1 20 2 https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/c5d4fb44413b7139a16471bb7dcad7cf.pdf 283498ae2650cbdb59171fd059f74641 PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TOP SECRET JIBTS 200-2113-2 fct *i OTTAWA, Ontario, 12 August, 1953* Chairman, Vulnerability Study Panel, Civil Defenee Co-Ordinator, ^tftt. G» P. de T« Glazebrook, ^ Dr, E. B. Massey, Dr. W. James, Mr* G. Carty. Report on the City of St. John's At the 13th Meeting of the Panel it was agreed that as studies were completed they should be distributed to Individual meabera of the Panel for review and comment, and for return to the Secretary. I enclose a copy of the City of St, John's for your review* Original signed by I. Bowen (I. Bowen) Director, Joint Intelligence Bureau* Encl. 000666 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDIM02658 Title A name given to the resource Memorandum from I. Bowen as Director of Joint Inteligence Bureau, "Report on the City of St. John's" Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1953-08-12 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Nuclear Vulnerability Study, RG25, Vol. 4563, File 50041-A-40, Part 2, LAC. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Early Cold War, Atomic Vulnerability Description An account of the resource Joint Intelligence Bureau, Ottawa Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en https://declassified.library.utoronto.ca/files/original/77aac169ab3d845056294c3d4b33e706.pdf b69ec57a65b6f34d4f6e025351ed123d PDF Text Text Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information 4 JIBTS 200-2113-2 TOP SBCRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY ATOMIC VULNERABILITY STUDY OF CANADA IHE CITY OF ST. JOHN'S I Object of the Study This i s one of a s e r i e s of r e p o r t s on major Canadian c i t i e s and t a r g e t s which provide the basic information on enemy c a p a b i l i t i e s t o cause damage t o persons and t o V i t a l Points by atomic a t t a c k . This study i s not concerned with the p r o b a b i l i ty t h a t such an enemy a t t a c k w i l l be made. II HI Definitions of Terms Used Ground Zero - The point on the ground directly under the point of burst in the air Aiming Point - The point on the ground directly under the point where the bomb is aimed to be burst in the air No Rescue - No organized and trained rescue is carried out, vftiich means effectively that only people who are not trapped or who can escape by their own efforts survive Seriously Injured - Hospitalized persons who would not report to work for a considerable period of time Lightly Injured - First Aid oases who would be able to contribute to their work a few days after the attack Nighttime - The time during vihich people are in their normal places of residence Daytime •• The time during which people are at their normal places of work Sources of Basic Information (a) Population Information on the nighttime distribution of population is based on a redistribution of the 1951 census returns in greater detail to show the population of individual city blocks. This is considered for the purpose of this study a sufficiently good approximation to the nighttime distribution of population. It has not been possible at this time to estimate the daytime distribution of population. 000667 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TOP SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY ~ 2(b) Vital Points Information on Vital Points was taken from the 1953 List of Vital Points, which is the work of the Interdepartmental Committee on Vital points. The list for the St. John's area is given in Appendix "A". 0 (c) Scientific Data Basio data on the effects of atomic bomb explosions on people and structures was prepared by the Defence Research Board (Scientific Adviser to the Cival Defence Co-ordinator). IV Factors Considered in Selecting Aiming Points for Study The effects of an attack on a city vary widely with the location of the bomb burst. As it is not considered practicable to study all possible points of burst, a series of Aiming Points have been selected which are calculated to give the maximum effect on population and on different groupings of Vital Points. The effects of an attack vary widely with the energy released by the bomb. As it is not possible to estimate the energy level of the bomb most likely to be used, separate estimates were made for a bomb with the lowest probable energy and the highest probably energy level. The effects on people also vary widely with circumstances of warning and rescue. A series of estimates were therefore made for