The Effects of Nuclear War

DETROIT AND LENINGRAD

25-Mt Air Burst on Detroit

For 25 Mt, we assumed a burst altitude of 17,500 feet [5.3 km], over the same detonation point. Figure 7 shows the 12-, 5-, and 2-psi rings, but the 1-psi ring at 30.4 miles [48.9 km] is completely off the map. It is obvious that damage and casualties would be increased even further had the detonation point been moved about 5 miles [8 km] to the northwest. But even without this shift, it is clear that the whole metropolitan area has been heavily damaged by the explosive power of this huge weapon. The casualties are again shown onfigure 6 (column 3). The contrasts to the 1-Mt surface burst are stark:

• There will be very few survivors (1.1 million available to assist the much more numerous casualties - 3.2 million). This is in contrast to the 1-Mt surface burst in which 3.7 million survivors were potentially available to assist the 640,000 casualties.
• There will be virtually no habitable housing in the area.
• Essentially all heavy industry will be totally destroyed.

As a result, rescue operations will have to be totally supported from outside the area, with evacuation of the 1.2 million survivors the only feasible course. Recovery and rebuilding will be a very long-term, problematic issue.

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