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(THIS
DOCUMENT I S THE PROPERTY OP HER B R I T A N N I C M A J E S T Y ' S
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MftO 1M
13TH
APRIL.
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COPY N O .
bl
195h
CABINET
C I V I L DEFENCE
Memorandum by t h e Home
Secretary
I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h a r r a n g e m e n t s made some w e e k s a g o ,
I am d u e t o m a k e a s p e e c h a b o u t c i v i l d e f e n c e a t a m e e t i n g of
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f i n d u s t r y a n d c o m m e r c e a n d of t h e B r i s t o l
T r a d e s a n d L a b o u r C o u n c i l on 2 3 r d A p r i l a t B r i s t o l .
2.
I had intended to speak p r i n c i p a l l y about i n d u s t r i a l
c i v i l defence matters but in present circumstances i t is
i n e v i t a b l e t h a t I s h o u l d d e a l w i t h t h e h y d r o g e n bomb w h i c h
e n g a g i n g t h e a t t e n t i o n of t h e w h o l e n a t i o n .
is
3*
As t h i s w i l l b e t h e f i r s t G o v e r n m e n t s p e e c h on c i v i l
d e f e n c e s i n c e t h e r e c e n t d e b a t e o n t h e h y d r o g e n bomb, I t h o u g h t
t h a t my c o l l e a g u e s s h o u l d s e e t h e a t t a c h e d d r a f t of w h a t
I propose to say.
D. M.P.
Home O f f i c e ,
S.W.1.
13TH APRIL, A 95k.
Z03 APPENDIX 1
This i s t h e f i r s t occasion I have had, since the r e l e a s e
o f t h e n e w s a b o u t t h e h y d r o g e n b o m b , t o make a s p e e c h on t h e
s u b j e c t of c i v i l d e f e n c e a n d , i f I h a d c h o s e n t h e o c c a s i o n
f o r m y s e l f , I c o u l d n o t h a v e had. a b e t t e r o p p o r t u n i t y f o r
d e l i v e r i n g t h e message which I want t o d e l i v e r t h i s a f t e r n o o n .
0
2.
I am p a r t i c u l a r l y g l a d t o b e s p e a k i n g i n t h i s g r e a t C i t y
of B r i s t o l .
I n a l l t h e l e n g t h a n d b r e a d t h of t h e c o u n t r y ,
t h e r e i s no c i t y w i t h g r e a t e r t r a d i t i o n s o r w i t h a more
vigorous personality.
The C i t y o f B r i s t o l k n o w s a s w e l l
a s a n y p l a c e what war means t o t h e c i v i l p o p u l a t i o n a n d what
i s t h e v a l u e of a s t r o n g c i v i l d e f e n c e o r g a n i s a t i o n a n d ,
m e a s u r e d b y t h e r a t i o of r e c r u i t m e n t t o p o p u l a t i o n , t h e
R e g i o n of w h i c h B r i s t o l i s t h e h e a d q u a r t e r s town s t a n d s s e c o n d
among t h e e l e v e n R e g i o n s i n i t s d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e C i v i l
Defence Corps s i n c e r e c r u i t m e n t s t a r t e d in 19^9.
3,
I am g l a d , t o o , t o b e s p e a k i n g t o a g a t h e r i n g o f
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f b o t h s i d e s of i n d u s t r y .
There i s n o t h i n g
to choose between employers and employed i f i t i s a q u e s t i o n
of i n t e r e s t i n c i v i l d e f e n c e , j u s t a s i n t h e p o l i t i c a l f i e l d
t h e r e h a s n e v e r been any d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n Government and
O p p o s i t i o n i n t h i s m a t t e r of c i v i l d e f e n c e .
U.
The m e s s a g e w h i c h I w a n t t o d e l i v e r i s t h a t t h e r e i s
n o t h i n g i n the developments which have been r e p o r t e d i n t h e
l a s t few weeks w h i c h w e a k e n s t h e c a s e f o r c i v i l d e f e n c e .
On t h e c o n t r a r y , t h e y a r e a c h a l l e n g e t o a l l c o n c e r n e d t o
p r e s s on w i t h t h e i r e f f o r t s .
But b e f o r e I e n l a r g e on t h i s
a s p e c t I s h o u l d l i k e t o o f f e r a f e w o b s e r v a t i o n s on t h e n e w
situation generally.
