Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1960-08-25
Montgomery County Civil Defense Organization
Reflects Sharp Changes in Warfare Concepts
BY Howard Lee Cook
Public Information Officer
Montgomery County
Civil Defense Office

gOillefy OOuHty OlVll DeleIlSe
organization from World War
II Civilian Defense is a story
involving variable concepts of
modern warfare and the ION
and off" pressures of an ex-
tended worldwide cold war.
Everyone remembers the
familiar white-helmeted war
dens of the war and their
serious enactment of practice
'blackouts." In those days
Civilian De Tense was truly a
civilian preoccupation which
employee a huge force of vol
unteers. There were District
Chief CD Officers, their assist
ants, block wardens, auxiliary
police, telephone operators,
radio operators and even teen
age messengers standing by
with bicycles to carry messages
from one headquarters to
another.
No one questioned the wis
dom of preparation because war
was upon us. The threat Of
enemy attack seemed very real
and the people of Montgomery
County, just as people all over
America, responded by organic
ing and organizing well.
But with wars end in 1915,
most Americans saw no further
need for Civilian Defense and
into the ash can went the well
organized volunteer organiza-
ton that had been so carefully
welded together during our
fight against the Axis.
Organization Revived
1T wasn't until a shocked
America read of North Korea's
invasion of its southern coun-
terpart In the summer Of 1850
that an attempt was made to
retrieve Civilian Defense from
the discard pile.
Things were no longer the
same however. Not only was the
war not a worldwide conflict
with the feeling of imminent
\ enemy attack, but the weapons
of destruction had changed
drastically. No longer were the
familiar preparations and plan
ming of the Second World War
applicable. Where before men
shuddered at the thoughts of
''block busters" they now faced
an almost hopeless task of with
standing an attack by an A.
bomb.
Although all America, and
particularly those living near
the hub of government here in
Montgomery County, were
aware of the total devastation
visited upon the Japanese in
1945 by the first detonation of
an A-bomb, people still were un-
familiar with all of the fleets OF
a theromonuclear eapon.
Rumors were rife of areas
where linen wouldn't be able to
live for 100 years" after an
atomic bomb was dropped.
Those upon whose shoulders
rested the task of preparing
Americas millions for suvival
faced two important tasks. The
first was to plan the best de-
tense and the second RESPONSE
bility was to inform and edu-
cate the people.
Office Formed
To perform these functions
County Civil Defense organiza.
ton, with attorney Edward Eos.
ter of Silver Spring as a
Volunteer Director, had been
organized. In 1850 Montgomery
County created a full time
office under General George T.
Wooley to begin the organiza-
ton of what would now be
called Civil Defense, rather
than Civilian Defense.
In time Gen. Wooley resigned
to be succeeded by his deputy
Director, Col. Robert B. Ran.
som. However Americans still
seemed reluctant to accept the
threat of an atomic attack and
to prepare themselves as they
had during the World War. In
addition this Police Action" in
Korea dragged on and on.
M; ny people felt Korea was
isolated politically and physical.
ly from their homes and fami.
lies.
During this period from 1850
to 1852, the Federal Civil De.
Tense and the State and local
governments were working
hard to develop some plan that
would save the maximum num-
Der of people in the event of
enem attack. But every time
an evacuation plan for a large
metropolitan area was pain.
stakingly developed based on
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