U.S. RESUMES NUCLEAR TESTS
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On March 12, 1962, Newsweek magazine reported
on President John F. Kennedy's recent "grinding decision" to order resumption of United States nuclear testing in the atmosphere. The President said it was the most "thoughtfully weighed" decision of his administration.*
Privately, JFK said his final decision had been building up "like a coral reef" since the Soviets launched their atmospheric nuclear tests in the fall. In polling the National Security Council, there was unanimous agreement that the U.S. had to resume the tests.
Arguments against the decision came from from scientists, including Linus Pauling,** who said that 20 million unborn children would suffer damage as a result. 2000 protesters made known their opposition to JFK's decision in New York's Time Square.
*Senator John F. Kennedy supported a nuclear testing ban since 1956 believing it would help reduce the possibility other nations would attain nuclear capabilities.
**Linus Carl Pauling (1901-1994) was born in Portland, Oregon & earned his B.S. at Oregon State University & PhD at the California Institute of Technology in 1925. LCP won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 & is rated one of the top 20 scientists of all time.
JFK+50 NOTE
In August 1963, JFK signed the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty which outlawed nuclear testing in outer space, under water and in the atmosphere. The treaty is widely considered to be President Kennedy's greatest accomplishment.
SOURCES
"March 12, 1961: The Decision To Resume Nuclear Testing", Newsweek, www.newsweek.com/
"The Grinding Decision--"Built Like Coral", Newsweek Magazine, March 12, 1962.
Types of Nuclear Testing
by User: Fastfission
www.commons.wikimedia.org/
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) On March 12, 1962, Newsweek magazine reported
on President John F. Kennedy's recent "grinding decision" to order resumption of United States nuclear testing in the atmosphere. The President said it was the most "thoughtfully weighed" decision of his administration.*
Privately, JFK said his final decision had been building up "like a coral reef" since the Soviets launched their atmospheric nuclear tests in the fall. In polling the National Security Council, there was unanimous agreement that the U.S. had to resume the tests.
Arguments against the decision came from from scientists, including Linus Pauling,** who said that 20 million unborn children would suffer damage as a result. 2000 protesters made known their opposition to JFK's decision in New York's Time Square.
*Senator John F. Kennedy supported a nuclear testing ban since 1956 believing it would help reduce the possibility other nations would attain nuclear capabilities.
**Linus Carl Pauling (1901-1994) was born in Portland, Oregon & earned his B.S. at Oregon State University & PhD at the California Institute of Technology in 1925. LCP won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 & is rated one of the top 20 scientists of all time.
JFK+50 NOTE
In August 1963, JFK signed the Limited Nuclear Test Ban Treaty which outlawed nuclear testing in outer space, under water and in the atmosphere. The treaty is widely considered to be President Kennedy's greatest accomplishment.
SOURCES
"March 12, 1961: The Decision To Resume Nuclear Testing", Newsweek, www.newsweek.com/
"The Grinding Decision--"Built Like Coral", Newsweek Magazine, March 12, 1962.
Types of Nuclear Testing
by User: Fastfission
www.commons.wikimedia.org/