5o
The d e v e l o p m e n t o f a h y d r O g e n bomb f a r m o r e p o w e r f u l .
t h a n t h e a t o m i c bomb h a s f o r q u i t e a l o n g t i m e b e e n ' k n o w n b y
s c i e n t i s t s t o b e a p o s s i b i l i t y b u t u n t i l r e c e n t l y we d i d r o t
t h i n k i t would m a t e r i a l i s e a n y t h i n g l i k e so q u i c k l y .
Now
we know t h a t t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a r e c o n d u c t i n g a s e r i e s of
e x p e r i m e n t s w i t h t h e s e bombs.
We b e l i e v e t h a t t h e S o v i e t
U n i o n h a s a l s o s u c c e e d e d i n e x p l o d i n g s u c h a b o m b , b u t we
t h i n k t h e y arte w e l l b e h i n d t h e A m e r i c a n s i n t e c h n i c a l
d e v e l o p m e n t t h o u g h c l o s e r t o them t h a n t h e y were i n t h e
c a s e of t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e a t o m i c b o m b .
That i s the
s i t u a t i o n i n a w o r l d b r o a d l y s p e a k i n g d i v i d e d i n t o two
h a l v e s ( b u t o n l y b y t h e w i s h of o n e h a l f ) - d i v i d e d b y an
iron curtain.
How i s t h i s n e w s i t u a t i o n t o b e h a n d l e d ?
6.
The s i n g l e c o n s t a n t o b j e c t i v e o f e v e r y o n e who g i v e s a
moments thought to t h i s dreadful problem i s to ensure t h a t
t h e h y d r o g e n bomb i s n e v e r u s e d a s a m e a n s o f a t t a c k b y o n e
c o u n t r y on a n o t h e r , a n d t h a t m u s t b e t h e f i r s t c h a r g e on t h e
e n e r g i e s of Her M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t .
I cannot b e l i e v e t h a t
t h e r e h a s e v e r b e e n s u c h u n a n i m i t y of o b j e c t i v e i n a n y
p o l i t i c a l and i n t e r n a t i o n a l q u e s t i o n amongst a l l c i t i z e n s ,
r e g a r d l e s s of p o l i t i c a l o u t l o o k .
B u t how i s t h i s t o b e
achieved? . There are t h r e e c o u r s e s which could be
considered.
-1­
2o'\ 7.
F i r s t we c o u l d s u r r e n d e r .
We c o u l d d e c l a r e we w o u l d
h a v e n o l o t o r p a r t i n t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o r u s e o f t h e bomb a n d
we c o u l d , I s u p p o s e , a t t e m p t t o p e r s u a d e o u r a l l i e s t o a d o p t
t h i s view.
We s h o u l d t h u s l e a v e t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of t h e
h y d r o g e n bomb t o t h e o t h e r h a l f o f t h e w o r l d , t h a t i s t o
Russia;
and i t would o n l y be a m a t t e r of t i m e , and a s h o r t
t i m e , b e f o r e we w e r e o b l i g e d t o a b a n d o n o u r f r e e d o m a n d h a n d
ourselves over as slaves to a slave s t a t e .
For t h a t , s o o n e r
o r l a t e r and p r o b a b l y s o o n e r , would be t h e i n e v i t a b l e r e s u l t
of a d e c i s i v e i n f e r i o r i t y i n o u r d e f e n s i v e e q u i p m e n t .
SureDy n o t one of u s w i l l g i v e a moment s f u r t h e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n
to such a f a t a l i s t i c
solution.
1
8.
Secondly, the o b j e c t i v e could be achieved by d e t e r r e n c e .
I n p l a i n t e r m s we m u s t h a v e b e t t e r b o m b s t h a n a n y p o s s i b l e
aggressors.
T h i s would be a h e a r t b r e a k i n g method, c r u e l t o
t h e i n h a b i t a n t s of a l l t h e c o u n t r i e s i n b o t h h a l v e s of t h e
w o r l d u p o n whom t h e d r e a d f u l t h r e a t w o u l d l i e c o n t i n u o u s l y
as a p o t e n t i a l horror.
I t could only be allowed t o endure
u n t i l some f a r b e t t e r m e t h o d c o u l d b e d e v i s e d .
