Red Nightmare is the best-known title of the 1962 Armed Forces Information Film (AFIF) 120, Freedom and You. Produced for and financed by the Department of Defense, the short film served as an anti-communist informational piece during the Cold War. It was later released on American television and distributed to schools under the title Red Nightmare. The United States Government used propaganda films during the Cold War to influence public perception and ideology against communism and the Soviet Union. During the Cold War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union both feared an actual war on a nuclear scale due to the devastation and mass casualties that would result. No matter which Superpower started a nuclear war, it would invariably fail because the other side would retaliate by using its nuclear weapons, and both sides would end up being destroyed.
The film's production is similar to that of episodes of The Twilight Zone. It was made by Warner Bros. under the auspices of the Department of Defense Directorate of Armed Forces Information and Education under the direct supervision of Jack L. Warner. The film features stars of Warner Bros. Television shows of the time. Jack Kelly was the co-lead of Maverick, and other cast members appeared in Warner Bros. shows that aired on the ABC network.
Red Nightmare was released on American television on Jack Webb’s GE True program on the CBS network in 1962. Red Nightmare is currently available to watch through YouTube and the Internet Archive.