When you consider the Cold War officially began and 1947 and officially ended in 1990, that’s an awfully long time spent conjuring scenarios and stoking flames. Of constantly entertaining conspiracy theories and second-guessing motives of our allies.
It didn’t do a whole lot of good – but there were a few positive aspects to the Cold War – one was certainly Space Exploration. Had it not been for Sputnik and the fear outer space would become Communist influenced (in one way or the other) we may not have had a Space Race – may not have gotten to the Moon as soon as we did – may not have made great strides in technology or developed the Computer as early we did.
But it did cause sleepless nights – as a kid, we learned Drop-Drills, went to bed hoping Mig’s wouldn’t penetrate our airspace and obliterate our cities, especially when we were asleep. The airwaves themselves were cluttered with alarmists, “experts” who played on fears, stoked suspicions and offered alarm.
It does make you think how things in our world would have progressed had there not been a Cold War looming over our heads, but that seems impossible in retrospect. In 1963 the Cold War was in danger of bubbling over, between the Cuban Missile Crisis – the Berlin Wall – various overthrows from Africa to South America – and Southeast Asia in general were all hotspots, consuming restraint, taxing diplomacy and fraying nerves.
And then there were rumors and scenarios an theories. One such rumor that flared out of control was a 1963 war game called Operation Water Moccasin. It was a series of US Army maneuvers scheduled to take place in the South, specifically Claxton, Georgia (“The Fruitcake Capital of the World.”) to instruct US soldiers in counter-guerrilla warfare. It was scheduled to be witnessed by 124 foreign military officers.
Conservatives accused the federal government of enabling either a foreign invasion or some kind of military coup. The military futilely protested that the presence of foreign military observers was standard procedure and that all observers were from US allies. Conservative religious broadcasters and Conservative elected officials about the operation and fired up their constituents’ basic fears and paranoia. They said that United States was about to be taken over by the United Nations; or African troops were massing in Georgia to invade and occupy that state. One elected official reported that at the height of this rumor-mongering he was receiving 100-200 letters a day from constituents who were genuinely scared.
This documentary, produced by CBS News in September of 1963 traces the rumor, all the way to a commentator whose radio show was the primary source for the rumors, the fear and the letter writing.
Part of the CBS Reports series, Case History Of A Rumor aired on September 18, 1963. America was convinced.
