Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Power - Research Paper Example

 Nuclear Weapons and Nuclear Power Introduction: Nuclear weapons have proved their dangerous destructive power in World War II. Even though the nuclear bombs got jus two opportunities to strike, in the known history of wars, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the havocs they caused are sufficient for a memory of a lifetime. The total striking capacity of the combined nuclear arsenal available with all the nuclear powers of the world, staggers imagination. “Only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt, can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed,” said (late) John F. Kennedy, former President of USA. Ironically, nuclear capability is considered as the guarantee against major wars. It cut short World War II and subdued the menacing Japan’s military might, which threatened to blow up many nations. Nuclear arsenal deserves special consideration as their association with the bombs dropped on Japan is unforgettable for politicians, military generals, sociologists and thinkers .Nuclear power and nuclear weapons are alternative beats of the same heart. They are mostly controlled through buttons and their results good or bad are immediate. With the lessons learnt about the nuclear weapons, the nuclear power generating nations have also been rendered suspect. Michael Gordin in his book "Five Days in August" writes, “ If we live in a world concerned with the impact of nuclear proliferation, we should also reflect on why the spread of these weapons( and no, say, napalm or cluster bombs) is to be singled out for special attention. It is a question that merits serious consideration and not the invocation of clichés.”(p.13) But in the given conditions all over the world today, the political leadership has no other alternative, but to go for the nuclear power in a big way. “Following decades of opposition from environmental groups and communities concerned about the risks of nuclear power, the U.S. nuclear industry in mid-2007 is preparing for its largest expansion since the 1960s. Worry about oil shortages and global warming is prompting legislators and regulators to call for reducing the burning of fossil fuels and expanding the use of nuclear energy for production of electricity.” (Blowing….) Many nations are engaged in nuclear weapon & power manufacturing programs. In USA, the immediate goal is to build 28 new reactors in coming years. Safety issues in any industry are important, but in nuclear industry they are paramount in each stage of the launching of a power plant, like licensing, construction, fueling and operation. With some 150 aging reactors, the scenario demands serious attention and immediate solutions. The pressure is from both the ides. The need for additional power as well as the problems in fulfilling it! As an industry, nuclear weapon manufacturing establishments have taken off after the World War II. The dangers of accidents have also increased. Examples* of some of the bitter memories of tragedies in the nuclear complexes are listed below: July 4, 1961 The captain and seven crew members died when radiation spread through the Soviet Union's first nuclear-powered submarine. A pipe in the control system of one of the two reactors had ruptured. March 28, 1979 Near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, America's worst nuclear accident occurred. A partial meltdown of one of the reactors forced the evacuation of the residents after radioactive gas escaped into the atmosphere. February 11, 1981 Eight workers were contaminated when more than 100,000 gallons of radioactive coolant fluid leaked into the contaminant building of the Tennessee Valley Authority's Sequoyah 1 plant in Tennessee. April 26, 1986 The world's worst nuclear accident occurred after an explosion and fire at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. It released radiation over much of Europe. Thirty-one people died in the immediate aftermath of the explosion. Hundreds of thousands of residents were moved from the area and a similar number are believed to have suffered from the effects of radiation exposure. September 30, 1999 Another accident at the uranium processing plant at Tokaimura, Japan, plant exposed fifty-five workers to radiation. More than 300,000 people living near the plant were ordered to stay indoors. Workers had been mixing uranium with nitric acid to make nuclear fuel, but had used too much uranium and set off the accidental uncontrolled reaction. (Major…) How did those two bombs impact the human history? The answer to this lingering question has not yet been found. As for the negative aspects, they killed an unspecified number of Japanese citizens, maimed and destroyed the health of millions, many of them in the wombs of their mothers. They killed those with whom they had no previous personal enmity. As for the positive aspects, they helped to wind up World War II, within a matter of days. They prevented the aggressive war designs of Japan and that of the Soviet Union to invade Japan on a mass scale. The peace-time handling of the nuclear power and weapons issue has assumed more importance than the war-time operation. Sometimes, the imagined dangers need more planning and financial allocations than the actual danger when it occurs. Everything about the nuclear issues has to be managed and implemented under urgent conditions and the technological revolutions have begun to demand their price for the survival of the humanity. Gordin observes, “Atomic weapons haunt the political and military future of the world still, whether in the form of nuclear proliferation, nuclear terrorism, nuclear pollution, or nuclear accident.”