I'm just barely old enough to remember school drills in case of nuclear war, hiding under our desks. As if that would make any difference, but the fear was very real for a young child. Our home even had a root cellar to store food that was where we were told to go in case of an attack.
Understanding this background is very relevant to this episode because it is all about replacing that fear with the fear of aliens to unite mankind. A very simple plan for such supposedly erudite scientists, but not the craziest thing I've read or heard.
I enjoyed this episode and even overlook the horrible special effects which were really not bad in hindsight given the times and tiny budget. Passable enough that they didn't detract from the story. There is even some decent background info such as a new alloy for the spaceship unknown to others of the time.
Better than average acting by the husband and wife, I could feel the loss both of them felt of their family.