Oregon's Answer to the H-Bomb

A Day Called X, which documented a large scale evacuation of Portland, Oregon, under the threat of a fictionalized H-Bomb attack, was one of the most widely distributed civil defense films during the Cold War.  Originally aired in December of 1957 as a CBS television special, the film is narrated by the late actor Glenn Ford and blends testimony from city officials and townspeople, with stock footage of Operation Greenlight.  A massive evacuation drill, Operation Greenlight was conducted in September of 1955 after years of state planning set up a defense plan focused on Portland.  Operation Greenlight sought to highlight the preparation Oregonians had put forth to ensure a safe existence for the population of their primary target city.


Operation Greenlight