well-known in Germany for his approachable and engaging methods of explaining the “hard” sciences through books and television programs. He later worked with Disney on other Tomorrowland shows.
“The atom is our future. It is a subject everyone wants to understand. So, we felt it was a most important topic for a Tomorrowland program.“ - Walt Disney, “Our Friend the Atom”
Remember when we took a look at another Disneyland episode and its connection to Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Federal-Aid Highway Act? Well, “Our Friend the Atom” took a similar approach albeit with a far more delicate topic.
Along with making moves to expand the nation’s transportation network and infrastructure, then-President Eisenhower embarked on a meticulously orchestrated media campaign, known as “Operation Candor”, to inform Americans of the benefits of atomic energy in hopes that they would adopt the idea of a nuclear future. This was a two-part effort by the federal government to, 1.) be less secretive toward the American public about atomic initiatives and 2.) shift the focus away from nuclear power solely being utilized as a military strategy.
It’s important to note that up until this point, atomic energy was largely associated with warfare. I mean, this was just a short decade after the world witnessed the horrors of the first atomic bombs to be used as military strategy at Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War. The mushroom-cloud visuals and destructive elements of nuclear power were still fresh in many minds.
Knowing this, Eisenhower delivered his “Atoms for Peace” speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on December 8th 1953. At the same time, the United States debuted a program of the same name that supplied equipment and educational material to schools, research institutions, and hospitals across the United States and throughout the world. The goal was to shift the narrative on nuclear components, along with hinder the projection of power and influence of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. Which brings us back to…
…The Walt Disney Story of Our Friend the Atom and “Our Friend the Atom”, which were a response from Walt Disney to Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” program.
We know Disney for princesses and lively adventures and castles with European flair, but the company’s historic influence on engaging the public on topics of war, political ideologies, and subjects of nationwide and global concern through propaganda and less direct methods cannot be understated. From the Second World War to the beginning of the Cold War, Walt saw a gap that could only be filled by him and the efforts of his artists and animators.1 In his eyes, reaching the American public through television and print media were the best and most effective ways he could serve the country he loved so dearly.
Eisenhower’s speech must have thoroughly convinced Walt of the importance of atomic energy because he not only prioritized the creation of the book and Disneyland episode, but he also began drafting ideas of ways to bring the futuristic concepts and teachings to Disneyland’s Tomorrowland. His goal was to promote the understanding and responsible usage of atomic energy, and he did so through a method we’ve already explored on Magic, Noted - edutainment.
With that said, let’s dive into the book and see it for ourselves!
Pretty cool, huh? The content is certainly interesting (especially in the context of history), but I often flip through the pages just to relish the illustrations and color palette. It’s such a fun book!
We know a lot more about the benefits and long-term risks of nuclear power 68 years later, but the palpable optimism and forward-thinking outlook of Haber really encapsulates the attitudes of the Atomic Age. Nothing was too out of reach, and all ideas were worth pursuing if it meant that they would make the world a better place to live, work, and play. I think it’s safe to safe that few people understood - and celebrated! - that more than Walt Disney.
See ya real soon,
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Arguably one of the darkest stains of Disney history was when Walt testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) in October 1947 during the depths of the post-war Red Scare and McCarthy Era. Walt provided the committee with what he believed to be incriminating information about union activity (gasp!) at the studios, which he also believed was further intensified through communist influence.