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GENERAL SCOPE OF THE HEARINGS T o project a13 f a r as is technically possible the probable impact of the detonation of XOOO megatons of nuclear weapons upon man and his environment both in the countries attacked and elsewhere on the planet. Competent witnesses in the biological and physical sciences will testify, T h e main emphasis of the hearings will be on the nuclear radiation effects of modern weapons. The Subcommittee has, f o r quite some time, held the opinion 'ha: considerable confusion exists i n the public mind as t o the probable effects of nuclear weapons and t h e i r aftermath i n the event of their em- ?loyment in war. It its in the national interest to clarify this confdsion insofar as possible within the limits of classification regulation. P a r t of the apathy in the U. S. Civil Defense effort may be traced '0 ignorance of the true effects of radioactive fallout, cimergency an uninformed public could present a very real hazard tothe In a time of natirm-1 N o attempt will be made in this series of hearings t o consider the over-all impact of nuclear w a r upon the nation's economy, specific j.-eco.tery mea,sures, or the degree of industrial recuperability in the Iong range post attack situation. Since the hearings will deal directly with the effects of nuclear weapons and their biological coneequences, extreme c a r e must be exercised t o prevent the introduction of classified material. THE ATTACK PATTERN To assure ii uniform basic problem it was decided that the attack path ra would be specified by the Committee. !-.asiscrom which independent analysis could then be made by each witness. This would provide a common To absolutely insure against the possibility of any direct o r indirect inferences t o exieting classified war plane o r stockpile informatio:,, the Committee, by dlesign, refraiued from requesting the support of any Department of Defeclse agencies in estahlistilng thin pat.tcL - 1 1 01- fi oin iiaing zny classified information.
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The pattern was developed under the f ollowing as stirnptiaxs: 1. Type of Attack: A limited" attack delivered against Westera Zurcpean Bases and tlhe Continental United States by an aggressor employing any o r all of the following weapons aystems: (The t e r m "limited" is meant t o denote lees than the maximum scale of attack but with greater dispersion of weapons than an attack directed only against strategic ForA. Long range bombardment aircraft B. Submarine delivered missiles F o r the purposes of c,omputing global fall out a "limited" retaliatory attack against t h e aggressor homeland is used. In making these assumptions the Subcommittee has, in no mannel, attempted t o "wargame" o r explore the many factors involved in the problem of delivery or retalliation but is accepting for working purposes 3. net delivery in the ''limited" types of attack involving the megatonnage 2. Selection and Location of Targets: The targets i n the Continental United State8 were selected in accordance with those types uaed b y OCDiL'I i n the conduct of their unclassified Civil Defense exercises and 2rol-n published lists of military bases and Atomic Energy Cornxxission realistic casualty and damage estimates could be prepared. It was necessary t o designate specific targets in order tkat N o attempt was made t o pin-point targets outside the continentd phere is necessary f o r long range, world-wide fall out computation. However, a total yield contribution iv. the Northern Hemis-
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70 Critical Target Areas: 4 Marine Corps Installations 1.2:OO O'c1ock, Greenwich Meridian time, on a (assumes completed harvest in aggressor homeland) Actual pattern of October 17, 1958. h. Megaton Contribution on Northern Hemisphere Outside the Continental United States:
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Morning Ses sioz 10: 00-AM Location: Caucus Room, Old Senate Office Building Opening Statement by Chairman Holifield Basic Assumptions and Presentation of the Attack Pattern: over - all situation type of attack time of attack w ealpons and yields involved Off ic: e of De fens e iMobili zation Statement for the Rzcord - Comments on the Assumptions: Vlitness: Office of the Secretary of Defense Basic Effects of the Specific Weapons Used i n the Hypothetical Blast, thermal and initial radiation effects of the following weapons:
