A fact that often goes unnoticed when analyzing the construction of the old nuclear shelters that became so popular during the Cold War is that they were never designed as a permanent solution. Some of the most extreme designs stockpiled years' worth of provisions, but at a national level only the basic and necessary could be provided to survive. That led to the development of a multipurpose cracker based on bulgur, a food that according to experts can resist thousands of years without rotting, with proper storage.
In 1955, the Cold War was completely engulfing the American population. The major powers recognized West Germany as a sovereign country and approved its integration into NATO, which automatically led to the Warsaw Pact. But the political tension in Europe was merely a symptom that from a certain point of view seemed remote. The real fear among the people was the possibility of a large-scale nuclear war with the Soviet Union.
The concept of a nuclear shelter initially focused on protecting political leaders and high-ranking military officers, but the government of Dwight D. Eisenhower launched various civil defense campaigns aimed at encouraging similar preparedness among civilians, including “Grandma’s Pantry”, which suggested a reserve of water and food for seven days in every home.
Of course, that was not enough to cover the needs of an entire nation in the event of a nuclear attack. The decision was nothing less than creating a “Doomsday Ration”, or as others prefer, the “Apocalypse Diet”.
The Doomsday Supercracker
The requirements obeyed the pure logic of any administration with limited resources: the food had to be nutritious, very cheap, easy to eat, stable in storage, and with ample potential for mass production. Taste, appearance, overall quality, and packaging were irrelevant. Three years later, the Departments of Agriculture and Health concluded that the best combination was a bulgur cracker, a food known for resisting thousands of years inside the pyramids.
After an initial evaluation of 52 months that reported minimal loss in flavor, and the authorization of million-dollar contracts to cover the spectacular demand (Nabisco is one of the names on the list), the green light was given for production. The program ended in 1964 with more than 20 billion crackers prepared (distributed in tins of 400 units), at an average cost of 37 cents per person per day.
20 billion crackers is a chilling number, but not infinite. In fact, official plans suggest that the average stay in a shelter would be two weeks (after all, municipal shelters did not offer protection from bombs, but from the subsequent radioactive material), and each person was to store the equivalent of 10,000 calories per person. The “diet” established a strict division of the “lunches” into six crackers a day, accompanied by different supplements. In other words, it was two weeks of hunger and weight loss, with the obligation to go out and find more food and water later.
The vital liquid was also very limited, with just 13.25 liters per person (for the two weeks!). Experts calculated that after an attack, agriculture would return to normal in less than 24 months (not forgetting any available animal resources), but there was another parameter to consider: enough Americans would end up dead in the initial attack to relieve pressure on the survivors.
Source: Eater
