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Making a Real Killing: Rocky Flats and the Nuclear West
p>Just as huge nuclear explosions result from small spheres of plutonium, the story of the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant near Denver, Colorado is much larger than itself. It is about the Church family, who came West seeking gold in 1861, stayed to raise cattle, watched the federal government take a large piece of its land for the weapons plant in 1951--and now is busily developing real estate in the booming suburbs next to the contaminated plant site. It is about the government and private corporations that produced the deadliest devices in history for thirty-seven years, concealed problems behind the wall of national security secrecy, and came close to a Chernobyl-scale disaster during a 1969 fire. It is about plant managers who cut corners to maintain weapons production, workers who saw themselves as loyal Cold War soldiers, and citizen activists who challenged the plant's very existence. And it is about a community that profited from thousands of jobs and contracts but now faces long-term environmental and health risks. Making a Real Killing examines the way Americans participated in building a nuclear weapons arsenal capable of destroying the human species. To read it is to learn some sobering lessons, including the fact that the democratic process lagged decades behind technological developments.
"As Americans reckon with the legacy of the Cold War, Making a Real Killing deserves a place at the center of our attention. Len Ackland's integrity and hard work remind us how crucial energetic journalism is for a successful democracy."--Patricia Nelson Limerick
"As Americans reckon with the legacy of the Cold War, Making a Real Killing deserves a place at the center of our attention. Len Ackland's integrity and hard work remind us how crucial energetic journalism is for a successful democracy."--Patricia Nelson Limerick
- GenresHistoryNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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103 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
October 1, 2022
Good book about Rocky Flats. One thing about studying history is that if even you study the smallest thing, you also have to study all of the larger things surrounding it.
In this case, the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant is surrounded by Cold War Strategy, Nuclear Chemistry, Environmental Activism, Nuclear Weapon Politics, The Evolution of the DOE and EPA, the History of Denver, etc.
This book does a good job of including them all without losing focus.
In this case, the Rocky Flats Nuclear Weapons Plant is surrounded by Cold War Strategy, Nuclear Chemistry, Environmental Activism, Nuclear Weapon Politics, The Evolution of the DOE and EPA, the History of Denver, etc.
This book does a good job of including them all without losing focus.
July 2, 2020
Well written. This is my go-to history book on Rocky Flats during the nuclear era. A great read.
October 15, 2024
footnote mining this tbh
January 12, 2014
The specter of America's nuclear legacy hangs like a pall over the Western landscape. Years after the end of the Cold War, we are confronting the consequences of 50-year-old political decisions. From Fat Man and Little Boy of the Los Alamos National Laboratories to Nevada's Yucca Mountain which has become the repository of this nation's nuclear waste, the West has seen its share of America's atomic heritage. The perceived isolation and wide-open spaces of the post-war West were ideal sites for top-secret government nuclear installations. But it's the 21st century now and Westerners aren't nearly as captivated by the atomic age as they once were. The facilities we welcomed with open arms for economic growth are now damned for their environmental, ethical and health threats.
In this 2002 update of his 1999 hardcover, Ackland, Director of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado at Boulder, documents the complete history of Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant near Denver. Starting from the very beginning of nuclear weapons production, he takes us through the formation of the Atomic Energy Commission, the building of the Rocky Flats plant and its administration by Dow Chemical and the Department of Energy, to the efforts to clean up the plant site. This is not just a story about an infamous nuclear weapons assembly plant. This is also a story about assembly workers and middle managers who were more concerned with keeping their good jobs than what it was they were producing, as well as adjacent land owners, environmental activists, anti-nuclear protesters and, of course, the politicians.
The amount of research presented in this remarkable work is mind-boggling, and it is relayed in a clear, concise journalistic style. But one wouldn't call this an unbiased book. Ackland is sympathetic to the production workers of Rocky Flats, environmentalists, peace activists and neighboring land owners and extremely critical of the management by Dow Chemical and the Department of Energy.
The continuing threat of an atomic catastrophe haunts the Denver area as the DOE attempts to clean up the mess it let grow out of hand while it turned its back on safety for the sake of production. Certainly the most shocking aspect of this exposé is discovering what those in power were capable of doing to keep the gravy train of nuclear production continuing even in the face of endangering their own workers, neighbors, and citizenry. Plant managers were involved in cover-ups, lies, and illegal dumping of toxic waste-all in the name of continuing production. It is appalling to realize what the DOE concealed behind a veil of secrecy they called National Security. The FBI finally raided Rocky Flats in 1989, temporarily shutting down operations.
As luck would have it, due to the end of the Cold War and various arms reduction treaties, 1989 was the last year of production for Rocky Flats; and clean up of the site was declared complete in 2005. The irony of it all is that more Americans will probably die from the consequences of nuclear weapons production and testing than any real or imagined threat from the "Evil Empire" or any of its successors. And the threat of Rocky Flats, even without the production of nuclear bomb components, may never completely go away.
In this 2002 update of his 1999 hardcover, Ackland, Director of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado at Boulder, documents the complete history of Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant near Denver. Starting from the very beginning of nuclear weapons production, he takes us through the formation of the Atomic Energy Commission, the building of the Rocky Flats plant and its administration by Dow Chemical and the Department of Energy, to the efforts to clean up the plant site. This is not just a story about an infamous nuclear weapons assembly plant. This is also a story about assembly workers and middle managers who were more concerned with keeping their good jobs than what it was they were producing, as well as adjacent land owners, environmental activists, anti-nuclear protesters and, of course, the politicians.
The amount of research presented in this remarkable work is mind-boggling, and it is relayed in a clear, concise journalistic style. But one wouldn't call this an unbiased book. Ackland is sympathetic to the production workers of Rocky Flats, environmentalists, peace activists and neighboring land owners and extremely critical of the management by Dow Chemical and the Department of Energy.
