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UERRET
ESTIMATE OF THE EFFECTS, OVER TIME, ON HUMAN ATTIT UDES
AND BEHAVIOR, OF AWARENESS THAT NATIONS ARE CAP ABLE
OF MUTUAL ANNIHILATION
The word “annihilation” has given us some difficulty in our discussions. If the dictionary sense of
the term—*“‘reduction to nothing”—‘isliterally applied, and it is further postulated that this v ould be
an inescapable result of nuclear war, it is likely that most people would place the avoidance of nuclear
war well above any other goals. There would be many who wouldstill hold individual liberty d freedom, and human dignity dearer than life-—for themselves and for the Nation—-but we believe that a
great many more people would rationalize the loss of these as temporary. This could embrace the goal
of keeping alive the spark of desire for liberty, for freedom, and for recognition of human dignit y, to be
fanned into flame at an appropriate time.
But we believe that something short of this meaning of “‘annihilation’? was intended—pe rhaps a
degree of physical damage similar to that which we have discussed as an assumption underlying pur first
estimate. At any rate, we have continued that assumption as a basis for treating this part of the ¢ uestion,
(See page 9.)
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In our opinion, the same program of involvement and participation discussed above would
eral wholesome effects on human attitudes and behavior during a period of prolonged ‘“‘cold
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international tension, whether chronic or acute.
than formerly of creative imagination and constructive ingenuity on the part of their leaders in
international differences without resorting to general war. This, we believe, would be an inevita
of full understanding and acceptance of the destructive capabilities of nuclear weapons. We w
pect more critical attitudes toward proposed national policies and actions, but the criticism
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including its basic goals, and the specific countermeasures that can reduce the effects of nuclea attack.
We havetried to estimate the effects on human attitudes and behavior of a growing awa ness of
the potential of nuclear stockpiles of nations for mutual damage and destruction when that awa eness is
accompanied by greater knowledge and understanding of our national goals, policies and tate of
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e result
uld ex-
more healthy and constructive than it has commonly been in the past. It should be anticipated
process will initially occasion difficulty and embarrassment for the leaders as public involvementi
sion of foreign policy issues increases. We believe firmly, however, that the immediate proble
give way to long-range benefits.
We would expect that there would be greater understanding of foreign policy issues. Suck understanding would result in greater public acceptance of proposals to increase our defensive strengt 1—both
military and civil. It would shift the basis of support of the national leaders from a kind of resigifed reliance to understanding and active backing. In short, the hands of ou: national leaders would be ul imately
strengthened, and they would have more freedom for maneuver in the development and implem rntation
@ of foreign policy.
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If we were to assume that the “awareness’’ were to be limited to the potential for damage and
tion, we would then be inclined to the belief that attitudes and behavior of the majority would be
to the avoidance of nuclear war, no matter what the cost. There would be weakened public s
policies that involved any substantial risk of nuclear war, even though such policies were des
defend our cherished concepts of human dignity and freedom, for the “awareness” would be foc
a result little different from the dictionary meaningof ‘‘annihilation” discussed above.
It is of the utmost importance that real knowledge and understandingofthe effects of nuclear
be accompanied by increased knowledge and understanding of both the broad aspects of national