Thirty-two years ago today, 50,000 demonstrators took to the streets of Amsterdam to protest the development and proliferation of the neutron bomb. The massive outpouring of opposition was in response to a U.S. plan to deploy the weapon in Europe.
The neutron bomb was designed to be used as a tactical weapon in the event of a Russian invasion of Europe. The idea was that the neutron bomb, which kills mainly with radiation—not explosive power—could kill Soviet troops without destroying Western Europe.
But concerned citizens in Europe took umbrage with the plan, tensions escalated, and protesters began flooding the streets to vent. The sentiment caught on, more protests ensued, and the movement later encouraged President Jimmy Carter to suspend production of the bombs. Ronald Reagan restarted production in 1981, only to see the project abandoned again.
The anti-nukes campaign eventually took a wider hold, spurring modern disarmament agreements between nuclear nations. Nuclear proliferation remains an issue, however, and modern campaigns continue to fight for reductions in stockpiles.
Comments