Fear vs. Radiation: The Mismatch

Kingdom. All children in both groups were born 8 years after the melt down. “

The development of the atomic bomb and chemical warfare forever changed the way people saw the world. It was a landmark in time for which there was no turning back. The constant balancing of the nuclear super powers kept the whole of humankind on the brink of atomic Armageddon. Fear of nuclear winter and the uncertainty of radiation created its own form of a cultural epidemic in the United States. During these tense times in human history officials made controversial decisions such as the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Dangerous biological experiments and bombs tests were carried out in the name of the greater good and national defense. Some historians and scientists argue that the decisions and acts carried out by the U.S.

This is demonstrated in the idea that the most harmful effects could be prevented by hiding in concrete bases. As a result of being in the dark about the power of nuclear weapons, people were constantly in fear. This lack of knowledge about nuclear weapons and the amount of planning in preparation of deploying a nuclear weapon along with the constant fear also caused people to be irrationally fearful about “willy nilly” deployments of nuclear weapons on the US such that schools even would hold nuclear war drills like schools hold fire, earthquake, or lock-in drills today to prepare people for such an event when the time came. This fear was multiplied by the successful string of launches of multiple generations of Sputnik by the Soviet Union which reinforced Americans’ fears of imminent nuclear

During the 1950s, people were aware of environmental and social problems by several events occurred. For example, the Lucky Dragon Incident that a Japanese crewman contaminated by Castle Bravo thermonuclear device test, he suffered and died by acute radiation syndrome (ARS) in 1954. This event made people realized the nuclear weapon’s threat to the environment and warned Americans the severity of air pollution that people might die by breathing the poison

Such dire-sounding headlines only fueled the people’s fear of nuclear war more. Upon hearing news of the affected fishermen and the sheer power of such H-bombs, people began to fear not only of other countries, like Soviet Russia, planning to develop similar, if not more destructive hydrogen bombs, but American bomb testings affecting them. “Following atmospheric testing of hydrogen bombs in 1954, people in and around Seattle, Washington began to report mysterious “pitting” damage to auto windshields. [...] The incident was shortly followed by a nationwide rush to buy fallout shelter plans” (Miller 136) The H-bomb testings seemingly spelling doom, according to 1950s media, did not help survival plans make people feel any safer, either. “The film, Duck and Cover, was shown to schoolchildren beginning in 1950. The cartoon turtle, the cheerful theme song, and the practical advice were supposed to reassure children who might worry about an atomic attack. Instead, the images of little Johnny diving off his bicycle convinced children that the bombs could fall at any moment and gave them nightmares” (Walbert). The 1950s was a time where many were scared of being under nuclear attack, children and adults alike. Thus, the unexplainable windshield pittings in Seattle had people easily jumping to a conclusion of nuclear fallout being behind the pittings. Those in Seattle who were “in support of this view … claimed that they found tiny, metallic-looking particles about the

Much has been written about this “American nuclear tragedy.” Public health was secondary to national security. The Atomic

Beginning with the accident at Three Mile Island in 1979, a widespread belief has proliferated that all levels of ionizing radiation are dangerous. Since 1980, radiation hormesis studies have shown there is actually a threshold of danger with high level exposures, but below that threshold low dose radiation is essentially safe and quite possibly beneficial to life. Yet, this relatively new, seemingly contradictory understanding of radiation's health effects has gone essentially unknown to the general public. In order to grasp the reasons why, we must again return to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The 9/11 attacks were among the deadliest attacks ever committed against the United States, whereby nearly 3,000 people where killed instantly. Yet what’s more shocking is that these atrocities were committed without the use of nuclear material. Fear of biochemical nuclear waste attack and its potential to cause unimaginable harm are among the biggest concerns in the nation. As a professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley Richard Muller, in his article entitled “Nuclear Waste” addresses the topic of nuclear waste and its storage at Yucca Mountain. Muller argues that society should question the validity of information being presented as it pertains to the safety of nuclear waste. He supports this notion by highlighting the rigorous process involved in safely transporting nuclear waste, while noting that demanding100% safety in life is impossible. Muller presents his arguments in a cohesively well construct tone, supported with statistics and a touch of sarcasm thus lending to credibly to the information. Ultimately, Muller’s purpose is to inform the average reader of the true dangers associated with nuclear waste, while highlighting human’s exposure to natural occurring nuclear waste as well as exploring logical ways of safely securing these byproducts. Consequently, Muller challenges his readers to not let the fears of the unknown get in the way of being able to make sound judgment as it would lead to

The nature of the Atomic Bomb created a global and theoretical set of stakeholders that few other ethical dilemmas reach. In many ways this use of nuclear technology created the Cold War and the global fear of a nuclear Armageddon. At that time every citizen of the globe feared how the use of nuclear weapons would harm them and their world. The future is also a stakeholder in this conversation. The effects of nuclear fallout were not well understood at the time. Nuclear aftermath could last for decades and even longer, effecting the health and livelihood of all living things for generations to come. The information that could be collected and research opportunities created after a nuclear weapon detonation would be studied for centuries and will change medicine and research forever. Future citizens and scientists were also stakeholders in this decision.

Living through a nuclear explosion can be one of the scariest things to happen, because the trauma is carried with people throughout the rest of their lives, making daily tasks difficult. In the short story “Grace Period” by Will Baker, a man experienced the trauma of living through the beginning effects of a nuclear explosion. There are many clues that identify what is happening to the man in the story and what will happen to him; although nuclear bombs, and weapons are a horrifying subject, it is important to address and know what is happened around the world and what is happening at the moment in some countries. The article “Nuclear Weapon Effects” helps understand the stages of a nuclear bomb, and the clues that one could have been dropped, it is useful to know what the stages because if not it could be difficult to comprehend what is happening in the story.

According to the video, effects attributed to radiations will still occur even after several centuries and the radiations are considered to be causative agents for dangerous incurable diseases such as cancer. As per the video, the best measures for one to protect himself or herself from nuclear fallout and radiation are distance, shielding and time. Therefore, it is useful for one to adopt some protective measures even if they are temporary. It is suggested that the more shielding, distance and time an individual takes, the better

“Surveying the gigantic monster movies that flourished in the years since Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Sontag concluded that “a mass trauma exists over the use of nuclear weapons and the possibility of future nuclear wars”. (Tsutsui, pg.240) The paranoia of a possible future nuclear war penetrated the American’s mental freedom. Weapons like nuclear bombs and atomic testing spiked fear

Paul Winner recounts one islander’s memory of the hydrogen bomb explosion. The islander Tony de Brum states: “It was if a great red bowl had been placed over us…burns, vomiting and hair loss were all reported within 72 hours” (Web). As hundreds of thousands of individuals affected by the radiation of the hydrogen bomb suffered from several medical problems. Birthing defects were also an effect of mothers being exposed to the harmful radiation (Winner). People affected by the radiation continue to have a hard time dealing with what has happened to them and how the government reacted. De Brum says with a “voice weighted in sadness…what I once found amusing is now repugnant to me”

"Fukushima: A Nuclear War Without A War: The Unspoken Crisis Of Worldwide Nuclear Radiation". Global Research. N.p., 2017. www.globalresearch.ca/fukushima-a-nuclear-war-without-a-war-the-unspoken-crisis-of-worldwide-nuclear-radiation/28870. Access 21 Mar. 2017.

radiation (the kind used in X-rays) is known to cause cancer at high doses, the risks of