The Day After

Dr. Russell Oakes is shown working at a hospital in Kansas City, Missouri, and spending time with his family, particularly his daughter Marilyn, who is preparing to move away. Meanwhile, Jim Dahlberg and his family hold a wedding rehearsal for his daughter Denise in Harrisonville, indicating normal daily routines before the conflict escalates. Airman Billy McCoy is stationed at a Minuteman missile silo in Sweetsage, preparing for potential threats.

Background reports reveal a Soviet buildup along the East German border and the blockade of West Berlin. NATO attempts to break the blockade, and Soviet MiGs attack targets in Germany. Moscow begins evacuations as the crisis deepens, signalling the start of global tension and potential warfare.

Soviet forces push towards the Rhine in an armored advance, and West Germany suffers attacks from Soviet fighters. News spreads that the Soviets have invaded West Germany, heightening fears of full-scale war. Jim Dahlberg prepares his family for potential conflict by securing his cellar.

The United States places its forces on alert, recalling McCoy from his family, while NATO intercepts Soviet naval attacks. The Emergency Broadcast System is activated as citizens begin to panic and prepare for war, amid reports of nuclear threats and global instability.

NATO attempts a nuclear counterattack by airbursting three warheads over Soviet troops, but the Soviets retaliate with their own nuclear strike, destroying NATO headquarters in Brussels. The US receives alerts of incoming ICBMs, triggering protocols and launching nuclear missiles towards Russia. The war becomes a full-scale nuclear exchange.

A high-altitude nuclear explosion causes an EMP that disables vehicles and destroys the power grid. Nuclear missiles rain down on military and civilian targets across the region, causing widespread destruction and chaos, particularly in Kansas City where many characters are caught in the destruction.

Many characters, including Marilyn, the Hendrys, and McCoy's family, are incinerated by the nuclear blasts. Young Danny Dahlberg becomes flash-blinded by distant nuclear explosions. Dr. Oakes begins treating injured patients in a hospital while radioactive fallout intensifies, making outdoor travel deadly.

Dr. Oakes, Klein, Denise, and others seek shelter in basements, trying to survive the relentless radiation fallout. Denise escapes outside briefly, exposing herself to radioactive dust, and is rescued by Klein. McCoy travels seeking aid but succumbs to radiation poisoning, symbolizing the human toll of the war.

The US president announces a ceasefire and urges Americans to maintain hope despite the devastation. Efforts to aid survivors and rebuild are futile, as infrastructural collapse and chaos turn the aftermath into a dystopian nightmare. Jim Dahlberg and his family are killed by squatters, illustrating the breakdown of social order.

Oakes witnesses the collapse of society; looters are executed by National Guardsmen, and radiation sickness takes its toll on remaining survivors. He returns to his ruined home, where he finds squatters and collapses in despair. The film closes with a radio transmission and a Morse code message, emphasizing the bleak future.

An overlay of radio and Morse code signals fades into black, symbolizing the silence after humanity's collapse. The narrator's voice questions if anyone can still hear, emphasizing the hopelessness and devastation. The film closes with a stark message about the consequences of nuclear war, stressing that the real outcome would be far worse.