Evening star., 1946-07-05
Bikini May Give Clue
To Atomic Energy Use

IoAtomIc Energy Use
Military Significance Depends on
Objectives Behind Test
By David Laurence
Whether the dropping of the atomic
bomb at Bikini was success" or
failure" depends entirely on an UNDER
standing Of what the intention behind
the test was.
The scientists were convinced that
the atomic bomb would destroy all hui
man life on the feet of ships, and ap-
parently not all the living things died.
The verdict here is uncertain.
The naval strategists were convinced
that naval vessels could stay afloat-
not all OF them, but many Of them.
They were proved correct. But Of what
use are vessels without officers or
crews?
The Army Air Forces were convinced
that controlled planes could be sent
into areas where atomic bombs were
being dropped and that such planes
could be recovered. They were proved
correct.
Military and naval men generally
were convinced that the atomic bomb
would require changes in systems and
weapons of warfare, and they, too, are
proved correct.
Forecasts Changes.
After examinations of the damage
done to surface vessels, it seems prob
able that the naval craft of the future
will be built differently than those Of
today.
Unfortunately, many of the headlines
about the atomic bomb gave emphasis
to the fact that certain ships were found
afloat and certain ones were sunk. This
was all the information available at
the time, but it was meaningless. For
any one who knows anything about
aerial warfare and naval defense knows
that feet strategists wouldn't concen-
trate vessels in such a small area and
invite attack from bombs of any kind.
If ships were to be set up as they were
In the Bikini lagoon. it would take only
few B-29s to destroy all the vessels
there last Monday. In that sense q
more devastating job could be done in
one fell swoop by planes than by
single atomic bomb.
| But the object of the test was not to
find out how many ships would be sunk
| or how many would stay afoat. 1t
was hoped that enough vessels would
stay af1oat to afford an opportunity to
| determine the effect on steel armor
| plate, on deck and ammunition COM
partments, on machinery and on elec-
tr1cal apparatus. When this Is known,
there can be changes in design or
scientific research to protect ships
against complete destruction.
Next Tests Important.
Naturally, Navy men were anxious
to refute the notion that navies are
obsolete. Those who believe In naval
power aren't any less interested in the
atomic bomb because of these tests, but
they can insist that the last word has
not been spoken on the part which
navies will play in fuutre warfare.
The next two tests will be underwater
! detonations of the atomic bomb. These
| are regarded as the most important of
all. II submarines can survive at great
depths, then the whole character of
naval warfare may be changed Just
as armies and heavy bombing have It
brought underground defenses on land.
so the atomic bomb may revolutionize
underwater fighting.
1t would seem logical that the Navy
Department now would give special at
tention to undersea warfare. Unfor-
tunately, the submarine branch has not
been given the recognition it deserves
in the staff set-up in the Navy Depart
ment. There is as much radical change
possible through undersea warfare as
there has been in the air-force opera
tions OF the last several years.
Undersea Carriers Possible.
Some naval experts see the probability
OF building huge aircraft carriers to
move entirely under the water. These
would be able to rise at night and send
out planes carrying atomic bombs or
else guided missiles. The use of subma-
rines to attack coastlines with guided
missiles is in its infancy. 1t is here that
the Navy has chance to provide means
OF attack and defense not now en-
v1slonsd by military men Of the old
schools OF thought.
The atomic-bomb test was neither a
success nor a failure-for no weapon
that promises such destruction can be
characterized as success" for any
nation. The principal governments Of
the world are today discussing the abo-
Ition OF atomic bombs altogether. So
the world may truly hope that the tests
will prove wholly superfluous In a
military sense and that the lessons
learned may be useful in the civilian
| uses of atomic enercy