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PHILS

Human beings, the most beloved creatures of Almighty Allah saw the dreadful scene of
horrible destruction never seen by any eye on the eanh before, which totally wrecked the
entire city of Hiroshima. Hiroshima at that time was thickly populated and the busiest
city of the country when the world's fist Atomic Bomb was exploded on it on August
6,1945,

As a result of the single bomb, 1,10,000 people died whereas

60,000 were seriously injured. The loss of property was neither counted nor was any one
in a position to do so in the area. However, the buildings arid other installations were
totally wrecked in a radius of two kilometres. The Government of Japan was shocked to
have received such a heavy block and was compelled to bow down and admit the
supremacy of the US under changed circumstances, when the Americans for the second
time exploded another Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki on August 9,1945.

The Atomics Bomb exploded upon Hiroshima on August 6,

1995 at 8:15 am was named Little Boy. This introduced a new era in the midst of death
and destruction as a US Air Force B-29 Bomber (Enola Gay) piloted by Major Tabis
banked away after dropping a
13.5 KT Uranian Bomb upon Hiroshima. Co-Pilot Capt. Revert Leuis wrote in his record
book: "My God - what have we done". The bomb also rendered 1,00,000 homeiess.

Furthermore on August 9, 1^45 at 12:01 pm, another bomb "Fatman" was dropped over
Nagasaki ensuring that the nuclear era born in the rubble of Hiroshima was here to stay. It
killed 10,000, wounded 20,000 and rendered homeless 90,000.

Since 1945, trillions of dollars and roubles have been spent on developing, testing,
producing and deploying nuclear weapons. Trillions more have been spent on the
research and manufacturing of accurate delivery systems.
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the other nuclear powers, including our traditional enemy India are not far behind. The
destructive use of technology created Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), with
the capability of delivering heavy pa\ loads to distant targets; the Multiple Independently
Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs), that can carry up to five missiles in each warhead,
each destined for a different target; the MX missile, sometimes misguidcdly referred to as
"peacekeepers", or the Cruise missiles that evade radar detection by flying close to the
terrain.
In addition to missiles that can be launched from ground silos, nuclear weapons, with
equally destructive potential, can be launched from submarines, bombers and naval ships.
By contrast, the uranium bomb dropped on Hiroshima and the more complcs plutonium
bomb dropped on Nagasaki were but crude facsimiles of the weapons of mass destruction
that were to follow.

The 13.5 kiloton bomb that leveled Hiroshima, killed approximately 1,50,000 people and
maimed thousands more, had the explosive equivalent of 15,000 tons of TNT. With the
contemporary levels of weapons sophistication, payoads today are measured in megatons
and one bomber can carry bombs with the explosive equivalent of eight million tons of
TNT.

To phrase it in human terms, American political analyst Peter Wyden writes that the
American stockpile is a "hundred times greater than needed to destroy humanity, (with)
one standard bomb capable of wiping out 1,200 Hiroshima". British analyst Solly
Zuckerman calculates that there exists "three tons of TNT per man, woman and child on
Earth."

Statistics available on nuclear weapons, detail the number of warheads, payloads, throw
weight and first-strike capability. But statistics cannot assess the toil of human misery,
anguish and suffering, should there ever be a nuclear conflict, full scale or otherwise.

In the light of the facts and the prevailing geographical situation around us, much can be
said in favour and against the subject. However, according to a well-known phrase, "All
is fair in love and war," a country when in a desperate conditions, can think and decide
even the worst possible steps.

Based on the principles of fission and fusion, nuclear reaction and different types of
devices have been made so far. Since. in these devices (reactions) the nuclei of different
elements are disturbed, fissioned or fused together as such these are known as nuclear
devices. So far three types of nuclear devices have been developed, i.e.: •••-.->

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Atom Bombs Hydrogen Bombs Neutron Bombs

These devices are exploded to get the desired results, cither high in air, in air, on the
surface, underground or under water, etc.

When a nuclear weapon (Fission or fusion) undergoes *a nuclear reaction, enormous

amount of energy in different forms is released. The reaction is over within a fraction of a
section. As a result of the reaction, in addition to the release of energy, large number of
high energy ncutons are also emitted, 0.45 KG Uranium can produce 36 mega-mega
watts energy, producing a fire ball, the temperature of which would vary from 1 to 10
million degree Centigrade. The tw*b atomic bombs exploded upon Hiroshima and
Nagasaki which now are considered to be small bombs, were of 20 KT each but now it
has been proved that the bombs were of 13.5 KT and 22 KT. Nevertheless, these re still
considered to be small 20 KT bombs. Jt is a very simple question, but is answer is not so
simple. The scientists and those who survived in Hiroshima and Nagasaki calamities are
agreed that atomic explosion results into: Emission of intense ultra-violet white light.
Release of thermal radiation and a ball of fire. Emission of Electro Magnetic Pulses.
Release of Radio-active radiations. Blast waves phenomena.

