Li
Hake. no, anneuncomensako the tests.
fin analysis. of the‘facts‘pearingon“the ercblem reveals’ that,
even if it were desirable to: dose, itwould be. impossible. not to
make some announcement on the fortheeming tests.
The suhlic expects
the United States to. test a thermonuclear weapon this falli
it will
he almost two years since the President publicly directed the Atemic
Energy Conmissicn to proceed with the develcpment of such a weapon.
There has been considerahle speculation in the press and elsewhere
which, although never officially confirmed, has left the general
impression that somcthing important in the thermonucicar field will
hapocn shortly. There are a considerable number cf individuels, |
including, for example, curtain mombers of the Congress and the
members of Joint Task Force 132, who will know what has happened.
Moreover, the test itsel?, cven if cnly partially successful, may,
under certain atmospheric conditicns, have external characteristics,
such as blest, light, local fell-out, and other effects (which may
require evacuation of people from neighboring islands) which would
make it almost certain to be detected at distances some hundreds cf
miles from Eniwetok, Wot making some public anncuncoment, thorefors,
would’ not withhold the fact of the test from our own pecpls, from
our fricnds and allies abroad, or from tho Soviet Union.
pa
oe
fie
If tho
test were fully successful, curtain other countries, including the
Sovict Union, would be ahle, by long range scientific detection, to
determine that a large nuclear coxplusion tock placd. Saying nothing
would put the United“States Goverment in the position of withhoiding
vital information from its own people. It would make it almost
impossible to off-set the inevitchle speculation that would 2rise in
the press.-
Speculation in the press might conccivadlly be directed toward
the pessibility that the United States has not been successful in
his ficld and that the program is a fumbling one. Such specula~
tion would have scrious demestic repercussicns. it would clso be “|
cause for searivuus concern on the nart of cur fricnds abroad who
rely in general uden the technological supuricrity of the West, and
of the United States in particular, as their vrincinal source cf
strength ‘:
.
Not to make any public announcement would put the United States
in a most undesirahle pesition vis-a-vis the Sovict. Union in two
respects. First, tho Sevict Union mizht itself mike some announce~ment or leak information concerning the fact that’ a thermonuclear
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