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Department of History

Downwinders and Atomic Testing

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Central Question:

Were the atomic tests in the Nevada desert during the 1950s and 1960s dangerous for United States citizens?

If yes, was the government aware of the threat the tests posed to the public?

Photo by Dancing with the Cloud. Photo from the "Miss Atomic Bomb" pageant in Las Vegas

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A mushroom cloud visible over the Las Vegas skyline
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This map shows areas where deposits of Iodine-131, a dangerous radioactive isotope, were found after atomic bomb testing.
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Nuclear Test Site in Nevada, November 1951
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This map shows areas where at least two mushroom clouds passed over after nuclear testing.
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Were the atomic tests in the Nevada desert during the 1950s and 1960s dangerous for United States citizens?

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Kern Bullock

Kern Bullock, a rancher in Southern Utah who was herding his sheep from Nevada to Utah during 1953 when many atomic tests were going on; this was part of his testimony to the committee assigned to investigate health effects of the testing.
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AEC Public Document

A US Atomic Energy handbill that was distributed 16 days before the first nuclear bomb was detonated at the Nevada Test Site, January 11, 1951.
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Oral History - Craig Booth

An oral history interview with Downwinder Craig Lang Booth where he shares his memories of growing up and viewing nuclear testing from the hills of St. George, UT.
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Elmer Pickett

Elmer Pickett, a prominent St. George citizen and businessman, refers to his own family history since the 1950’s testing during a Special Town Meeting.
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If yes, was the government aware of the threat the tests posed to the public?

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Nevada Test Site Notice

A government message to citizens of Nevada, informing them of the tests and their necessity for public safety.
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"Little Green Book"

Part of an informational booklet on the atomic tests, “The Little Green Book,” that was
distributed by the United States Energy Commission, March 1957.
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Frank Butrico's Account

An account of the radioactive fallout in St. George from one of the atomic tests.
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"The Forgotten Guinea Pigs"

The conclusion of a government report sent to the House of Representatives titled “The Forgotten Guinea Pigs”: A report on health effects of low-level radiation sustained as a result of the nuclear weapons testing program conducted by the United States government.
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Radiation Exposure Compensation

An excerpt from the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) of 1990.
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Public Safety Requirement

An excerpt from the public safety requirements for nuclear testing.
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This lesson can be adapted to fulfill either a Utah History Core Standard or a US History II Core Standard. Find the resources for both classes below.

7th Grade:

UT Standard 4.1: Students will evaluate the impact of the Cold War on Utah, such as the uranium boom, nuclear testing, nuclear waste storage and disposal, and the MX missile controversy.

11th Grade:

U.S. II Standard 6.3: Students will cite and compare historical arguments from multiple perspectives regarding the use of "total war" in World War II, focusing on the changing objectives, weapons, tactics, and rules of war, such as carpet bombing, civilian targets, the Holocaust, and the development and use of the atom bomb.

U.S. II Standard 7.3: Students will develop interpretations of the impact of the Cold War on American society and culture using evidence such as cultural artifacts from the Cold War era, oral histories, and primary sources.

Lesson Plan

Graphic Organizer

Use the resources below for further research about the atomic bomb tests and the downwinders