Death Dust: The Little-Known Story of U.S. and Soviet Pursuit of Radiological Weapons

Abstract

Since September 11, 2001, most expert commentary on radiological weapons has focused on nonstate actors, to the neglect of state-level programs. In fact, numerous countries in the past have expressed interest in radiological weapons; a number have actively pursued them; and three tested them on multiple occasions before ultimately deciding not to deploy the weapons. Why is so little known about these false starts, especially outside the United States? Are such weapons more difficult to manufacture than depicted by science-fiction authors and military pundits? Are radiological weapons a thing of the past, or do they remain an attractive option for some countries? A comparative analysis of the previously underexplored cases of radiological weapons programs in the United States and the Soviet Union illuminates the drivers and limitations of weapons innovation in one specific nuclear sector. An examination of the rise and demise of radiological weapons programs in both countries also points to circumstances in the future that might prompt renewed interest on the part of some states in radiological weapons and proposes steps that might be undertaken to reduce the possibility of their production, deployment, and use.

Life-shortening effects of radiological weapons in military operations

“…[3][4][5] In-depth studies on the concept of radiological weapons can be found with some ease in scientific research databases. [6][7][8] The aim of the RDD is delaying any progression of the soldiers by threatening them/with deleterious health effects. 9 A poisoned operational environment might increase vulnerabilities among the military personnel in both physiological and psychological ways.…”

Searching for a middle ground? A spectrum of views of causality in qualitative research

“…Although Evangelista made no claims for another common positivist criterion-replicability-a recent study suggests that his basic comparative framework has endured. Employing Evangelista's bottom-up and top-down generalizations and five-stage comparative framework,Meyer et al (2020) examined the (ultimately unsuccessful) development of radiological weapons in the United States and the Soviet Union. Relying on extensive archival data, interviews, and declassified documents from each country, their meticulous process-tracing exercise largely confirmed Evangelista's comparative generalizations about US and Soviet behavior.…”