We are in a nuclear era with a different mentality from over a half century ago. Today's threat is more from the escalating egos of national leaders, whereas in the 1950s the ultimate potential was demonstrated by war-ending events in Japan that brought fear to the masses.
I believe society today acknowledges and accepts the destructive capabilities humanity now possesses and the uncertainty of our future lies more with our national leaders who are exhibiting increasing verbal attacks and silly claims of "my button is bigger than yours."
I believe the reality of this threat but sincerely hold on to the belief that it will never happen. I need to hang on to a notion that no leader will honestly want to lead us down this path. Society at the dawn of this nuclear age felt much different; it is still evident today as fallout shelter signs still hang in some of our buildings. I recently viewed one such example while attending the pancake breakfast at the Masonic Lodge in downtown Monroe.
Another example and more startling piece of history was one I discovered at City Hall. Prior to being elected Mayor, I served as alderman on Monroe Common Council. My desk in council chambers was filled with old papers of past meetings, memos and a copy of Monroe's Civil Defense Plan. This is an amazing document with a unique perspective into a different time and view of our world.
Titled "City of Monroe Operational and Survival Emergency Civil Defense Plan," this 67-page document was signed by then Mayor Ekum in 1960. It is a document detailing plans for the City of Monroe in the event of thermonuclear war.
The narrative starts with assumptions that aggressors have the capability of attacking this nation and that our defensive capability is not 100 percent.
So, it was believed wholeheartedly that even Monroe could be the victim of such an attack and thus, needed a plan. Monroe, in 1960, was populated with 8,050 souls. We had light manufacturing with industrial combustion (oil burners), Oaktron (radio parts), and various cheese and food processing plants. A railroad and two-track terminals served the city, along with other delivery services. Fuel oil and gasoline storage was limited with less than 100,000 gallons total capacity and no commercial electrical power was produced in the area. Retail food outlets contained approximately 5- to 10-day food supplies, if rationed. All were details to demonstrate the earliest possible restoration of economy and pre-attack standards of living.
The document continues. Tension existing between the Communist and free worlds, coupled with the perfection of nuclear weapons and delivery systems and the consequent possibility of nuclear war, make it imperative that the non-military defenses be prepared for the population of the Monroe.
The purpose of such defenses would be to assure the greatest percentage of survival possible in the event of thermonuclear war.
A fascinating read continues into enemy capabilities, friendly capabilities and more extensive discussion of civil defense functions and interactions of two dozen different topics including such areas as decontamination, food and water management and continuity of government. Section after section included topics such as operational and survival and mission statement to assure the survival of the greatest number of people in an emergency; organization and planning including organizational charts, distribution lists for the defense plan, instructions for an intelligence officer and the director of civil defense and directions for the maintenance of an intelligence journal. Health Services section details plans for relocating 200 bed hospital for emergency care of casualties and further instructions for the emergency disposal of the dead; another section discusses the continuity of government and the necessity to provide interim officers to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the Mayor and Aldermen in the event that the incumbents are killed, missing, disabled or unable to perform their duties and functions of the offices after an enemy attack.
As your current mayor, I feel very fortunate that this council does not have a need to author a plan for an event that would render us unable to perform our duties. The council's current greatest responsibilities are much lighter and generally center on the budget, a topic that can at times become quite sensitive and heated but certainly not of a thermonuclear level. We have already started planning for the next budget cycle as I have initiated talks to discuss topics normally left unattended until much later in the planning process; our main concern throughout the year will continue to be budgetary.
We continue to serve our fellow citizens and hope our efforts meet with your approval as we work to move the Monroe forward. If anyone would like to read Monroe's 1960 Civil Defense Plan I have this available electronically and can share simply with an email request.
- Louis Armstrong is the mayor of Monroe. His column appears monthly on Saturdays in the Monroe Times. He can be reached at mayor@cityofmonroe.org.
I believe society today acknowledges and accepts the destructive capabilities humanity now possesses and the uncertainty of our future lies more with our national leaders who are exhibiting increasing verbal attacks and silly claims of "my button is bigger than yours."
I believe the reality of this threat but sincerely hold on to the belief that it will never happen. I need to hang on to a notion that no leader will honestly want to lead us down this path. Society at the dawn of this nuclear age felt much different; it is still evident today as fallout shelter signs still hang in some of our buildings. I recently viewed one such example while attending the pancake breakfast at the Masonic Lodge in downtown Monroe.
Another example and more startling piece of history was one I discovered at City Hall. Prior to being elected Mayor, I served as alderman on Monroe Common Council. My desk in council chambers was filled with old papers of past meetings, memos and a copy of Monroe's Civil Defense Plan. This is an amazing document with a unique perspective into a different time and view of our world.
Titled "City of Monroe Operational and Survival Emergency Civil Defense Plan," this 67-page document was signed by then Mayor Ekum in 1960. It is a document detailing plans for the City of Monroe in the event of thermonuclear war.
The narrative starts with assumptions that aggressors have the capability of attacking this nation and that our defensive capability is not 100 percent.
So, it was believed wholeheartedly that even Monroe could be the victim of such an attack and thus, needed a plan. Monroe, in 1960, was populated with 8,050 souls. We had light manufacturing with industrial combustion (oil burners), Oaktron (radio parts), and various cheese and food processing plants. A railroad and two-track terminals served the city, along with other delivery services. Fuel oil and gasoline storage was limited with less than 100,000 gallons total capacity and no commercial electrical power was produced in the area. Retail food outlets contained approximately 5- to 10-day food supplies, if rationed. All were details to demonstrate the earliest possible restoration of economy and pre-attack standards of living.
The document continues. Tension existing between the Communist and free worlds, coupled with the perfection of nuclear weapons and delivery systems and the consequent possibility of nuclear war, make it imperative that the non-military defenses be prepared for the population of the Monroe.
The purpose of such defenses would be to assure the greatest percentage of survival possible in the event of thermonuclear war.
A fascinating read continues into enemy capabilities, friendly capabilities and more extensive discussion of civil defense functions and interactions of two dozen different topics including such areas as decontamination, food and water management and continuity of government. Section after section included topics such as operational and survival and mission statement to assure the survival of the greatest number of people in an emergency; organization and planning including organizational charts, distribution lists for the defense plan, instructions for an intelligence officer and the director of civil defense and directions for the maintenance of an intelligence journal. Health Services section details plans for relocating 200 bed hospital for emergency care of casualties and further instructions for the emergency disposal of the dead; another section discusses the continuity of government and the necessity to provide interim officers to exercise the powers and discharge the duties of the Mayor and Aldermen in the event that the incumbents are killed, missing, disabled or unable to perform their duties and functions of the offices after an enemy attack.
As your current mayor, I feel very fortunate that this council does not have a need to author a plan for an event that would render us unable to perform our duties. The council's current greatest responsibilities are much lighter and generally center on the budget, a topic that can at times become quite sensitive and heated but certainly not of a thermonuclear level. We have already started planning for the next budget cycle as I have initiated talks to discuss topics normally left unattended until much later in the planning process; our main concern throughout the year will continue to be budgetary.
We continue to serve our fellow citizens and hope our efforts meet with your approval as we work to move the Monroe forward. If anyone would like to read Monroe's 1960 Civil Defense Plan I have this available electronically and can share simply with an email request.
- Louis Armstrong is the mayor of Monroe. His column appears monthly on Saturdays in the Monroe Times. He can be reached at mayor@cityofmonroe.org.
