Meeting #1377, 28 May 1958:
Ra
Additional personnel in attendence at this meeting included Bradbury,
Brown, Graves, Sewel, and Teller.
The lengthy discussion in which
these gentlemen participated on weapons test limitations and the
possibility and effects of a moratorium are classified SECRET and
a copy will be obtained to keep in our classified files.
The afternoon session of this 28 May meeting addressed the possible
additional of shots to Hardtack.
Libbey had calculated that approximately
8 megatons of fission yield would be contributed to the atmosphere by
those shots already approved and the discussion of the additional fallout
contribution of the new shots took place.
The Commissioners were
addressing whether to request the additional shots for the President's
authorization and what to present as the request for Project Millrace.
A couple of the points brought up were:
That the President was very
concerned about the number of weapons and the amount of fallout being
contributed by Hardtack;
That, in view of the present international
climate with respect to weapons testing and a possible moratorium,
the President might not question inclusion of additional shots since
Hardtack might be the last test series.
Apparently the total estimated
fission yield with the new shots included in the Hardtack would be
8.4 megatons.
The Commission approved for preparation and later
revision possibly a letter to the President requesting the completion
of Hardtack with two additional and one contingency shot.
Also it would
request that Millrace be approved and, if Millrace were not approved,
then Hardtack would require one additional atmospheric and a l-point
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