Nuclear weapons

Press, 18 August 1979, Page 12

Nuclear weapons

Sir, — The article on nuclear war damage (“The Press,” August 16) describes the effects of ten one megaton warheads, then tells us that the United States could launch at least 2000 megatons. So, also, could the Soviet Union. To imagine the resulting human and ecological damage and suffering must convince us that some new approach is urgent, even with great risks to cure the world’s armaments race. It discusses only the balance of “assured destruction,” not the new, destabilising development of weapons intended to make surprise attack, with minimum retaliation, conceivable. The national leaders who first believe they have reached this stage will feel impelled to make such an attack before one is made on them. We have only until then to bring the world back to sanity The contribution we, of New Zealand, can make is to lead the establishment of the South Pacific Nuclear Weapon Free Zone, as outlined in my letter published on August 15. — Yours, etc., JIM McCAHON. August 16, 1979.

Sir, — A large article of black humour concerning current logistics for nuclear war was printed in "The Press” on August 16. From its theme 1 only conclude that we are just as crazy as the first Assyrian war-gods; at least they allowed war to be a vehicle for art. I can see no difference between a group of men gathered at Wannersee, Berlin, to seek a solution to their particular problem, i.e. Jews, Gipsies and Slavs, and a group gathered in the United States

seeking a solution to their problem, i.e. Russians. Needless to say, a similar group will be gathered in the Soviet Union. All their answers are the same — destroy en masse. It is indeed correct to say that from war men learn that from war men never learn. — Yours, etc J. R. R. QUINCE. August 16, 1979.