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E.P. Wigner, one of the leading scientists involved in the early development of nucleartechnology, had always in mind its political and social implications. In the 60s persuing his goal of a peaceful open world he began to develop the concept of Civil Defense against nuclear attacks. Looking back one might see this as an alternative to the concept of the Nuclear Shield. The present volume contains a selection of Wigner's writings on this subject. It is annotated by Conrad Chester.
List of contents
Wigner on Civil Defense.- I Exploring the Technology 1960-1964.- Fallout: Criticism of a Criticism.- Recall the Ends-While Pondering Means.- Why Civil Defense.- Letter on Article by Wiesner and York.- Civil Defense. Address to the Mercer County, New Jersey Civil Defense and Disaster Control Organization, May 26, 1964.- Civil Defense-Project Harbor Summary Report (Foreword).- II The Age of MADness 1964-1969.- Civil Defense: Wigner on Project Harbor.- The Possible Effectiveness of Civil Defense.- Civil Defense and Disarmament.- Address on Civil Defense at Executive Offices Building on April 21, 1967.- Defense from Nuclear Attack (Remarks on Stuart Chase's Statement).- Nuclear War and Civil Defense.- Roadblocks to Civil Defense.- Civil Defense -Little Harbor Report (Preface).- Defense vs. Retaliation.- The Objectives of Civil Defense.- III The Soviets Deploy an Effective Civil Defense System: Urban Evacuation 1969-1976.- The Myth of "Assured Destruction".- Blast Shelter Effectiveness and Cost.- Why Civil Defence - 1970.- Military Research and Development (with R. K. Adair).- Will Soviet Civil Defense Undermine SALT? (with J. Gailar).- Without Civil Defense We Are in ... A Glass House (with A. A. Broyles and E. Teller).- Excerpts from E. Wigner's Address to the USCDC Conference, St. Paul.- Russian Evacuation Plans - the Fears They Create (with J. S. Gailar).- Civil Defense in the Soviet Union (with J. S. Gailar).- Population Vulnerability: The Neglected Issue in Arms Limitation and the Strategic Balance (with C. V. Chester).- Civil Defense in Limited War-A Debate. In Favor: A. A. Broyles and E. P Wigner. Opposed: S. D. Drell.- Surviving a Nuclear War (with C. M. Haaland).- More on Civil Defense.- IV The U. S. Government Discovers Soviet CivilDefense 1976-1979.- Civil Preparedness and Limited Nuclear War.- Soviet Civil Defense (with C. H. Kearny).- Must We Leave Our People Unprotected Against an Attack? (with R. N. Thurmer).- Defense of Cities by Antiballistic Missiles (with C.M. Haaland).- Soviet Nuclear Strategy.- We Heartily Disagree (with A. A. Broyles).- Atoms, Arms, and Apathy (An Interview by E. T. Tildon).- America Needs a Better Civil Defense Program (with E. Teller).- V Recapitulation 1979-1983.- Civil Defence in USA and Elsewhere.- Education-Key to Civil Defense Success.- A Case for Civil Defense.- Two Remarks (Nuclear Blackmail and My Hope).- Papers Reprinted in This Volume.- Papers on a Related Topic Reprinted in Another Volume of The Collected Works.- Papers on Related Topics Not Reprinted in The Collected Works.
