‘,
~89-
\
clouds of radioactive dust under which all living beings will perish.
No doubt there is a possibijity that an initial attack can be so overwhelming
as to void all possibility of resistance or retaliation, regardless of the pre-
cautions taken in the target state,
against.
Not all eventualities can be provided
But preparation to launch such an attack would have to be on so gigantic
a scale as to eliminate all chances of surprise.
Moreover, while there is perhaps
little solace in the thought that the lethal effect of radioactivity is generally
considerably delayed, the idea will not be lost on the aggressor.
The more
horrible the results of attack, the more he will be deterred by even a marginal
A
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é
chance of retaliation.
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cy
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Finally, one can scarcely assune that the world wild remain either long
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ignorant of or acquiescent in the accumulations of such vast stockpiles of atomic
bombs.
International organization may seem at the moment pitifully inadequate to
cope with the problem of controlling bomb production, but a runaway competition
in such production would certainly bring new forces into the picture.
In this
chapter and in the preceding one, the writer has been under no illusions concerning the value of a purely military solution.
Concern with the efficiency of the national defenses is obviously inadequate
in itself as an approach to the problem of the atomic bomb.
In so far as such
concern prevails over the more fundamental consideration of eliminating war or at
least of reducing the chance of its recurrence, it clearly defeats its purpose.
That has perhaps always been true, but it is a trmth which is less escapable
today than ever before.
Nations can still save themselves by their own armed
strength from subjugation, but not from a destruction so colossal as to involve
complete ruin.
Nevertheless, it also remains true that a nation which is as well
girded for its own defense as is reasonably possible is not a tempting target to
an agsressor.
Such a nation is therefore better able to pursue actively that
progressive improvement in world affairs by which alone it finds its true security.