THE INVISIBLE ENEMY

Heat. Heat. [Music] The governor's advisory council is here. Thanks, Martha. I'll be right out. Ladies and gentlemen, you're here today in a building devoted to the peaceful uses of energy, nuclear energy for research and education. You're in this room to hear about radiation, its blessings, its dangers, and how we can control those dangers. As long as there has been a planet Earth, natural radiation in the form of cosmic rays from outer space has been descending on it. While at the same time that this natural radiation has been coming down from above, it has also been coming up from beneath our feet. For example, uranium and radium are minerals in our earth that are constantly decaying and giving off radiation. Radiation in our water, in the food we eat, and in our bodies. And so man has been living a long time with this natural radiation. Let me prove it to you. Here we have one type of radiation detector. The detector senses particles and energies given off by radioactive materials and transmits a signal to this unit which records it as a number. Thus I turn it on. Lights out, please. And immediately we have the counters recording radiation. Yet I have put no radioactive material near the detector. Lights. What we are recording here is the natural radiation around us. This is radiation that we live with all of the time. This is what we call background radiation. Now, let me give you an example of radiation that we do not live with all of the time. I have here a sample of gold made radioactive in our nuclear reactor. I put this next to the detector. Now watch the counter speed up. The radiation is more intense here. I take the gold away and the count slows down to count again the natural radiation, the radiation in the air and from materials around us. And as I said, man has always lived with this amount of radiation. There were no problems until they started adding to the natural balance through nuclear weapons which were first brought to the attention of the world in 1945 at the city of Hiroshima in Japan. [Music] And that was a nuclear weapon exploding. Exploding with a brilliant flash of light visible for several hundred miles. Now let's see exactly what happens. Let's say that this is an atom of uranium. This atom is composed generally of two parts. an electron shell which is a number of electrons orbiting around and a nucleus which we can imagine looking like a bunch of grapes and which is composed of small particles called protons and neutrons. This is the happy uranium family atom. It is stable and safe to handle because it does not give off radiation energy. All three parts are doing their job of maintaining order within the atom. Now on the outside the negatively charged electrons whirl about. On the inside, the positively charged protons are in their places and the neutrons which are neutral are in their places. A nice equilibrium exists. Now enter the villain or in the case of peaceful use of nuclear energy, the hero. An extra neutron looking for a home. He enters an atom and look what happens. The atom splits. Now let's go back and look at this process more closely. The key products of this reaction are two or three neutrons which are released at a terrific speed. They come whizzing out and they find homes in other atoms and each neutron released may split or break two or more atoms. So that we have a sort of grim game of double or even triple your money going on here. This then is a chain reaction of uncontrolled explosions. Now what's the result of this nuclear explosion? Well, three effects are produced. First heat as the atoms split. Second a blast wave as heat expands air. And then the third thing radiation. Radiation in two forms. Initial or immediate radiation which lasts only one minute and radioactive fallout materials that are the byproducts of this nuclear explosion. Now in our case here, these fallout materials consists of the actual fragments of our original uranium atom which have lost their stability by breaking or splitting up. They're giving off particles or rays that are potentially dangerous if uncontrolled, but potentially beneficial if they are controlled and used properly. Now, let me repeat, radiation is beneficial if controlled and properly used. Here's an example of controlled beneficial use. Today we meet in a building devoted to peacetime uses of nuclear energy. Behind this door is a nuclear reactor, an instrument for producing and controlling nuclear explosions. As such, it provides a radiation source. Here, a nuclear scientist is lowering a mineral into the reactor in order to expose it to the radiation source. The water serves both as a window to let the scientists see what's going on and as a shield to protect him from the potentially harmful rays. We are now in the control area of the reactor. Here is the vital nerve center. Here we control what we saw uncontrolled a moment ago. Here we do not let those neutrons go on and on breaking up other atoms. Through chemical and physical processes, we absorb them and limit the size of our chain reaction. And at the same time we are controlling our source of radioactivity which still has dangerous qualities and must be respected. The reactor is turned on is brought up to power within that blue glow. A controlled nuclear explosion is now taking place. Radiation is being produced. The mineral we have placed in the water is now being exposed to the radiation source. It will itself be made radioactive and is itself now giving off radiation. Next, we may take this radioactive mineral