I remember the Kennedy years. Those were pretty scary too. I remember teachers showing us pictures of mushroom clouds, so we’d be sure to know one if we saw one, and giving us solemn advice: If you see a cloud like this, don’t go toward it.
Interesting suggestion, though, @Ltryptophan. A lot of movies have explored the question of what would happen if global mass destruction were coming and word got out. Typically things did not go well. Instead: panic, hysteria, deranged behavior, suicides, even looting. And flocking to houses of worship by people who were nonbelievers ten minutes ago. People did not just offer calm good-byes to their dear ones. Do you think we would do better than that?