In the 1950s and '60s, the U.S. government conducted a series of nuclear tests in the Nevada desert. The resulting fallout would kick off a decades-long debate over cancer rates, the costs of patriotism, and the responsibility of a nation to protect its citizens. DOWNWINDERS AND THE RADIOACTIVE WEST chronicles the history of the testing program, and shares the stories of Utahans who lived downwind from the Nevada site. In reporting on these ongoing issues, the documentary explores how the legacy of nuclear testing continues to affect the country today.