and handle it carefully with specially designed instruments, for it is now dangerous to the touch and could cause severe burns. We may then place it in a machine like this, which utilizes the radiation from the mineral to treat several different kinds of cancer. This is radiation for health. This is nuclear radiation in medicine. The controlled use of radiation for the benefit of mankind. As a scientist, I am interested in the positive uses of nuclear energy and the positive uses derived from man controlling this new and awesome force. You see this object familiar? It's an electric outlet. We use it every day. We're no more afraid of it than we are of brushing our teeth. And yet look how electricity comes to us. How complicated it is? How dangerous. But what does this all add up to? What do the generators, the turbines, the transformers, the high tension wires add up to? They add up to this part of our civilization. Tamed, domesticated, put to good use. We're not afraid of electricity because it came to us in the constructive form of the electric light. But suppose electricity had been introduced to us not in the constructive form of a light bulb but in the destructive shape of an electric chair. Our emotional reaction would have been entirely different. It would have been fearful. Now nuclear energy was introduced to the world as a weapon of destruction and therefore it is natural that nuclear energy for many people has harmful implications. At the same time, we must be realistic and realize that nuclear energy is a form of destruction is still with us and will be with us for a long time to come. So, having looked at the peaceful beneficial uses of nuclear energy, let's look at a nuclear weapon and what it means. Let's diagram this explosion. Let's see what's happening. Let's see our atom breakup on a large scale. An enemy missile armed with a nuclear warhead drops in this area. Two things happen immediately. First heat, a searing, blinding highintensity light likely to be visible several hundred miles away. And then blast shock waves which follow the heat and whatever has not been burned to a crisp then simply gets devastated by the blast wave. Heat happens immediately. Blast follows. They devastate and stop. But then, ladies and gentlemen, a third thing happens which lasts longer and is more widespread. This is a phenomenon called fallout. Fallout of radioactive materials. As the weapon explodes close to the ground, tens of thousands of tiny particles of dust and debris are sucked upward high into the air. Fallout consists of these tiny pieces of dust and debris which have mixed with radioactive particles that come from the nuclear explosion. They help form the familiar cloud which is seen with one of these explosions. It is here that our troubles really begin. For then this radioactive cloud begins to be carried by winds for hundreds of miles. It is literally a cloud bearing possible death for hundreds of thousands of people who live below it. Death in the form of radiation that you cannot feel, hear, taste, see, or smell. To better bring this home to you, let's take a grim illustration. Let us suppose that at 1:45 p.m. on an August afternoon in Chicago, Illinois, a large nuclear weapon is detonated. The prevailing upper winds are from the west, averaging 45 mph. Within a few hours, southern and central Michigan will be under the effects of this radioactive cloud. Without adequate warning of the possible hazards, many will be sick. Many will die. With adequate warning, and by taking the necessary survival actions, many could be saved. Here is the town of Battle Creek, Michigan. A town with a population of about 50,000, 150 air miles from Chicago. The bomb that exploded at 145 over Chicago, will have produced a fallout cloud that will reach Battle Creek at 4:55 p.m., assuming upper winds averaging 45 mph. Now, let's assume one more thing. Let's assume that 30,000 people in Battle Creek live in houses that have basements and 20,000 in houses without basements. In 24 hours, about 15,500 of the people who take refuge in their basements will become sick. 15,000 will recover. 500 will later die, while the other 14,500 will be all right. In that same time, of the 20,000 who have no basements, all will become sick, 2,000 will recover, but 18,000 or 90% will later die. Both death and sickness will be spread over several weeks. Frightened? I don't mean to frighten you, but these are facts based on actual test patterns worked out in Pacific weapon explosions. This is what could happen. And incidentally, there is one hopeful note in all this. With the passage of time, there is a lessening in intensity of harmful radiation from these fallout particles. Thus, in protecting ourselves from radioactive fallout, the first 24 to 48 hours following the nuclear detonation are the most critical. After this period, a high percentage of the harmful radiation is reduced to a less harmful degree. All right, I've been talking to you so far as a scientist. Now, let me talk to you as a man, a husband, and as a father. When I worked out these figures, I was frightened and yet oddly hopeful, for it was obvious that people who took shelter in their basement stood a 90% better chance of survival than those who had no basement in which to take shelter. In other words, something could be done. And what was that? The answer was if you had adequate shelter, if you could get some dense material between you and the particles giving off the deadly ray. A man in a basement is better off in a man without a basement. A man