I as a teen in the 80s, I never believed nuclear war was inevitable, but it was a constant background fear. In the suburbs of Houston, any nighttime lightning-strike waking me up would trigger the thought: "was that a nuclear detonation over the city?"

Those seeking to learn more about the mindset could check out ABC's 'The Day After' miniseries (1983) or the movie 'Miracle Mile' (1988) – which I'd suggest viewing with no other pre-reading other than this recommendation.