Bertrand Russell 



COMMON SENSE AND 

 NUCLEAR WARFARE 



The purpose of this book is to suggest that the 

 danger of nuclear war is not one which is due to 

 hostility of the West towards the East or of the 

 East towards the West, but is a common peril 

 of both sides and, indeed, of all mankind. A 

 common peril calls for a common defence. The 

 peril is caused by the combination of modern 

 science with archaic hatreds. Science, once in 

 existence, cannot be wiped out. The only way 

 to escape the common peril is to produce an 

 awareness on both sides of already existing 

 common interests and of the need of their 

 embodiment in common measures for the general 

 safety. The first change needed is one of outlook. 

 It is only when this has been achieved that agree- 

 ment on concrete measures will be found not 

 difficult. 



What is said in this book is addressed equally 

 to East and West, and it is the author's hope 

 that no word in it favours one side at the expense 

 of the other. It is the contention of the book that 

 no nation need make any sacrifice of national 

 interests and that the measures required for the 

 general good are identical with those required 

 for the separate goods of separate States. It is 

 only through inability to appreciate the magni- 

 tude of the nuclear threat that statesmen and 

 populations have failed to grasp this very 

 elementary fact. 



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