different conditions of warning and rescue. The estimates made for conditions WITH RESCUE are for ideal rescue conditions with organized and trained rescue teams, in temperate climates and when the atomic attack is unsupported by other weapons. In spite of rescue efforts casualties would tend towards those given for NO RESCUE under severe winter conditions, or if Chemical Warfare attack were combined with atomic attack or if the spread of fire were extensive. Conditions of visibility vould also alter the effect of an attack. Poor visibility would reduce the extent of fire and the number of radiation casualties and would have some effect on the chances of pinpointing the target from the air. All calculations are based on an average clear day over a city with a visibility of about six miles. For the chosen to give of population. maximum effect city of St. John's an Aiming Point was the maximum effect on the nighttime distribution A second Aiming Point was chosen to give the on the Vital Points and on the Harbour facilities. The present study is confined to the effect of a bomb delivered by an airborne vehicle. It is possible that St. John's as a port city would be an attractive target for an underwater burst. A separate study will be made of the effects of this type of attack. 000668 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TOP SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY w 3 *** V Results of the Study of the City of St. John's A nighttime attack on this city would result in casualties among 70-90$ of the population if a 20 kiloton bomb were used, depending on conditions of warning and rescue; 85-/100$ if a 100 kiloton bomb were used. A nighttime attack on the Vital Points and Harbour facilities combined would cause casualties among 65-90$ of the population by a 20 kiloton bomb; 85-/100$ by a 100 kiloton bomb. (a) Effects on Population The effect of an attack on the daytime and nighttime population is given in Tables I and II for each Aiming Point and for different conditions of warning and rescue. (b) Effects on Vital Points A summary of the effect on Vital Points is given in Table III for each Aiming Point. The extent of damage to Vital Points and the effect on their various functions is also described below for each of the Aiming Points. The relative importance of each Vital Point to the Canadian «• U.S. war effort is indicated by the category (AA, A, B or C ) , which is given for each Vital Point in Appendix "A". 000669 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TOP SECRET CANAD.IAN EYES ONLY -., 4 *• (c) Detailed Discussion of an Attack on Each of the Aiming Points Effeot of a Burst over Aiming poiht # I - Chosen to give maximum effect pn nighttime distribution of population by a 20 KLloton bomb A nighttime attack on this Aiming Point would cause casualties among 70-90$ of the population depending on conditions of warning and rescue (Tables I and II). As daytime population information is not at present available, it is not possible to calculate casualties from a daytime attack. Damage to Vital Points is described below: Communications - Transmission and Reception Cable Station, Commercial Cable Company - Category A Building and equipment would receive severe structural damage from blast and the probability of further damage from fire is high. Approximately 30-65$ of the shift on duty would be killed or seriously injured. Petroleum Facilities Imperial Oil Limited - Category A Storage facilities would be destroyed by blast and fire. Port of St. John's Wharves and Piers The most important piers would be seriously damaged by this attack, namely the Canadian National Railways piers, with the exception of the Canadian National Railways Coastal Wharf and the four Royal Canadian Navy Jetties. Of the breastwork along the southern part of harbour including the bunkering installations, that along the inner, or western, part of the harbour would be seriously damaged. Most of the privately owned, wooden jetties along the northern side of the harbour would be severely damaged. Transit Sheds Very severe damage would be caused to transit sheds. Damage to the most important sheds only is described below: Destroyed - the three Canadian National Railways sheds, Harvey & Company shed ft 3, Murray Company, and the four buildings behind the Royal Canadian Navy Jetties would be destroyed by blast and fire. Severe damage - would be caused to Furness Withy sheds and Harvey and Company sheds # I and 2. Moderate damage - would be caused to the buildings on the U.S. Army Dock. Shipbuilding and Repairing The Craving Dock would not be damaged by this type of attack. 