But w h i l s t
i t d i d r e m a i n - a n d d o e s a t t h e p r e s e n t moment r e m a i n - t h e
o n l y p r a c t i c a b l e method, i t makes i t v i t a l , f o r example, t h a t
t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s s h o u l d c o n t i n u e h e r e x p e r i m e n t s and.
d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h i s new b o m b ,
9.
T h i r d l y , t h e r e i s t h e m e t h o d of an a g r e e d scheme f o r
l i m i t a t i o n of armaments which would c a r r y w i t h i t a s an
a b s o l u t e l y i n t e g r a l p a r t an a g r e e d a n d e f f e c t i v e scheme of
inspection and c o n t r o l .
T h i s i s t h e m e t h o d t o which Her
M a j e s t y " s Government a r e w h o l l y c o m m i t t e d .
It i s the only
w a y i n w h i c h t h e y c a n s e e a h o p e of b r i n g i n g r e l i e f t o t h e
w o r l d f r o m t h e t h r e a t e n e d h o r r o r s of a t o m i c a t t a c k a n d f r o m
the m a t e r i a l b u r d e n of v a s t defence e x p e n d i t u r e .
But t h e
s e c o n d component of t h e p l a n i s a v i t a l f e a t u r e .
Expressions
s u c h a s "Ban t h e b o m b " a r e m e a n i n g l e s s u n l e s s t h e r e i s a
system t o d e t e c t evasion a n d e n f o r c e compliance.
Ever
s i n c e t h e w a r r e p e a t e d a t t e m p t s h a v e b e e n made t o r e a c h some
f o r m o f a g r e e m e n t on t h i s b a s i s b u t a l l h a v e h i t h e r t o b e e n
f r u s t r a t e d one a f t e r a n o t h e r b y t h e S o v i e t v e t o .
Now w i t h
t h e e x i s t e n c e of t h e h y d r o g e n bomb a n d i t s v a s t a n d f a r ­
r e a c h i n g e f f e c t s , i t may b e t h a t t h e r e l a t i v e i m m u n i t y of
S o v i e t t e r r i t o r y i s much d e c r e a s e d a n d t h e r e may now b e
some d i s p o s i t i o n t o j o i n h a n d s w i t h t h e r e s t of t h e w o r l d
i n r e a c h i n g an a g r e e m e n t .
Two l i n e s o f a p p r o a c h a r e a t
p r e s e n t b e i n g made a n d H e r M a j e s t y ' s G o v e r n m e n t a r e c o m m i t t e d
to r a i s i n g discussions to the highest possible level at the
e a r l i e s t moment a t w h i c h s u c h a move i s l i k e l y t o b e
successful.
We s h a l l w o r k a n d h o p e a n d p r a y f o r s u c c e s s
b u t none of o u r p a s t e x p e r i e n c e e n c o u r a g e s t h e hope of a
speedy r e s u l t .
For the immediate future., t h e r e f o r e ,
for
w h a t a l l m u s t h o p e w i l l b e b u t an i n t e r i m p e r i o d , we m u s t
c o n t i n u e t o r e l y on t h e d e t e r r e n t m e t h o d , a n d d u r i n g t h i s
p e r i o d we m u s t p e r s e v e r e i n o u r p o l i c y o f u p h o l d i n g a t t h e
n e c e s s a r y l e v e l a l l our d e f e n c e r e s o u r c e s - i n c l u d i n g of
course our c i v i l defence s e r v i c e s .
10.
And t h i s b r i n g s me t o t h e q u e s t i o n of e s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t t o
y o u , n a m e l y , t h e e f f e c t of t h e new s i t u a t i o n on c i v i l d e f e n c e .
L e t me s o y a t o n c e t h a t i t d o e s n o t h i n g t o a l t e r o u r c o n c e p t i o n
of c i v i l d e f e n c e a s a " l o n g h a u l " .
T h e p o l i c y of H e r M a j e s t y ' s '
p r e s e n t G o v e r n m e n t , l i k e t h a t of o u r p r e d e c e s s o r s , h a s b e e n
d i r e c t e d t o t h e p r e v e n t i o n of w a r and n o t t o p r e p a r a t i o n s f o r a
w a r w h i c h we do n o t c o n s i d e r t o b e i m m i n e n t o r e v e n i n e v i t a b l e .
That i s s t i l i our p o l i c y .
I do n o t b e l i e v e t h a t t h e a d d i t i o n of
t h i s now w e a p o n t o t h e a r m o u r y o f a g r e a t and f r i e n d l y p e o p l e
makes war any more p r o b a b l e o r , i f i t i s t o come, b r i n g s i t one
day n e a r e r .
On t h e c o n t r a r y .
11.
Do n o t c o n c l u d e f r o m t h i s t h a t t h e r e w i l l b e no c h a n g e i n
t h e n a t u r e of o u r c i v i l d e f e n c e p l a n s .
Changes t h e r e m u s t be ­
a n d I s h a l l have- s o m e t h i n g t o s a y a b o u t t h e m i n a m i n u t e - b u t ,
f o r t h e p r e s e n t a t l e a s t , t h e y a r e m o r e t h e c o n c e r n of t h e C e n t r a l
G o v e r n m e n t t h a n of l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s a n d i n d u s t r y , t h o u g h ,
so
f a r a s c o n s i d e r a t i o n s of n a t i o n a l s e c u r i t y p e r m i t , t h e r e w i l l
be c o n s u l t a t i o n s w i t h b o t h d u r i n g t h e coming m o n t h s .
12.
We m u s t n o t l o s e o u r n e r v e i n t h e f a c e of t h i s f r e s h
potential horror.
To s u p p o s e t h a t o n e s u c h bomb c o u l d d e s t r o y
t h e w o r l d o r e v e n k i l l e v e r y o n e i n t h i s c o u n t r y i s a s i g n of
i g n o r a n c e , h y s t e r i a , and p a n i c .
W h a t i t c a n do i s s u f f i c i e n t l y
h o r r i b l e w i t h o u t i n d u l g i n g in unreasoning e x a g g e r a t i o n .
From
g r o u n d z e r o t h e r a d i u s f o r t o t a l d e s t r u c t i o n w i t h t h e iSniwetok.
bomb i n 1952 w a s o f t h e o r d e r of 3 m i l e s , of v e r y s e r i o u s
damage up t o 7 m i l e s a n d o f l i g h t e r damage up t o 10 m i l e s ,
and we m u s t e x p e c t g r e a t e r p o w e r of d e s t r u c t i o n .
All this is
i n d e e d t e r r i b l e a n d m o r e t h a n e v e r b e f o r e t h e n a t i o n s of t h e
w o r l d m u s t f i n d some way t o p r e v e n t t h i s g h a s t l y h o r r o r e v e r
materialising.
B u t we c a n n o t c o u n t on t h i s y e t a n d p e r h a p s n o t
for a considerable time.
What t h e r e f o r e s h o u l d be t h e e f f e c t
of t h e e x i s t e n c e of t h i s bomb on o u r c i v i l d e f e n c e p l a n s ?
13.
I am s u r e y o u a l l r e a l i z e t h a t t h e w h o l e f i e l d o f o u r
defence measures i s a f f e c t e d .
But X
dealing today only
w i t h i t s i r a p a o t o n c i v i l defefioewI h a v e o f course
already
b ^ e n q u e s t i o n e d on t h e s e t h i n g s m t h e H o u s e of Commons a n d I
h a v e a s s u r e d t h e H o u s e t h a t I h a v e s e t on f o o t a n
immediate
r e v i e w of t h e w h o l e of o u r p l a n s .
The r a n g e t o be c o v e r e d i s
wide.
I t i n c l u d e s , for example, our plans for giving warning
to the c i v i l population;
t h e m e a s u r e f o r d i s p e r s a l from
probable target areas;
the plans for maintaining communications
and o t h e r e s s e n t i a l s e r v i c e s ;
and t h e l a r g e and d i f f i c u l t
f i e l d of s t r u c t u r a l p r e c a u t i o n s .
A l a r g e number of c o m p l i c a t e d
and d i f f i c u l t p r o b l e m s a r e i n v o l v e d a n d I c a n n o t p r o m i s e an
e a r l y a n s w e r t o a l l of t h e m , b u t I c a n a s s u r e y o u t h a t t h e
e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e m h a s begun a n d t h a t we s h a l l p r e s s on
vigorously with this examination.
a n i
H4.. To o n e p r o b l e m , I h a v e no d o u b t of t h e a n s w e r .