(p.14) Most Americans and most of the people across the world believe that Word War II came to a close due to the impact of the two atomic bombs dropped on Japan. Michael Gordin presents a different perspective. The atomic bomb experiment in war situation was a first time experiment, and the military did not gauge its strategic potential and that it would result in the instant surrender of Japan. Americans were readying for attack with the third bomb. The workability of the bombs was also in doubt. Presently, atomic bombs have created a stir at the top levels of the Governments all over the world as for its moral justifications. This unending discussion since the termination of World War II is out of fear in the minds of the leaders about the possible destructive capacities of the bombs if some countries are to engage in war with nuclear weapons. As for moral justification, killing even one soldier with an ordinary gun has no moral justification. It is the fear of the enormity of destruction, not the change of hearts, which raises the moral issues on an emergent footing. Why special status? The special status to the nuclear weapon and power program is a must. It deserves careful and close administrative watch at every stage of production. Any leniency in this regard will be a great security risk. It is possible for a few intelligent brains to convert the peaceful nuclear generation program into a destructive arsenal manufacturing centre. The risk is too great and therefore it can not be treated as any other competitive industrial production unit. Checks and cross checks at the highest level are required at every stage. Confidentiality is also a supreme issue. The lethal destructive power of the atomic bombs gave it the special status without someone specifically demanding it. This is an important post-war development. Bomb’s uniqueness makes a strong case for its being categorized apart from all other weapons. The alternative beats of the same heart: Accidents and fatal casualties do occur in the industrial establishments. It is taken care by the concerned department of the administration as per the rules and regulations governing the industry. The matter ends there. But the issue ‘nuclear’ is something special. Anything untoward happening there concerns the security of the nation, over which no compromise can be made. Nuclear secrets are the precious assets of a nation. Take for example how USA looks after and guards its nuclear power plants. Carl Behrens and Mark Holt, Specialists in Energy Policy Resources, Science and Industry Division write about the security regulations, “Under the regulations in place prior to September 11 attacks, all commercial nuclear power pants licensed by NRC must be protected by a series of physical barriers and a trained security force. The plant sites are divided into three zones: and “outer-controlled” buffer region, a “protected area,” and a “vital areas.” Access to the protected area is restricted to a portion of plant employees and monitored visitors, with stringent access barriers. The vital area is further restricted with additional barriers and access requirements. The security force must comply with NRC requirements on pre-hiring investigations and training.”[PDF] Nuclear…) Right from the initial stages of production the nuclear weapon (bomb) was treated special both by the War Department and in the White House much before its fatal explosion on Hiroshima. Gordin lays particular emphasis on this issue of how Oppenheimer’s “gadget” was converted into a combat-ready atomic bomb. The island of Tinian was readied for the giant aircraft carrier for the 509th Composite Group, the B-29 unit, which carried out the responsibility of the bombings. The perspective of scientists, politicians, and military planners regarding anything concerning nuclear, power or weapon is the same—one of utmost caution. The issue has serious national and international ramifications. It is irreversibly connected world peace. This weapon is revolutionary; the power is also revolutionary. A new dimension to the issue-terrorism! Hardly any difference exists now as for the security arrangements needed for nuclear installations during peacetime or during war time. The former requires greater attention, as the surprise element is involved in terrorist attacks. “Nuclear power plants have been recognized as potential targets of terrorist attacks….nuclear plant vulnerability can assume dangerous dimensions. Operating nuclear reactors contain large amounts of radioactive fission products which, if dispersed, could pose a direct radiation hazard, contaminate soil and vegetation, and be ingested by humans and animals. Human exposure at high enough levels can cause both short-term illness and death, and longer-term deaths by cancer and other diseases.”