PREFACE This volume presents certain background information in the field of atomic energy, which is made available to the Atomic Energy Commission by Mr. Bernard M. Baruch, the United States Representative. It seems appropriate that this information should be transmitted by the United States Representative, since this country has had a special role in the recent developments of atomic energy. The volume consists of articles written largely from a nontechnical viewpoint and is not intended as a detailed scientific report. The first three articles give a simple account of the physics involved in nuclear reactions, the processes involved in the production of fissionable materials, and the effects produced by atomic bombing. They are not primarily intended to provide information that has not already been published but they may be helpful in presenting this information in a simple and convenient form. The next three articles discuss some but not all of the possible peacetime applications of nuclear energy. The last article describes certain aspects of biological warfare. The first article by Bacher and Feynman gives, in clear and simple language, the principles of nuclear physics underlying the development of atomic energy and its applications. This will serve as an introduction to the remainder of the volume. The next article by Nichols and Ruhoff is intended to state concisely the facts about the wartime production of fissionable materials. The purpose is to give a valid picture of the nature and magnitude of the undertaking. The article by Morrison and Solomon with a foreword by Farrell gives a factual account of the effects of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. All the evidence has been carefully weighed and dispassionately presented. The article by Cohn, Davies, and Irvine deals with the manifold uses of radioactive materials. This is one of the most important of the applications of atomic energy for the benefit of mankind. The article by Rhoads and Solomon deals with therapeutic uses of radioactive materials. This is a field where considerable success has already been attained. The article by Stone and Hamilton discusses medical applications of the various kinds of radiation now available. Possible trends in the future of cancer research are mentioned. The last article by Merck, Fred, Baldwin, and Sarles is on the subject of biological warfare. It is included here because the terms of reference of the Commission, as established by the Assembly of the United Nations, refer to "other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction" besides atomic weapons. The last section of the article mentions difficulties to be overcome in the control of this type of warfare. Further reports are in preparation. RICHARD C. TOLMAN CONTENTS VOLUME I Foreword, by Bernard M. Baruch Page 3 : : 5 Preface, by Richard C. Tolman 1. Introduction to Atomic Energy, by R. F. Bacher and R. P. Feynman 2. Production and Utilization of Uranium-235 and Plutonium239, by K. D. Nichols and John R. Ruhoff. 24 3. The Military Effectiveness of the Atomic Bomb, by A. K. Solomon and Philip Morrison 37 45 4. Radioisotopes in Basic and Applied Research, by Waldo E. Cohn, T. Harrison Davies, and John W. Irvine, Jr. 5. Therapeutic Uses of Artificial Radioactivity, by C. P. Rhoads and A. K. Solomon 6. Medical Applications, by R. S. Stone and J. G. Hamilton. 7. Implications of Biological Warfare, by George W. Merck, E. B. Fred, I. L. Baldwin, and W. B. Sarles |