Poster, 'Nuclear war is no joke'

This poster features United States President Ronald Reagan (1981-89) against a mushroom cloud with his controversial joke: "My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in five minutes." He made this joke to radio technicians on 11 August 1984 while preparing to make his weekly address on National Public Radio. The sound check was not broadcast, but was leaked to the public.

During Reagan's first term, the Cold War was the most pressing foreign policy issue, and he was known for his tough, anti-communist rhetoric. He embarked on a massive build-up of weapons and troops. In 1983, he announced the Strategic Defense Initiative, a plan aiming to develop space-based weapons to protect America from attacks by Soviet nuclear missiles. This plan was quickly dubbed 'Star Wars'.