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IV. -Initial Radiation-and Physical Effects of the Attack Agzinst the Continental United States: 1. Radiation patterns, below 60,000 feet for the period: D-Day plus D plus 90 days. 2, The Blast and Thermal Damage Assessment - not to include human casualties. Office of Civil Defense ivlobilization Location: Caucus Room, Old Senate Office Building ' 1. A presentation of the world-wide fallout pattern resulting from the aggressor attack on the continental United States and U,S . and Allied E3ases in the Northern Hemisphere and the retaliatory attack on the aggressor homeland by the United States strategic forces. United States Y.ieather Bureau T.TI,Basic Properties and Effects of Radioactive Fallout: fission and fusion (a) Radioactive Elements produced by
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&,sic Properties and Effects of Radioactive Fallout-(cont'd)---'JI. (b) Effects on dose rates and total d o s e (Note: Each single factor will b e related to the time and distance froma single 2. Deviations from theory Naval Radiological Defense Lab oratory San Francisco, California VII. Factors Modifying Behavior of Radioactive Deposits:- 1. Effects of meteorology (wind and weather United States Weather Bureau 2, Degree of built-upness on the deposits and National Bureau of Standards Witness: To be announcedMorning Session: 1O:OO AIM
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VX. Factors Modifying Behavior of Radioactive Deposits (cont'd)------___I4. Normal weathering and the effects of terrain (mountailis and hills: ravines and gullies: vegetation, etc, ) University of California VIII. Round Table Panel Discussion on the Basic Properties and Effectsof Radioactive Fallout: 10: 50 AM - ll:50 AM (60 minutes) Dr,Fad Tompkins, Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory Dr. Terry Triffet, Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory Dr, Charles Shafer, Office of Civil Defense Mobilizatioil Director of Research Allbuquer que, N. Mex. , ~ 2. Heat and light (Thermal Burns and flash
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Department of Biophysics Medic a1 College of Virginia Associate Professor of Surgery NYU Post Graduate School of Medicine Health Research Division (b) Effects from protracted exposures School of Aviation iMedicine Ra.ndolph Air Force Base, Texas Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory '. ... Sail Francisco, California Morning Session: 1O:OO AM Location: Room P-63, T h e Capitol 1O:OO AM - 10: 30 AM (30 minutes)
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To be announced (d) Acute effectfi of ingestion and inhalation of fallout debris 10: 30 AM - io: 50 A M (20 minutes) Division of Biology and Medicine ,_-/ . (e) Measures of body burdens of fission products 7;Ja:Lter Reed Army Medical Center Tdedne sday, June 2.4 Location: Room P-63, The Capitol (f) Somatic and Genetic Effects IJniver sity of California
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Department of Human Genetics University of Michigan Medical School Ann Arbor, Michigan -7L l a Panel on Biological Effects: Dr. Robert R, Newell, Naval Radiological Defense Laboratorjr A. Effect on Animals: Director, Animal Research Division Harvard University Medical Scbool Boston, Mas sac husett s B. Effect on Food Supply: 1. Soils and crops Department of Agriculture
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Morning Session: 1O:OO AM Location: Room 73-63, The Capitol Bureau of Biological and Physical Sciences Food and Drug Administration Bureau of Program Flanning and Appraisal Food and .Drug Administration UCLA, Atomic Energy Project Los Angeles, California UCLA, Atomic Energy Project 11:ZO AM - 1200 Koon (40 minutes) Division of Eiology and Medicin2 Location: Room P-63, The Capitol
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A. Under conditions of attack pat tex outlined: 1, Casualties-from blast and fire 2, Immediate casualties froni acute radiation Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization B. Delayed casualties from radiation: Division of Biology and Medicine XIIL Survival Measures (Technical Considerations) and Their Effects C? Saving Human Lives: Protective measures f o r emergency supplies and equipment (food, medical, water, essential protection available from existing shelters Naval Radiologic a: Defense Laboratory Xorning Session: 1O:OO AM Location: Room P-63, The Capitol
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A. Topics to be covered: 1. Reliability of Estimates Panel Members: To be announcedI__-