it was a limited consideration in the 50s, but basically bolted on the side of robert-moses-core with the odd rootcellar called “fallout shelter” as a marketing gimic in new developments.
round about 1:07 in everyone’s favorite nuclear documentary is an example
That’s actually not that new. I think that was part of it.
It is important to remember why cities were building highways through the fifties and sixties; why the federal government was promoting low-density suburban development and why companies were moving their corporate head offices to campuses in the country: Civil defense. One of the best defenses against nuclear bombs is sprawl; the devastation of a bomb can only cover so much area. Shawn Lawrence Otto wrote in Fool Me Twice[.]
Well sure the the obscene yields do help destroy suburbs, but another reason they exist is to ensure military targets are hit. ICBMs used to be inaccurate by a couple miles, so increasing the blast radius ensured that didn’t matter. Now, ICBMs are more accurate and the world generally fields less powerful bombs.
Suburban sprawl as a nuclear defense strategy is a new one to me lmao
it was a limited consideration in the 50s, but basically bolted on the side of robert-moses-core with the odd rootcellar called “fallout shelter” as a marketing gimic in new developments.
round about 1:07 in everyone’s favorite nuclear documentary is an example
That’s actually not that new. I think that was part of it.
https://www.treehugger.com/why-sprawl-was-caused-nuclear-arms-race-and-why-matters-more-ever-today-4854403
deleted by creator
oh you widened your city 50 miles? i’ll just stuff a few extra warheads in this here missile and make sure i saturate the whole thing 🥰
deleted by creator
Well sure the the obscene yields do help destroy suburbs, but another reason they exist is to ensure military targets are hit. ICBMs used to be inaccurate by a couple miles, so increasing the blast radius ensured that didn’t matter. Now, ICBMs are more accurate and the world generally fields less powerful bombs.