SCIENTIST SAYS BRITAIN VULNERABLE TO ATOMIC BOMBS

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 November 1950, Page 5

SCIENTIST SAYS BRITAIN VULNERABLE TO ATOMIC BOMBS

LONDON, Nov. 19—Mr J. H. Fremiln, British atomic scientist and senior physics lecturer at Birmingham University, said today it was nonsense to believe atom bombs could destroy the world. It would take about 20,000 years for an atomic attack to destroy the surface of the globe, and wipe out all life—even if America and Russii devoted their resources to this end. But an atom bomb attack could wipe out. half or two-thirds of Britain and completely destroy British civilisation. Britain had not sufficient hinterland into which to withdraw away from the effects of the bombs dropped near the coast. Discussing civil defence measures, Mr. Fremlin said they could “improve the situation considerably” in an attack on one British city but if the attacks were made on numbers simultaneously it was difficult to see how any measures could be effective. Ho concluded that Britain being particularly vulnerable to atom war had stronger reason for taking the peace initiative than any other country.