Atomic History in the West
From 1945 to 1993, over one thousand atomic weapons were detonated as part of the United States Nuclear Testing Program. In the years between 1951 and 1962, these tests were performed above ground at the Nevada Nuclear Testing Site. The Atomic Energy Commission was responsible for the program, but they did not warn the general public of the dangers of radiation. The bombs were much larger than the desert could hold. This tour describes the multiple ways the American public was affected by government negligence and the race for military superiority.
Navajo Vanadium Miners in Monument Valley
The dangers of nuclear testing began even before the bombs were dropped. Navajo miners in Monument Valley experienced similar symptoms to those exposed to fallout in other areas of the West.
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Atomic Veterans: Orville E. Kelly and Thomas H. Saffer
Soldiers know that risking their lives is a part of their duty to their country, but what does it mean to die for your country as a guinea pig? Orville E. Kelly, Thomas H. Saffer, and many other atomic veterans have asked themselves that very question.
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Bullock v. United States: Radioactive Sheep
The United States Nuclear Testing Program began in the 1950s and was conducted in the Nevada desert near local sheep grazing lands. The Bullock ranching family was heavily affected by the radiation in spring of 1953. Vera Bullock later recorded, “By June 4, eleven bomb tests had been conducted and our lives had been changed forever.”
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Downwinders in Court: Irene Allen v. United States
The downwinders of southern Utah have been deeply affected by cancers linked to nuclear radiation. Allen v. United States was a landmark case for holding the government responsible for negligence during nuclear testing.
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