The continuing threat of an atomic catastrophe haunts the Denver area as the DOE attempts to clean up the mess it let grow out of hand while it turned its back on safety for the sake of production. Certainly the most shocking aspect of this exposé is discovering what those in power were capable of doing to keep the gravy train of nuclear production continuing even in the face of endangering their own workers, neighbors, and citizenry. Plant managers were involved in cover-ups, lies, and illegal dumping of toxic waste-all in the name of continuing production. It is appalling to realize what the DOE concealed behind a veil of secrecy they called National Security. The FBI finally raided Rocky Flats in 1989, temporarily shutting down operations.
As luck would have it, due to the end of the Cold War and various arms reduction treaties, 1989 was the last year of production for Rocky Flats; and clean up of the site was declared complete in 2005. The irony of it all is that more Americans will probably die from the consequences of nuclear weapons production and testing than any real or imagined threat from the "Evil Empire" or any of its successors. And the threat of Rocky Flats, even without the production of nuclear bomb components, may never completely go away.
April 28, 2008
The Rocky Flats nuclear weapons facility outside of Denver acted as a producer of bomb materials throughout the cold war. In Making a Real Killing, Len Ackland tells the story of this weapons plant, it’s employees and neighbors. Utilizing a mixture of personal narratives and investigatory journalism, Ackland paints a vivid picture of cold war induced deception and outright ignorance. He argues that Americans were never well informed about the risks and dangers of this (or any) nuclear plant, and that the legacy of Rocky Flats lives on—in the form of a severe environmental hazard.
What makes Killing so effective is its stylistic use of journalistic narrative. At page one we are introduced to Charlie McKay, a rancher who still lives and works near Rocky Flats. A brief outline of his family history gets the reader invested, and this sets the tone for the book. Killing is not a singular examination of cold war weapons production, environmental protests or political agendas, although all of these aspects are covered with clarity and insight. This is a book about the average working men and women whose lives are affected by Rocky Flats through their health, employment and a changing environment.
Built in 1958, Rocky Flats weapon facility viewed as a source of employment for the region and income for its inhabitants. Ackland uses direct quotes from these regular, working-class Americans who day in and day out produced weapons of mass destruction. The understood that there was risk involved, but the nature and extent was never explained to them, ultimately leading to multiple cases of cancer caused by plutonium radiation and beryllium poisoning. Ackland also explores how uninformed their supervisors were as well. In the 1950’s there was only a nascent understanding of the properties of plutonium, and safety questions were regularly put aside in the name of national security.
But safety was a major issue that came to the fore a number of times. Ackland describes the glove boxes used to handle plutonium, and how their flawed design and decay never led to major a reconfiguration for workers. Costs took precedent to employees. Ackland also recounts in precise detail two fires at Rocky Flats and the ignorance of management on how to deal with them. In the process of putting out the second fire they contaminated the entire plant. Hindsight suggests it was a miracle they didn’t contaminate all of Denver. In the management’s defense, they were simply following their instructions to “expect a fire, but produce.”
Killings flowing narrative and depth of research makes it an insightful for the student of Cold War and nuclear history. History “buffs” will also find it enjoyable due to its use of working class quotes and explanations. Ackland excels at showing all sides of the Rocky Flats plant, from the ground up. Some might find disappointment is his conclusion. For all the build up of conspiracy and illusion, Rocky Flats innocuous end may fall short of reader expectations. But such an ending is both historically accurate and fitting for a book on the cold war. We should feel fortunate that it went out with a whimper instead of a bang.
What makes Killing so effective is its stylistic use of journalistic narrative. At page one we are introduced to Charlie McKay, a rancher who still lives and works near Rocky Flats. A brief outline of his family history gets the reader invested, and this sets the tone for the book. Killing is not a singular examination of cold war weapons production, environmental protests or political agendas, although all of these aspects are covered with clarity and insight. This is a book about the average working men and women whose lives are affected by Rocky Flats through their health, employment and a changing environment.
Built in 1958, Rocky Flats weapon facility viewed as a source of employment for the region and income for its inhabitants. Ackland uses direct quotes from these regular, working-class Americans who day in and day out produced weapons of mass destruction. The understood that there was risk involved, but the nature and extent was never explained to them, ultimately leading to multiple cases of cancer caused by plutonium radiation and beryllium poisoning. Ackland also explores how uninformed their supervisors were as well. In the 1950’s there was only a nascent understanding of the properties of plutonium, and safety questions were regularly put aside in the name of national security.
But safety was a major issue that came to the fore a number of times. Ackland describes the glove boxes used to handle plutonium, and how their flawed design and decay never led to major a reconfiguration for workers. Costs took precedent to employees. Ackland also recounts in precise detail two fires at Rocky Flats and the ignorance of management on how to deal with them. In the process of putting out the second fire they contaminated the entire plant. Hindsight suggests it was a miracle they didn’t contaminate all of Denver. In the management’s defense, they were simply following their instructions to “expect a fire, but produce.”
Killings flowing narrative and depth of research makes it an insightful for the student of Cold War and nuclear history. History “buffs” will also find it enjoyable due to its use of working class quotes and explanations. Ackland excels at showing all sides of the Rocky Flats plant, from the ground up. Some might find disappointment is his conclusion. For all the build up of conspiracy and illusion, Rocky Flats innocuous end may fall short of reader expectations. But such an ending is both historically accurate and fitting for a book on the cold war. We should feel fortunate that it went out with a whimper instead of a bang.
November 16, 2015
A fairly good history of the Flats.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews