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48
NUCLEAR
NIGHTMARE
Wi/1 it Happen?
(Contin11ed from page
8)
for a machine gun. But nations, armed
to their nuclear teeth with a panorama
of weaponry to give an imaginative
"Mars" a blinding headache, continue
to build, and store for future use, ter–
ribly potent arms.
It is said that by 1975, the present
American stockpile of 4,600 strategic
nuclear warheads could reach a total of
11,000.
By comparison, the Soviet Union
currently has 2,000 strategic nuclear
warheads. But according to the survey
of one authoritative institution for
strategic studies: "The more disturbing
aspect of current research and devclop–
ment programs is
qualitative
rather than
q11antitative."
If
Nuclear War Comes
The Soviet Union, it is said, with
new long-range missiles, new subma–
rines and new strategic bombers under
development, is going to become the
dominant nuclear power in the years
ahead - unless. Unless the U. S. speeds
up its own research and development to
"stay ahead" in the arms race. Other–
wisc, it is feared, the U. S. will forfeit
the arms race to the Soviet Union.
This question might seem academic
to sorne, since preseot nuclear strength
and wipe-out capability is awesomc to
behold - from either side. It is esti–
mated by the U. S. defense departrnent
that if the 50 largest cities in the United
States were hit, approximately 86 mil–
lion Americans would be killed. That is
42 percent of the U. S. population. Such
a nuclear attack would also kili the
majority of professional people - doc–
tors, lawyers, architects, scientists, polít–
ica! leaders.
Such a staggering blow to the nation
is inconceivable, apocalyptic. To live in
an age where such calculations are made
is inconceivable. Still, these quickly
read, meaningless "numbers" portray at
least a sketchy, hastily forgotten idea of
The
PLAJN TRUTH
the very probable toll should nuclear
war be joined.
That the nation could survive such a
destroctive horror is purely conjectural,
since the rnassive fallout, resultant
pollution, disruption of all major com–
munications, power sources, and nerve
centers for a modern, technologically
oriented society would be destroyed. No
human imagination can appropriately
envision 86 million deaths in an
instant, any more than the meo aboard
the Enola Gay could do more than gasp
with macabre fascination as they saw
the monstrous doud unfolding itself
into the skies - unable to comprehend
the bits and pieces of the cloud had
been human ; and human habitation.
But the clinically correct words go
on.
About 55 percent of the U. S. indus–
trial capacity would be destroyed.
If
the Soviet Union were attacked it
would lose 48 rnillion of its citizens -
about 20 percent of its population. At
the sarne time, about 40 percent of
Soviet industrial capacity would
be
wiped out .
Whether either nation would recover
biologically, psychologically or other–
wise is an entirely different question.
Sorne scientists feel neither could.
Nevertheless, the cry from both sides
- the Soviet Union and the U. S. - is
"Our strategic arms advantage is evapo–
rating." "We're losing the arms race."
Back in 1953, the U. S. clearly had
the vast edge in rnilitary power over the
Soviet Union. The late President Ken–
nedy told the Russians to "Get out of
Cuba -
oc
else." T he "or else," pre–
sumably, meant Amecica would use the
power she possessed. The Russians were
clearly intimidated. At the time one
Soviet negotiator was heard as saying,
"This is the last time you Americans
will be able to do this to us ."
So the Soviet Union herself stepped
up the race to build up her nuclear
arrnaments. Today, part of her arsenal
includes at least 300 (total late 1970)
SS-9 missiles. The cost of each missile is
nearly 30 million dollars in its silo. Each
missile carries a 25-megaton warhead.
Also, the Soviet Y-class nuclear sub–
marines maJv
outnurnbcr the U. S.
polaris force by 1973-74.
April
1971
Alternatives in the Nuclear Age
What is the U. S. to do? Experts see
only the following alternatives. The
U. S. must aggressively push its own
research and development - acce!er–
ating the arms race. Otherwise she must
take sccond place in a world of war
where nuclear blackmail by the Soviet
Union would ultimately reduce all
nations - including the U. S. - to
vassal states.
A third alternative was spelled out by
a
Pc:ntagon planner. When two nations
are hcaded for what appears certain
conflict, the weaker nation must
STRIKE
F rRST
to offset the greater power of the
cncrny.
With weapons of humanity-destroy–
ing magnitude, this makes our world
filled with terror and danger.
There is, of course, a fourth possi–
bility. Nations should sirnply learn to
live in peace. Al! should subscribe to an
irnpartial world government capable of
solving national grudges, mistrusts and
problems. This fourth way has never
been tried by the governments of this
earth. Today, it would be considered
an impractical, fool's policy inviting
disaster.
The first three alternatives, al! repre–
sentative of mistrustful, hostile, hating
human nature, are insane.
Still, the madness goes on.
Overkill is not enough. The abi1ity to
kill fifty worlds is not enough. Each
nation continues its demoniaca! dance
of death, comrnitted to a never-ending
spiral of weapons-making, constantly
attempting to counterbalaoce each new
weapon created by the other.
Currently, at least 10 tons of explo–
sives, using the TNT equivalent, are
stockpiled for each person on earth.
Each
o(
us, numbering more than 3.6
billion, may now contemplate the tons
of explosives waiting, quiescently, imper–
sonally, ominously, for their intended
use.
lt
has been pointed out, time and
again, that weapons have never been
designed and produced which have not
been
ltsed.
The nuclear stockpile of the wodd,
;ucordjng
.to
t.he
lnD$t
conserv:Jtive es.tj–
mates, is already equivalent to 50,000