Roger C. Molander, Nuclear Protest Leader, Dies at 71
Source: New York Times
Roger C. Molander, who abandoned what he called the priesthood of cold warriors in the White House and the Pentagon to organize one of the nations largest and most colorful protests against nuclear arms, died on March 25 in Washington. He was 71.
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Mr. Molander drew from his expertise as a Ph.D. in nuclear engineering to become an influential arms control analyst in the Defense Department and on National Security Council in the Nixon, Ford and Carter administrations. He became frustrated with the slow pace of negotiations with the Russians on nuclear weapons issues, and even more upset with the matter-of-fact approach some colleagues took toward atomic war.
In April 1982, he told The New York Times about a meeting at the Pentagon that helped change his life.
A Navy captain was saying that people here and in Europe were getting too upset about the consequences of nuclear war, Mr. Molander recalled. The captain added that people were talking as if nuclear war would be the end of the world when, in fact, only 500 million people would be killed.
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Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/us/roger-c-molander-dies-at-71-stirred-nuclear-protests.html?_r=1
Octafish
(55,745 posts)It appears that most with power think like the Navy captain. For example:
Joint Chiefs and Allen Dulles wanted JFK to launch first strike against USSR.
kristopher
(29,798 posts)The idea of nuclear war is considered by most upper military with probably more horror than most lay people because they are clear about how devastating the consequences are. Unfortunately part of their horror is rooted in the fact that people like the capt exist in sufficient numbers to ensure that there is a high probability of maximum possible escalation should a nuclear conflict begin.
Octafish
(55,745 posts)Last edited Sun Apr 1, 2012, 12:33 PM - Edit history (1)
While I agree with your assessment that most of the officer corps are good people, aware of the dangers and consequences of nuclear war, I distrust the leadership as a whole.
LCDR Pike tried to comply with the Assassination Records Review Board and got railroaded for her trouble by the brass.
http://jfkcountercoup.blogspot.com/2011/10/railroading-of-lcdr-terri-pike-over.html?m=1