This kind of movie idiocy demonstrates once again who in those years was most afraid of the Cold War turning into a 'hot' war.
This is nothing more than moronic agitation, an attempt to educate potential 'partisan' Boy Scouts among American brats in case of an attack from the 'evil empire'... Bullshit? Naturally. In reaction to some of the guys who sighed above I should say that I absolutely refuse to accept this kind of film trash from, let's say, 'art-historical' standpoints, if only because there is not even a slightest whiff of art - even mass-market art. The result is a disgusting movie poster, and watching it I personally have a feeling akin to...let's say, visiting a street market latrine that hasn't been cleaned since Grandpa Stalin's time.
I don't want to sound dogmatic, but Red Dawn is a rare example of a litmus test to distinguish an idiot (who liked this movie) from a person who is even remotely normal.