The Effects of Nuclear War

DETROIT AND LENINGRAD

Summary

It should be emphasized that there are many uncertainties in the assumptions underlying the description of the results of a 1-Mt surface burst in Detroit. Nevertheless, several salient features stand out:

• seventy square miles of property destruction (2 psi),
• a quarter-of-a-million fatalities, plus half a million injuries,
• additional damage from widespread fires,
• casualties could have been greatly reduced by an alert and informed population, and
• rescue and recovery operations must be organized and heavily supported from outside the area (food, medical, utility restoration, and cleanup).

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