in a house without a basement is better off than a man caught out in the open during radioactive fallout. A man caught out in the open, if he has something to get under, a cover to crawl into, is better off than a man with nothing between him and the radioactive dust that may bring burns, sickness, and death. Now, suppose you were lucky enough to be home when the alarm was given. First of all, you would close your doors, windows, and wait with your family till your government officials announce an allcle. Remember now that fallout is something that you cannot see, feel, hear, taste, or smell. It is something that can be measured only with radiation detectors. Now then, this man in his house with windows closed has a fair chance of survival. If we could move him down to his basement, which gives him simply that much more mass between him and the radioactive particles, he would have a much better chance of survival. But, and now, ladies and gentlemen, if anything could be considered the theme of this meeting, it's this. If he had a specially constructed shelter in his basement that he could go into in time of emergency, there could be at least a 99% chance of survival. Ladies and gentlemen, let us then talk of fallout shelters. I believe every American family should have a fallout shelter, whether in the basement or outside underground. I believe new houses being built today should have shelters in them, just as they have kitchens and bathrooms in them. The fallout shelter, whether we like it or not, is going to become part of our way of life. If you live in a house without a basement or don't have an outside underground shelter, you should take refuge in the basement of a neighbor or in a large public building. Excuse me, doctor. Yes, sir. A question. First of all, I have a basement. And that's exactly the problem because our kids play down there and my wife just isn't going to stand for a shelter in the basement. If we put a shelter down there, the kids will have their toys in the living room at no time at all. Good point. But maybe they could play in the shelter. I spent $40 buying my daughter a cardboard house that lasted barely to the end of Christmas. Maybe we could make this shelter attractive to children. Really, another room in the house, not something for emergencies only. Now look, there are shelters. And there are shelters. Here's a shelter I would call deluxe. In addition to the items I'll have in my shelter, this one has things like steel construction, a water pump, and a telephone. Nothing would make my heart gladder than if I had a shelter like this. But I don't have $2,500 to build a shelter, and I doubt whether many of you do either. If I were to build a shelter, the first thing I'd do would be to get in touch with my local civil defense director. He has a lot of details on basic requirements for shelter construction in basement or outside the home. And remember, this fallout shelter will also protect me from tornadoes and windstorms. After studying the information which he's given me, I'd check my basement and select a corner which has no windows, a corner which is dry and has earth located high on the outside walls. I'd choose the southwest corner because this would also give me protection from tornadoes. Then I'd measure out an area on the basement floor which will provide enough space for my family and me to live and sleep. From these measurements, I determine how many concrete blocks would be necessary to build two additional walls and a shielding wall to protect the shelter entrance. You can get concrete blocks at about 25 cents a piece or from used material yards for about 10 or 15 cents. With this do-it-yourself booklet on family fallout shelters, I would build myself the new walls and fill the holes in the blocks with sand or dirt. Hey, Dad. What are you doing? I'm building your clubhouse, son. Hey, Mom. Did you hear that? Dad's building me a new clubhouse. And that's the answer I'd give my son because I see this shelter as an intricral part of our house, a room that can be used at all times, not only in case of emergency. And so, I would go on working evenings, weekends, spare moments. I would run some beams across the top, uh, get some inexpensive plywood and lay cement blocks or bricks across the ceiling for additional protection. By getting used block, I could put the whole thing up with walls at least 8 in thick for a very reasonable sum. Once I'd finished my shelter, I'd stock it with a minimum of 2 weeks canned or packaged food. I'd make sure the food was of the type that required no cooking or that could be prepared with canned heat. From the hot water heater in my basement, I'd have a 30-gallon water supply, but I'd also store enough water bottles in the shelter to asssure that I'd have a minimum half gallon of water per day for 2 weeks for each member of my family. I'd also make sure I had such basic things as a can opener, any special medicines my family might need, toys for the kids because 2 weeks is a long time and boredom can destroy almost as much as bombs. I'd have blankets, clothing, books, and magazines. I'd have a garbage can there for emergency sanitary facilities holding down the odors through the use of household disinfectants. And two important items I'd be sure to have are a flashlight or lantern and a battery operated radio. As you can see, the basic things I'd put in my shelter can pretty well tell you that I won't be building a palace, but it's a place in which my family will be relatively comfortable and we'd have an excellent chance