Effects on living organisms and property a nuclear explosion makes various types of
effects on human being as well as on other living organ! ins including property, found in
the vicinity depending on the following factors:-

Nature of the terrain (plain, desert, muddy or water). Tie of explosion (day, night,
morning or evening). Visibility (clear, foggy or cloudy). Yield of the weapons (KTs,
MTs).

Protective measures adopted (shelters, shielding material, basements, etc.).

Nature of the radiations emitted (Alpha, Beta or Gamma). Type of burst (high in air or on
the ground, etc.). In the light of the above, following are the effects on the targets:- 72

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At the moment of detonation, some of the energy is released in the form of a brilliant
flash of bluish white light which radiates high energy, ultra-violet light with following
characteristics:

Powerful enough to cause burning or blistering of the optic tissues.

Produce temporary blindness or dazzlemcnts at several hundred miles away from the
ground zero.

The effect is more intensified during night.

The intensity of the light increases may times and it seems as if the mighty sun has settled
down on the ground.

As a result of emission of a large number of radiations and their interactions,with air

particles. The effect appears as EMPs and has the following propertics:-

If a megaton bomb is exploded, it produces electron pairs of cither sign, which is

equivalent to the iouisation of the total atmosphere.

EMP is likely to burn oat all fluorescent light tubes and harden the warheads.
these will also jam ail sorts of electronic equipment.

UHF equipments arc particularly vulnerable to be damaged by EMP.

Overhead electronic and telephone wires act as antenna.

EMP poses a very serious threat to telecommunication and computer equipment which
are mainly used by the defence forces.

The phenomenon is sometimes knows as radio flash.

When a nuclear weapon explodes in the air, a largo expanding ball of fire results. From
this a dazzling flash of light, intense heat and nuclear radiations, etc., are limited almost
instantaneously. The bail of fire quickly loses its brilliance and rises into the air which is
proportional to the yield of the weapon. The hot gases rise in a column first of multi-
colour and then of white. This column is usually called "Mushroom" which rises to a
height of many thousands of feet and then blows out. Diameter of ball of fire in case of
20 KT bomb ranges between 900 to 1,500 feet. The temperature in the centre of the fire
ball may reach up to two million degree centigrade.

About 35 per cent of total yield is radiated by the fire a ball which is the source of
infrared radiation. The ball of fire in some

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ses may last ten seconds. The diameter of the ball of fire varies from ^60 feet to 13.9
kilometres in case of Atomic Bombs of 1 KT to
100 MT, yields.

The sudden detonation of a nuclear device over a target is rather similar to ignite a
miniature sun, a few thousand feet above a city with the following results:

Everything combustible, bursts into flame at close ranges to

the fire ball.

The temperature of the roofs, tiles and the ground may

reach thousands of degree centigrades. As a result of this all

combustibles in a house start burning.

Depending upon the distances, the people exposed to heat radiation suffer third, second or
first degree burns.
In Hiroshima the terrain was quite flat and the majority of the houses were built of wood
and plaster and with other combustibles as such the area of 4.5 sq. miles (11.6 sq. km)
was alighted. The city was engulfed in a fire storm.

Great number of fires and fire storms may produce lack of oxygen in the area. This has its
own side effects.

Nuclear radiations can be blocked and absorbed in certain special materials. The material
having greater density is more effective than a material of less density. Due to this fact,
proper type of shielding material can be used. For this purpose, special clothing and
fallout shelters are also used.

On the declaration of any nuclear emergency, the general public will require to adopt the
following protective measures:

I) In-door measures.

**"' Stay at home. ** Go to basement.

** In the absence of basement, take shelter in already selected central refuge room.

** If residing in a high-rise building, do not stay in top floors. Come down to ground
floor.

^ Central corridor on lower floor provides good protection.

**' Single storey buildings do not provide adequate protection. Try to take shelter in
the nearest fall-out shelter.

** Close the doors, windows and other openings in the building and draw the
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<*

«*

«* «*

«* «*

ID

«*. f»
Do not operate air-conditioner and cooling fans.

Adjust local Radio and TV stations and keep them on round the clock.

Use radiation protective prophylaxis, e.g., Iodine tablets.

Shield yourself with plastic sheets, balankets umbrella and face piece, etc.

Oo not look upwards. Do not walk bare-footed.

//) Outdoor measures.

4* Do not use open water and edibles. f Do not smoke.

Fall-out shelters provide adequate protection and are of various types, e.g.

(i) Public shelters - the location and size of the shelters should be pre-detcrmined

(ii) Private shelters - a permanent and pre-planned family shelters at home.

For the ensuring four decades, the superpowers engaged themselves in a chilling race of
nuclear madness, bringing the world to the brink of total annigilatio. The arsenals of the
former Soviet Union and the United States are still full of nuclear devices, whereas