000670 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TOP SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY •• 5 — Shipping (transports, light cruisers and aircraft carriers) Sunk - It is unlikely that any ships would be sunk or destroyed unless possibly those berthed between the Royal Canadian Navy Jetties and the A.H. Murray Wharf. Immobilized - all ships berthed or anchored within the inner, or western half of the harbour would be seriously damaged. Slight damage - all other ships berthed or anchored within the harbour would receive slight damage to superstructure and external equipment. Effect of a Burst over Aiming Point # I - Chosen to give maximum effect on nighttime distribution of population by a 100 kiloton bomb A nighttime attack on this Aiming Point would cause casualties among 85-100$ of the population depending on conditions of warning and rescue (Tables I and II). As daytime population information is not at present available, it is not possible to calculate casualties from a daytime attack. Damage to Vital points is described below: Coamunicat ions - Transmission and Reception Cable Station, Commercial Cable Company - Category A Building and equipment would be destroyed by blast and fire. Approximately 65-90$ of the shift on duty would be killed or seriously injured. Petroleum F a c i l i t i e s Imperial Oil Company - Category A Storage f a c i l i t i e s would be destroyed by b l a s t and fire. Port of S t . John's Wharves and Piers Serious damage would be caused to all the important wharves with the exception of the Canadian National Railways Coastal Wharf, the U.S. Army Dock and the jetties of Furness Withy. All the breastwork along the southern part of the harbour including coal and oil bunkering facilities would be severely damaged. Transit Sheds All important transit sheds would be destroyed by this attack. Shipbuilding and Repairing The Graving Dock would not be damaged by this attack. Shipping (transports, light cruisers and aircraft carriers) Sunk - ships berthed at the Canadian National Railways and Royal Canadian Navy Jetties, the breastwork and private jetties along the inner part of the harbour would be sunk. Immobilized - all other ships berthed or anchored within the inner part o f the harbour would be seriously damaged. Slight damage - all other ships berthed or anchored within the harbour would receive slight damage to superstructure and external equipment. 000671 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TOP SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY - 6 - Effeot of a Burst over Aiming Point ft 2 - Chosen to give maximum effeot on Vital Points and Harbour facilities by a 20 kiloton bomb A nighttime attack on this Aiming Point would cause casualties among 65-90$ of the population depending on conditions of warning and rescue (Tables I and II), As daytime population information is not at present available, it is not possible to calculate casualties from a daytime attack. Damage to Vital Points is described below: Communications - Transmission and Reception Cable Station, Commercial Cable Company - Category A Severe structural damage would be caused by blast and the probability of serious fire damage is high. Approximately 30-55$ of the shift on duty would be killed or seriously injured. Petroleum Facilities Imperial Oil Limited - Category A Storage facilities would be destroyed by blast and fire. Port of St. John's Wharves and Piers The most important piers would be seriously damaged by this attack, namely the Canadian National Railways piers, with the exception of the Canadian National Railways Coastal Wharf and the four Royal Canadian Navy Jetties. Of the breastwork along the southern part of the harbour including the bunkering installations, that along the inner, or western, part of the harbour would be seriously damaged. Most of the privately owned, wooden jetties along the northern side of the harbour would be severely damaged. Transit sheds Very severe damage would be caused to transit sheds. Damage to the more important sheds only is described below* Destroyed - the Canadian National Railways sheds would be destroyed as well as the four buildings behind the Royal Canadian Naval Jetties. Serious damage - the building on the U.S. Army Dock and the sheds of Furness Withy would be seriously damaged. Shipbuilding and Repairing The Graving Dock would not be damaged by this type of attack. Shipping (transports, light cruisers and aircraft carriers) Sunk - all ships berthed at the Canadian National Railways, and the Royal Canadian Naval Jetties would be sunk or destroyed. Immobilized - all other ships berthed cr at anchor within the inner half of trie harbour would be severely damaged. Slight damage - all other ships berthed or at anchor within the harbour would receive slight damage to superstructure and external equipment. 