of survival. And that's what I'm interested in, ladies and gentlemen, for myself and for my family, surviving there in an emergency. We would check our radio for official instructions, knowing we had little to fear from radioactive fallout. There we would sit, waiting for the day, the moment when the word came that the death dealing radioactivity, stuff we cannot see, feel, hear, taste, or smell had gone. You may now proceed outside. The radioactive fall-out measurements indicate conditions are nearly normal, and regular clothing will protect you. We still advise care, however. Avoid puddles of water, avoid mud, dust, or anything that might cling to your clothing. If you must handle articles which were left outside, like a rake or a shovel, be sure to wear gloves. Before re-entering your home, clean your clothes with a brush. Remove and clean your shoes. The radio has spoken. A voice from the outside world brings relief, comfort, advice. Behind that radio working for you day and night are trained personnel. In a typical American city like Grand Rapids, civil defense alerts and exercises are going on all the time. Here, officers of county and municipality meet to decide local measures to be taken in emergencies. Who works for you in your city? Your civil defense director, your fire chief, police chief, all of your public officials. Car 4, this is car one. Go ahead, car one. Car 4, proceed at once to Cook's Connors. Car one, there is a highway blockade on direct route. Uh, I'll take an alternate road. Standing behind these local authorities are trained personnel in your state capitals. Here in the state office of civil defense, vital information is prepared for public use. Your state civil defense agency also coordinates efforts of other state agencies trained to meet emergency situations. This is eastern test civil defense network test. States, please acknowledge roll call. District of Columbia test. Every day a roll call of states goes out from a vital center in the United States. Here the state police respond. Michigan test. This is a Michigan state warning point. Stand by to acknowledge test. Bay City Bay City test Detroit. And then test their own warning points as part of the national attack warning system. Papa. Okay. Borford. Rockford. In addition to their regular duties, state police are now trained in the use of radiation detectors. Other state agencies are on the job in this nuclear age. Personnel from your state health department are monitoring and analyzing the effects of radiation on the state population. Behind the state and local personnel, working with them, advising them, and giving expert information is your federal government, the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization. Here, for instance, is the headquarters of OCDM's Region 4. Region 4 includes five states with a population of more than 30 million people working in such vital industries as automobiles and steel and on some of the richest farmland in America. At region 4, work goes on day and night to prepare, train, advise, and find out the latest methods of dealing with nuclear weapons and their effects. In this briefing room, leaders of business, government, agriculture, and labor are told the facts of life in this nuclear age. The destructiveness of modern weapons is so great that in time of nuclear war, the survival of any nation under attack would be at stake. Nuclear bursts on large metropolitan areas in the United States would create a radioactive fallout hazard that could affect almost the total population. Thus, we see that a fallout shelter is a must for every family. It is plain that as a nation and as individuals, we must prepare for survival in the event of such an attack. Civil defense is therefore important in our national preparedness program. If our non-military defenses can be made to offer tangible and effective protection to life and property, civil defense could be a very important force in deterring war. If on the other hand, nuclear attack should come, a strong civil defense could mean the difference between the life and death of the nation. While a deliberate all-out attack on the United States may be unlikely at present, this threat remains with it. The Soviet capability to attack is impressive. In meeting communist aggression, the free world will continue to face decisions carrying a risk of war. Our leaders will be able to make these decisions with greater confidence if our civil defense preparedness is adequate to ensure our survival. Total preparedness, economic, military, and civil defense is the only answer to this threat. Those are the people working for total preparedness. To them, radiation is a word neither to be feared nor to be held lightly, but something to be examined and analyzed and controlled. These civil agencies are working for you, for basically it all depends on you and your willingness to defend yourself in the nuclear age. What is needed on your part is an understanding of what nuclear energy means, what it can do when it is used constructively, what it can do when it is used destructively. and knowing this to put your knowledge to work to build a safer life for yourself, your family, and your country. For on your willingness and ability to protect yourself and the lives of those who depend on you depends in turn the future of the free world. This, ladies and gentlemen, is why we in the United States must from now on learn how to protect ourselves from fallout, the invisible enemy. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Applause] [Music]