Project Plowshare: The Peaceful Use of Nuclear Explosives in Cold War America

by Scott Kaufman

Inspired by President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s "Atoms for Peace" speech, scientists at the Atomic Energy Commission and the University of California’s Radiation Laboratory began in 1957 a program they called Plowshare. Joined by like-minded government officials, scientists, and business leaders, champions of "peaceful nuclear explosions" maintained that they could create new elements and isotopes for general use, build storage facilities for water or fuel, mine ores, increase oil and natural gas production, generate heat for power production, and construct roads, harbors, and canals. By harnessing the power of the atom for nonmilitary purposes, Plowshare backers expected to protect American security, defend U.S. legitimacy and prestige, and ensure access to energy resources. Scott Kaufman’s extensive research in nearly two dozen archives in three nations shows how science, politics, and environmentalism converged to shape the lasting conflict over the use of nuclear technology. Indeed, despite technological and strategic promise, Plowshare’s early champions soon found themselves facing a vocal and powerful coalition of federal and state officials, scientists, industrialists, environmentalists, and average citizens. Skeptical politicians, domestic and international pressure to stop nuclear testing, and a lack of government funding severely restricted the program. By the mid-1970s, Plowshare was, in the words of one government official, "dead as a doornail." However, the thought of using the atom for peaceful purposes remains alive.

Genres: History

312 pages, Hardcover

First published November 20, 2012

About the author

Dr. Kaufman, a Francis Marion University Board of Trustees Research Scholar, joined the Francis Marion University staff in 2001. He earned his doctorate from Ohio University in 1998.

Reviews

[Rob Prince · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although a bit academic, essentially worth the read; good information put in context of the developing nuclear arms race. "Project Plowshare" was the program developed in the Eisenhower Administration to attempt to "use nuclear weapons for peaceful purposes." It was a complete and utter dud. Pushed hard by megalomanical physicist Edward Teller who never saw a nuclear weapon he didn't love. Argued that nukes could be used to build canals, ports, tunnels through mountains, used for mining, natural gas extraction - you name it. In the end it was little more than an attempt to put makeup on the corpse that is nuclear weapons development. Was halted in 1977 (end of funding) or thereabouts.

One of the projects, a part of Project Plowshares, was called Project Rulison - an underground nuclear blast in the Colorado Rockies to create a cavity for natural gas extraction to be commercially marketed. Like so many of the Plowshares projects, Rulison was first "declared a success" - although no city anywhere would purchase the natural gas produced for fear of radioactive contamination. I mention this particular blast because 1. September 2019 is the 50th anniversary of the blast 2. Protesting at the blast site is where I met my wife

Finally, again good content but not enough connection in the book between the development of the program and the international movement to make nuclear weapons illegal, obsolete, etc. This was not a project killed for "technical reasons" although those did exist, but because of a global movement to ban nukes.. Still very valuable book best read in conjunction with "The Firecracker Boys" by Dan O'Neill.