Children 's entertainer Mr. Rogers had filmed five episodes of his television program ( entitled the " Conflict " series ) in the summer of 1983 , in reaction to events in Grenada , and the terrorist suicide bombing of a U.S. Marine Corps barracks in Lebanon . These aired on November 7 – 11 , 1983 , one week before the broadcast of '' The Day After . '' A week before the film 's airing , conservative group Citizens for America issued a " Call for Action " to its " local chairmen " , including background material on the Reagan administration 's position on strategic defense , along with instructions on how to hold a press conference and a sample guest editorial . In his November 15 , 1983 cover letter , Lew Lehrman wrote , " Our response to this piece of nuclear freeze propaganda must be swift and convincing . President Reagan has presented this country with the only option to nuclear disaster : the construction of a strategic defense system that can protect the free world from aggression without the use of the threat of annihilation as a deterrent . " The film and its subject matter were prominently featured in the news media both before and after the broadcast . On such covers as '' TIME '' magazine , Newsweek , and '' U.S. News & World Report , '' and '' TV Guide . '' Critics tended to claim the film was either sensationalizing nuclear war or that it was too tame . The special effects and realistic portrayal of nuclear war received praise . The film received 12 Emmy nominations and won two Emmy awards . It was rated " way above average " in '' Leonard Maltin 's Movie Guide '' , until all reviews for movies exclusive to TV were removed from the guide
suicide bombing
1983 Beirut barracks bombings
The Day After