000672 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TOP SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY Effect of a Burst over Aiming Point ft 2 - Chosen to give maximum effect on Vital Points and Harbour facilities by a 100 kiloton bomb A nighttime attack on this Aiming Point would cause casualties among 85-/100$ of the population depending on conditions of warning and rescue (Tables I and II). As daytime population information is not available, it is not possible to calculate casualties from a daytime attack. Damage to Vital Points is described below: Communications - Transmission and Reception Cable Station, Commercial Cable Company - Category A Building and equipment would be destroyed by blast and fire. Approximately 65-90$ of the shift on duty would be killed or seriously injured. Petroleum F a c i l i t i e s Imperial Oil limited - Category A Storage f a c i l i t i e s would be destroyed by b l a s t and fire. Port of S t . John's Wharves and Piers All important wharves and piers within the inner part of the harbour with the exception of the Canadian National Railways Coastal Wharf would be seriously damaged. The U.S. Army Dock and the jetties of Furness Withy would not be damaged seriously. Most of the breastwork along the southern harb.our including the coal and oil bunkering installations would be seriously damaged. Most of the privately owned, timber jetties along the northern side of the harbour would be severely damaged. Transit sheds Destroyed - all buildings and transit sheds would be destroyed. Shipbuilding and Repairing The Graving Dock would not be damaged by this type of attack. ? Shipping (transports, light cruisers and aircraft carriers) Sunk or destroyed - all ships berthed or anchored within the inner or western of the harbour at the time of the attack would be sunk or destroyed. Immobilized - all other shipping berthed or anchored west of the Furness Withy Jetties would be seriously damaged. Slight damage - all other ships berthed or anchored within the harbour and east of the Furness Withy would receive slight damage to superstructure and external equipment. 000673 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TOP SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY - 8 (d) Effects on Morale It is expected that the effect on morale in large centres of population in Canada, and at least the norther parts of the United States, would be much the same whichever city is attacked by ah atomic bomb. The effect will probably be somewhat proportionate to the size of the casualties inflicted by individual bombs and by the number of cities attacked. Air Navigation Aspects of an Attack With the equipment at present available to the Russian Long Range Air Force, St. John's would be an easy target to locate on a high or low level attack under any weather conditions for a well trained navigator not familiar with the area. Accuracy in identifying specific Aiming Points is a more critical aspect. However the area of the city is small and an atomic explosion over almost any part of the built up area would cause serious damage to Vital Points, Harbour facilities and Population, though of a lesser magnitude than described by this report. ( 000674 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'inforyiation TABLE I - CASUALTY ESTIMATES - CITY OF ST. JOHN'S TOP SECRET NIGHTTIME ATTACK 20 Kiloton Bomb CANADIAN EYES ONLY 100 K i l o t o n Boitb Aiming Point # I-N - Chosen to Give Maximum Effect on Population Killed Killed Seriously Injured Lightly Injured No Warning - No Rescue 43,300 5,000 2,500 No Warning - No Rescue No Warning - With Rescue 30,800 11,100 4,800 No Warning - With Rescue With Warning - With Rescue 25,500 9,400 6,200 With Warning - With Rescue Seriously injured Lightly Injured 50,400 3,500 1,300 4,800 41,800 9,000 36,900 7,500 4,200 Aiming Poin t ft 2. - Chosen t o Give Maximum Effect on V i t a l P o i n t s & Harbour No Warning - No Rescue 41,400 5,400 2,800 No Warning - No Rescue 49,600 3,800 1,500 No Warning - With Rescue 27,800 11,800 5,300 No Warning - With Resoue 39,900 9,900 3,300 With Warning — With Rescue 22,400 9,700 6,500 With Warning - With Rescue 34,600 8,000 4,400 000675 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'infortpation TABLE II - CASUALTIES AS PERCENTAGE OF POHJLATION * TOP SECRET NIGHTTIME ATTACK 20 Kiloton Bomb CANADIAN EYES ONLY 100 Kiloton Bomb Aiming Point # I-N - Chosen to Give Maximum Effect on Nighttime Distribution of Population Killed Seriously Injured Lightly Injured No Warning - No Rescue 75 10 5 No Warning - No Rescue 20 5 No Warning - With Rescue 55 20 10 No Warning - With Rescue 75 15 5 With Warning - With Rescue 45 15 10 With Warning - With Rescue 65 15 5 Killed Seriously Injured Lightly Injured ti Aiming Point # 2 - Chosen to Give Maximum Effect on Vital Points and Harbour Facilities No Warning - No Rescue 75 10 5 No Warning - No Rescue 90 5 No Warning - With Rescue 50 20 10 No Warning - With Rescue 70 20 5 With Warning - With Resoue 40 15 10 With Warning - With Rescue 60 15 10 x Based on 56,300 within 5 miles of an Aiming P o i n t . ti The population of the metropolitan area i s 67,700 of the c i t y proper i s 50,800 000676 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TABLE III - SUMMARY OF EFFECT ON VITAL POINTS TOP SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY Aiming Point # I - Chosen t o Give Maximum E f f e c t on P o p u l a t i o n Vital Points Vital Point Category Structural Damage by B l a s t ($) Probability of Fire Damage t o C o n t e n t s With F i r e No F i r e 20 K i l o t o n Bordb ible Company A High 100 A Imperial Oil 75 - 100 High 100 75 - 100 100 K i l o t o n Bomb Imperial Oil ible Company A 100 High - '' A 100 High 100 . 100 000677 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TABLE III - SUMMARY OF EFFEOT ON VITAL POINTS TOP SECRET * * CANADIAN EYES 0NT" ' Aiming Point ft 2 - Chosen t o Give Maximum E f f e c t on V i t a l P o i n t s & Harbour F a c i l i t i e s Vital Points V i t a l Point Category Structural Damage by B l a s t ($) Probability of Fire Damage t o Content s With F i r e No F i r e 20 K i l o t o n Bonflp Imperial Oil A Commercial Gable Company A 100 75 - 100 High High 100 75 - 100 100 lOO 100 K i l o t o n Bomb Imperial Oil A 100 High Commercial Cable Company A 100 High 000678 �Document disclosed under the Access to Information Act Document divulgue en vertu de la Loi sur I'acces a I'information TOP SECRET CANADIAN EYES ONLY APPENDIX "A" - STUDY OF CITY OF ST. JOHN'S For t h e C i t y of S t . J o h n ' s t h e l i s t of V i t a l p o i n t s a s determined by t h e I n t e r d e p a r t m e n t a l Committee on V i t a l P o i n t s i s as follows: Category "A" Imperial Oil Limited Cable Station, Commercial Cable Company The categories determined by the Interdepartmental Committee on Vital Points are designed for sabotage studies. They have been adapted for the present study by raising those points which are important to the Joint Canadian U.S. war effort from Category "A" to a superior Category "AA", and by restating the significance of the categories. The categories used are as follows: Categories "AA" Individual plants or buildings of sufficient importance to the North American war effort to be considered possible atomic bomb targets, irrespective of any effects of an A-bomb attack on the target on other Vital Points. Additional effects will, however, play a part in determining the relative importance of Category "AA" targets and they have, therefore, been studied and reported. Category "A" Individual plants or buildings not of sufficient importance to the North American war effort to be considered A-bomb targets by themselves, but which may become A-bomb targets if the other effects of the explosion of a bomb over the target would produce a sufficient cumulative effect on population and other Vital Points. Category "B" Important points to be considered in conjunction with attacks on Category "AA" targets. Category "C" Minor points to be considered in conjunction with attacks on Category "AA" and Category "A" targets. 000679 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context CDIM02657 Title A name given to the resource Report, "Atomic Vulnerability Study of Canada, The City of St. John's" Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1953-08-12 Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Nuclear Vulnerability Study, RG25, Vol. 4563, File 50041-A-40, Part 2, LAC. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Department of External Affairs Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Canadian Crown Subject The topic of the resource Early Cold War, Atomic Vulnerability Description An account of the resource Atomic Vulnerability Study Panel, Ottawa Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Canada Declassified Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource en