[ RadSafe ] Crawford F Sams and radiophobia

[Jerry Cohen]

Dear Dr. Richel,
Thank you very much for the transcript of Dr. Sams life experiences. I found the 
information to be fascinating and do not doubt it was the intent of some 
high-level thinking in Washington during World War II  to instill an atmosphere 
of radiophobia to discourage further warfare following the experience at 
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This attitude likely encouraged adoption of the MAD 
policy (Mutual Assured Destruciton) in recent decades intended to prevent 
 nuclear warfare. The best one can say regarding this policy is that it has 
worked, so far.
Unfortunately, irrational radiophobia took on a life of its own. It has 
infiltrated our society and severely handicapped development of a viable nuclear 
power industry. A large segment of our public seems incapable of distinguishing 
nuclear power generation from nuclear bombs. Perhaps the moral of this is to be 
careful of what you wish for,  because you might get it.
Jerry Cohen



________________________________
From: Theo Richel <theo at richel.org>
To: Jerry Cohen <jjcohen at prodigy.net>; The International Radiation Protection 
(Health Physics) MailingList <radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu>
Sent: Tue, April 26, 2011 9:36:01 AM
Subject: Crawford F Sams and radiophobia


Crawford F Sams was a US Army General and doctor who set up/restored
Japanes health care after the dropping of the atomic bomb. He claims
that the 'performance' of the bomb was disappointing, but that the US
government needed a new deterrent (the war had shown that the former
deterrent air-warfare had failed) and this became the bomb/radiation. Th
effects of the bomb had to be presented as large as possible, thus was
the order the General got from Washington. He complied because
understood why the US chose this policy, but warned that it could
backfire, 'Do not believe your own propaganda' he warned. On the net he
has a long transcript of an interview here:
http://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/oral/transcripts/sams.html and I have an
article from the 50-ies from hios hand that both clearly suggest that
the current radiophobia was largely government instigated.

Is there anybody here that can confirm or deny this or has more
information?

Thanks

Theo Richel