Atomic Energy Progress Notes. Volume II (Military).

A rare, mimeographed report on the effects of nuclear weapons produced by the Association of Scientific Workers, a British trade union, for members 'who have to speak, write about or in any way concern themselves with the subject'.

According to the introduction, the union aimed to publish three volumes on nuclear issues, the first on scientific and industrial concerns, the second on military uses, and the third on international control of weapons and substances, but 'to date, only vol. II is completed'. The contents provide detailed information about the different types of weapons, their composition, uses, and effects, and mitigation and civil defence strategies. Included are thermonuclear devices (less than a year after the first example was detonated in Operation Greenhouse) and what are now known as 'dirty bombs', weapons that are not fissile but can spread radioactive substances.

It is likely that the Australian nuclear physicist and Manhattan project veteran Eric Burhop (1911-1980) was involved in the production of this document. Burhop was born and educated in Australia and completed his graduate training at Cambridge. After the war he 'took a teaching position at University College London. Since his days at Cambridge, his politics had been somewhat radical... Burhop was also one of the many Manhattan Project veterans who became troubled by the proliferation of increasingly powerful nuclear weapons. He became the Chairman of the Atomic Science Committee of the Association of Scientific Workers in an effort to speak out in favor of global disarmament after the war' (Atomic Heritage Foundation biography).

29-page mimeographed document, string bound (25 x 20 cm); short pencilled note to leaf M.4, a little spotting primarily to the early and late leaves, some creasing, upper leaves torn through one of the punch holes, very good condition.