Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-07-12
H-bomb Effects
Told in Book
Issued by U. 5.
BY FRANK CAREY
Associated Press Science Writer

4nC 0ONCIl1uCub UOQdy lSs
leased the first comprehensive
picture Of the sprawling devas-
tation which might occur from
an enemy attack with super
hydrogen weapons.
The issuance Of q bulky
handbook entitled THE Effects
Of Nuclear Weapons" conceded
with the beginning Of Opera
ton Alert 1957-the fourth
Nationwide civil defense ex-
ercise which includes mock
nuclear attacks on United
States cities.
The 579-page book, issued by
the Defense Department and
the Atomic Energy Commission,
details the blast, heat and radi-
alton effects Of high-yield
bombs ranging up to 20 mega
tons-the power of 20 million
tons of INT and a thousand
times more powerful than the
atom bombs dropped on Japan
in 1945.
In a foreword, Secretary Of
Defense Wilson and Acc
Chairman Lewis Strauss said
references to a 20-megaton de-
vice should mot be taken as
an indication Of capabilities or
developments" n
In the frequently technical
book. no mention is made Of
developments toward the pro-
duction Of clean" H-bombs,
those free Of radioactive fall
out.
Tells Uses Of FaIlOut
In fact. q section Of the book
deals with possibilities Of using
fallout from high-yield hydro
gen weapons as an offensive
weapon in wartime-apparent-
ly to provide civil defense per-
sonnet with information on the
worst possible conditions which
might be faced in an attack,
including use of the "dirtiest"
Of bombs from the radioactive
standpoint.
The volume brings into sharp
focus the blast and burning
effects which have received lit
tie emphasis in the recent de-
bate over hazards of fallout.
For example, it said that in
the aerial defamation of a 90
megaton bomb there would be
these effects:
!. Wood frame houses would
be almost completely DESTROYED
out of about IL miles in all
directions from the point of
the blast, and there would be
some damage to such buildings
out to 20 miles.
2. People could suffer third
degree burns out to nearly 30
miles in all directions from the
heat flash Of the bomb, and first
degree burns out to nearly so
miles.
Hiroshima Toll Recalled
The report offered no estimate
OF the total casualties that
would result from such an ex-
plosion. but it recalled that at
Hiroshima. out of a total popu-
lation of 255,OOO, there were
10000 killed and missing, and
another 10000 injured.
At Hiroshima, the area of
total destruction was AZ square
miles, from a bomb having the
explosive equivalent of 10000
tons of INT.
With weapons in the megaton
range, the report said, "the
damage region may cover a
hundred or more square miles,"
The report implied, however.
that casualties of the Hiroshima
order could be cut down by pre-
paredneSs.
On the subject of fallout, the
book recalled that in the ex-
plosion of a high-yield bomb
near the earth's surface at BIZ
KIM in 1854. "a total area of
over 1000 square miles was
contaminated to such an ex-
tent that survival might have
depended upon evacuation of
the area or taking protective
measures"
The book indicated there
would be no immediate hazard
from fallout of bombs deto-
mated sufficiently high in the
air. but noted that even in an
air-burst bomb there would be
immediate" radiation which
could be lethal.
In the case Of a 20-megaton
bomb, for example. initial radi-
alton from the blast would kin
virtually every exposed person
out to a distance of az miles
from the point of an air blast.