So f a r a s
r e g a r d s the C i v i l Defence S e r v i c e s ( t h e C i v i l Defence Corps,
t h e A u x i l i a r y F i r e S e r v i c e and t h e N a t i o n a l H o s p i t a l S e r v i c e
R e s e r v e ) t h e n e e d f o r t h e i r d e v e l o p m e n t i s g r e a t e r and n o t
smaller.
Some c h a n g e s of o r g a n i s a t i o n , o r t r a i n i n g and of
t a c t i c s may be n e e d e d and t h e s e w i l l be a n n o u n c e d a s s o o n a s
possible.
B u t t h e f u n d a m e n t a l n e e d t o p r e s s on w i t h t h e
r e c r u i t m e n t a n d t r a i n i n g of t h e s e S e r v i c e s r e m a i n s .
J u s t as
t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n of t h e a t o m bomb w i t h i t s p o t e n t i a l l y g r e a t l y
i n c r e a s e d n u m b e r o f c a s u a l t i e s made c i v i l d e f e n c e s e r v i c e s e v e n
more e s s e n t i a l t h a n i n t h e d a y s of h i g h e x p l o s i v e a t t a c k , so\
w i t h t h e s t e p p i n g up of t h e s c a l e of d e s t r u c t i o n a n d c a s u a l t i e s
by t h e h y d r o g e n bomb t h e n e e d f o r n u m b e r s of t r a i n e d men a n d
women t o d e a l w i t h t h e a f t e r m a t h of s u c h an a t t a c k w i l l be e ^ e n
larger,
T h e r a d i u s of t h e a r e a a f f e c t e d by t h e bomb w o u l d be
bigger.
B u t n o t s o b i g t h a t i n t h e m a i n c o n c e n t r a t i o n s of
2&
built-up areas - for example, in London, the Midlands, ivierseyside, and Clydeside - there would not be a very large area indeed in which trained civil defence services must be ready to operate.
And this situation might be reproduced
in any of the smaller built-up areas if the bomb were
exploded away from the "town centre".
A r e the survivors and
those unaffected in all the surrounding areas to be untrained and
ignorant of how to bring help and succour to those not destroyed
by the actual explos ion itself?
Suppose Birmingham were hit
and Coventry escaped, as it well might, is the population of
Coventry to stand by and watch thousands of persons perish who
might have been saved if they had been organised by their elected
leaders and taught how to deal with the rescue of those who
could still be rescued, and with others capable perhaps of
moving out of the area on their own but needing the help, comfort
and succour of the trained civil defence welfare services?
15. I referred just now to the need for women as well as men.
It is sometimes made a point of criticism that the Civil Defence
Corps contains so high a proportion of women.
Nothing could
be more foolish.
If anything, the need for a strong and
efficient welfare section (which is specially suitable for women)
has been intensified for dealing with the homeless and evacuees,
^nd how glad I am that my predecessor and I have consistently
supported the development of that magnificent auxiliary body
the WeV, S. and the no less valuable voluntary aid organisations,
the British Red Cross Society and the Order of St. John.
16. But let it not be supposed that we imagine that these
responsibilities! can be shouldered by the local authorities
and industry without assistance from the Central Government,
iiiven since 19U-8 it has been an integral part of planning that
the more mobile services (in particular those responsible for
fighting fires and rescuing trapped casualties) should include
a large component organised by the Government on a regional
basis.
The provision of man-power for the mobile columns is
a difficult problem.
A study of this problem was initiated by
the late Government and completed recently by us.
A S a result
we were able to announce in the House of Commons on
2nd March a plan for training R.^.P. reservists in civil defence
during their part-time service.
This will mean that in the
course of six years we shall have some 100,000 men partly
trained in rescue and firefighting; in the event of war they
would be mobilised by the R.A.F. under their own officers for
civil defence duty and subject to civil defence operational
control.
This plan will give us a. very substantial nucleus
of a mobile column organisation and we are satisfied that it
is better, and incidentally more economical, than any alternative
which has been suggestedo
We were in sight of completing this
plan before the recent developments and we shall press on with
it with confidence and enthusiasm.
17* Let me conclude by saying that we do not underestimate the magnitude of the new factor which has been introduced, but Her Majesty^ Government will do their best to tackle it and they feel confident that they can rely on the support of all those who share their belief in the value and importance of civil defence.