European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 17, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 8 the stars and stripes wednesday july 17 Mem Mumm he world s first a blast the Black sky turned White in 1945 editor s note tucs Clay was the 23rd anniversary of the explosion of the world first atomic bomb detonated at Trinity site on the new Mexico desert. Here is an account of that moment up by Gayland Briant Trinity site . Up the Black sky turns White. The surrounding mountains Are bathed in an incredible burst of Light. A sudden Shock make the ground tremble a Thunder Ous Roar of the giant beat echoes for 50 Miles in the morn ing 16, 1945. The world s first atomic bomb is detonated a Trinity site on the desert near Alamogordo . / the silent darkness of the Early morning is interrupted Only by the flashes of lightning and the soft splattering of rain. The ramble of Thunder is Hardin the distance. A 100-foot Metal Tower stand sits Lone watch in the darkness. A six Man arming party make sits final trip up the Tower to the mighty rain stops Over the desert but the scientists continue to wait. It is 4 . They decide to delay the test for 90 watches the and the Compagna Hill 20northwest of ground Zero,3eral scientists shiver in cold. They listen As Dadow the Man in charge of the observation Post reads instructions by flashlight. Or. Edward Teller who will be known Ashe father of the a bomb warns about sunburn. Someone passes this is the fireball produced by an atomic blast. A Saigon pc Enlil trillion shows guerrilla strength by John t. Wheeler Saigon a the communist command s reported ability to mass elements of four divisions around Saigon underlines again the weakness of Allied tactical intelligence and the strength of guerrilla warfare tactics. Despite massive firepower helicopter mobility numerical superiority and computers the Allied command has been forced toward the medieval strategy of pulling Back to de fend the City s Gates. The allies have the equivalent of some nine divisions in the Saigon Region and along the major infiltration routes leading to the capital. But the have not been Able to find and destroy a significant Viet conformation either on the Way to Saigon or in their pre attack positions. Some 15 Viet Cong battalions Are reported within 15 Miles of Saigon. One highly placed Viet namese source says some 1,000enemytrepps have inf i rated the City ifselfi1 despite the Ringo defending troops and hundreds of police checkpoints. During two previous Offen Sives this year some 4,000 troops managed to penetrate the City i february and about 1,200 in May and june. The Allied command was caught Flat footed in february but had ample warning of the May offensive. Mountains of intelligence on the expected third wave at tack is in Allied bands but the details of where individual enemy units Are hiding Are no part of it. Due to past demonstration that . And government troops cannot prevent enemy regi ments from moving through the Countryside reports on enemy around some sunburn lotion inthe pitch darkness. High in the Zemoz mountains300 Miles to the North Resi dents of the town of bos Alamos wait on their front soldiers with seismographs Wake up a restaurant owner in the Village of san Tell Jose Mitera. If you Carne out itt front of your store now you la see something the world has never matter of record i Washington up rom or figures he made a Good investment of Public funds when be ran a 156-Page list of government Ai programs in the congressional record at a Cost of about$17,000. Roth said monday the listing called Public attention to Over lapping and duplication in assist auce programs and has led 103 members of the House to join him in trying to do something about it. The Delaware Republican said democrats and republicans alike bad flocked to sup port of Bis Bill to create a commission to see what can Bedone about consolidating and simplifying the 1,091 separate Federal assistance programs be found available for tapping by those knowledgeable enough to find them. Movements from villagers has dried up significantly one source reported. I a Torii pagers face multiple problems if they help. Allied troops May attack their Village causing widespread damage or the helpful villagers May be betrayed and executed along with All their families. Viet con punishment for informers is Swift brutal and final. Thus the old communist strategy of swimming their fish through the Waters of the Pec pie remains As fundamentally sound As Ever. That 14000 of these fish can swim undetected in Saigon itself shows that the strategy works As Well in the cities As in the Countryside. Allied ground nails Are also severely hampered by new restrictions on the use of and air Power around Sal. Ion even to defend them selves so the u.8. Officers feel. The extent of the restrictions to secret. But the 17,8, and South vietnamese command reportedly feel the restrictions Are necessary to prevent wide spread devastation in and around the City that would alienate the people. If government promises to protect the capital cannot be kept after two earlier offensive succeeded in punching through the crisis in Confidence will deepen greatly the South Viet namese Are becoming increasingly critical of the United states. He sleepily walks outside an stares South. The horizon is dark. _ timer. It is now out of Man control. Minus 30 seconds. Some Mengo outside the dugout the vol6b of America burst Forth on a Short wave radio. The Star spangled ban Ner is playing As if anticipating a momentous event. The head of the Detonator Crew i. I. Rabi turns to Ken Neth Griesen and asks Aren you nervous Griesen snakes his head an replies minus 10 seconds. Griese changes his mind and blurts a now i m scared."., then As the world sleeps not knowing it is about to enter a new age Sam Allison cries now at that moment 29 minutes and 45 seconds past 5 a War time the world entered the nuclear rancher Between Alamogordo and the Barren stretch of desert called Trinity site is jolted from a sound sleep. In the los Alamos Hospi Tal a patient unable to sleep is startled by the strange lighting the sky. A v the director of the project,3. Robert tywihejqp., surprised at the magnitude of the explosion. He Haa bet a co worker $10 it would network. Once a huge Crater today the site of the explosion is no More than a slight depression in the hard dry desert and the Tower that stood alone in the darkness on july 18, 1945, is replaced by a Stone than a month after the detonation of the atomic bomb it was used in actual wat fare. On aug. 6, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped by the United states on Hiroshima m Japan killing about 800,000 people and destroying the greater part of the City. Rocky eyes Nixon As his running Mote by Charles Dumas new York a p or Man waging a Tough Uphill fight gov Edson a. Rockefeller takes a highly optimistic is s bit chances of winning the Republican presidential Nora Ina. Lion even to the Point of talk ing privately about forging a Rockefeller Nixon ticket. Rockefeller has startled a few confidants in recent Days by speculating on the possibility that Richard m. Nixon his chief rival for the nomination might wind up As his running mate. In one such conversation the governor said a lot of people think a Rockefeller Nixon pair ing would make the strongest ticket and that they think twill turn out that Way in the convention. In the 10 weeks since reentered the Competition against Nixon Rockefeller has trav Ledmore than 50,000 Miles to carry his message into 43 of the 50states. He has enjoyed Large crowd partly at least because of Gooc planning by his expert advancement and his audiences generally have responded Well to his bustling Campaign style. In another More critical Parton his strategy Rockefeller has talked personally with the delegations in nearly All of the states he visited. He tells themis these closed door sessions that he s the Man who can win big in november and carry state arid local candidates to Victory with him. At the same time he suggests but 4oes not say so out right that Nixon cannot win i i of prank .mimmmitm.ti.mtm�mt. in Cabin it to it the a mrttln0 99mmrolal Pulm tent my my met Tut Mart Root a i or any of in comp a my. Military � 741. To a met it. New Strtt a