[PDF] Nuclear….) In either cases, the destructive power of the atom bomb is awesome, and it will be extremely difficult for the attacked to challenge it. The outcome of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki events is such that discussions on the nuclear issues have been going on without intermission since then in almost all countries with or without the nuclear capability. The countries suspected to be carrying on the nuclear programs secretly have created the need for additional security measures and the latest is the consideration about vulnerability from air attack. “Nuclear power plants were designed to withstand hurricanes, earthquakes, and other extreme events, but attacks by large airliners loaded with fuel, such as those that crashed into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, were not contemplated, when design requirements were determined.”[PDF] Nuclear….) The awareness of the people about the advantages of nuclear power and the associated risks is on the increase. An organization named Union of concerned scientists is working in this area. “UCS staff monitor and work to improve the safety and security provisions at existing nuclear power plants and the performance of the industry's oversight body--the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; assess the safety, security and nuclear weapons proliferation risks of new reactors; and analyze the pros and cons of increasing nuclear power as a means of reducing global warming.” (Homepage….)Their concerns are safety margin erosion, equipment aging, reductions in tests and inspections, complacency and cost-cutting measures. Any compromise in these areas will invite a very serious nuclear accident. How the most serious incidents related to the atomic blasts can be converted into fun and education! Visit the Atomic Testing Museum, which depicts the story of the Nevada Test site. During the course of the excursion of the fun-filled day, you have perhaps learnt some lessons of the life-time and the message stands embossed on the curtain of your mind. You are educated through apparel, books, DVDs, posters and note cards, mugs and cups, Novelty items, mouse pads and magnets, jewelry, pens & patches etc... (Home of the …) American Nuclear Society is another organization that educates people about the advantages of nuclear power generation as also the destructive capacity of the nuclear weapons. This non-profit organization supports peacetime uses of nuclear power. It has supporters within the nuclear industry and carries out its educational program through handbooks, journals like Fusion Science and Technology, Nuclear Science and Engineering, Nuclear Technology, and magazines like Nuclear News, Road waste Solutions etc. (http://www.new.ans.org/ ) Conclusion: Dr. Michihiko Hachiya gives the graphic description of the conditions in Hiroshima, immediately after the atomic blast. “The sky filled with black smoke and glowing sparks. Flames rose and heat set currents of air in motion. Updrafts became so violent that sheets of zinc roofing were hurled aloft and released, humming and twirling, in erratic flight. Pieces of flaming wood soared and fell like fiery swallows” (p.6) What must have been the suffering of the people from the medical and psychological points of view? What would be the future of the world if ever nuclear weapons and power would reach the hands of terrorists and rogue states? Anything related to the subject of nuclear needs to be controlled with the strictest possible measures by those who are responsible for its security. ************* Works Cited: Blowing the Whistle on Nuclear Safety Lapses: Federal ...Experience you can trust….Article by: David J. Marshall 1 Katz, Marshall & Banks, LLP…. www.kmblegal.com/.../Blowing_the_Whistle_on_Nuclear_Safety_Lapses_Federal_Whistleblower_Protections_Act_At_A_Glance - Cached - Retrieved on November 10, 2009 Gordin, Michael D; Five Days in August: How World War II Became a Nuclear War; Princeton University Press; January 2, 2007 Hachiya, Dr. Michihiko; Hiroshima Diary: The Journal of a Japanese Physician, August 6-September 30, 1945 University of N. Carolina Press; 1st Edition. Edition, January 1, 1995 Homepage | Union of Concerned Scientists; www.ucsusa.org/ - Cached – Retrieved n November 10, 2009 Home of the Atomic Testing Museum and the NTSHF…. www.atomictestingmuseum.org/ -Retrieved on November 10, 2009. Major Nuclear Power Plant Accidents, December 12, 1952. www.atomicarchive.com/Reports/Japan/Accidents.shtml -Retrieved on November 10, 2009. (This is the reference for the examples*) PDF] Nuclear Power Plants: Vulnerability to Terrorist Attack…. www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/crs/rs21131.pdf Retrieved on November 10, 2009 Read More