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Preliminary Inventory of the S. T. Cohen papers
Finding aid prepared by Hoover Institution Library and Archives Staff Hoover Institution Library and Archives © 2019 434 Galvez Mall Stanford University Stanford, CA 94305-6003 [email protected] URL: http://www.hoover.org/library-and-archives
Preliminary Inventory of the S. T. 2019C62 1 Cohen papers Title: S. T. Cohen papers Date (inclusive): ca. 1920s-2010 Collection Number: 2019C62 Contributing Institution: Hoover Institution Library and Archives Language of Material: English Physical Description: 9 manuscript boxes, 1 oversize box, media(5.5 Linear Feet) Abstract: Samuel Theodore Cohen (1921-2010) was an American physicist best known as the father of the neutron bomb. He is credited with development of the neutron bomb concept, based on nuclear fusion rather than fission, as a Rand Corporation analyst in 1958. Subsequently he was a staunch advocate of development and deployment of neutron bombs as a part of the American nuclear ansenal. While others viewed this prospect with horror, Cohen maintained that neutron bombs were actually more humane than alternative nuclear weapons. He suggested the utility of tactical low-yield nuclear explosions to create defensive radiation barriers. In later years he warned that "red mercury" could be used to produce a miniature fusion nuclear bomb. The largest and most important series in the S. T. Cohen Papers is that of Cohen's Speeches and Writings. They include the voluminous transcripts of a series of interviews of Cohen conducted by Bill Froug over the course of a month in 1978. These provide Cohen's candid accounts of his life and of his first-hand observations of associates and events in the development of the American nuclear program. Other candid accounts are to be found in his memoir Shame: Confessions of a Nuclear Pariah, self-published in 2000. An unexpected element of Cohen's writings is a fictional component. In his fictional compositions, unpublished and sometimes quite lengthy, he explored thoughts of nuclear warfare and on his own life. Interviews, memoirs and fictional writings all reflect a strong interest in psychoanalysis. There are smaller Biographical File, Correspondence and Subject File series. An Audiovisual File consists principally of audio recordings. These do not appear to include any of the Froug interview recordings. The Hoover Institution Library & Archives acquired the collection in 2019. Hoover Institution Library & Archives Access The collection is open for research; materials must be requested at least two business days in advance of intended use. Publication Rights For copyright status, please contact the Hoover Institution Library & Archives. Acquisition Information Materials were acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives in 2019. Preferred Citation [Identification of item], S. T. Cohen Papers, [Box no., Folder no. or title], Hoover Institution Library & Archives Biographical note 1921 Born, New York City 1943 Graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles 1943-1945 U.S. Army service, including participation in the Manhattan Project 1947-1969 Rand Corporation analyst 1958 Developed neutron bomb concept 1978 Author, The Neutron Bomb: Political, Technological and Military Issues 1983 Author, The Truth about the Neutron Bomb: The Inventor of the Bomb Speaks Out 1985 Author, We Can Prevent World War III 2010 Died, Los Angels, California Subjects and Indexing Terms Nuclear weapons Neutron bomb
box 1 Biographical File ca. 1920s-2004 Scope and Contents Memoranda, printed matter and miscellany
box 1, folder 1 General ca. 1920s-ca. 1980s Scope and Contents Memoranda and printed matter. Includes academic transcript, Manhattan Project roster and antisemitic flyer naming Cohen
Preliminary Inventory of the S. T. 2019C62 2 Cohen papers Biographical File ca. 1920s-2004
box 1, folder 2 Disclosure of invention 1966 Scope and Contents Rand Corporation disclosure of low-yield fusion explosion invention by Cohen and Arnold Kramish
box 1, folder 3 Repo Man (motion picture) connection 2004 Scope and Contents Printed article
box 1, folder 4 Press coverage 1981-1997 box 1 Correspondence ca. 1972-2004 Scope and Contents Correspondence arranged alphabetically by correspondent
box 1, folder 5 Hannan, Philip M. 1998 box 1, folder 6 Hughes, G. Philip 1977 box 1, folder 7 Kramish, Arnold 2004 box 1, folder 8 Laird, Melvin ca. 1972 Scope and Contents Draft letter to Laird as Secretary of Defense, probably unsent
box 1, folder 9 O'Connor, John Cardinal 1998 box 1, folder 10 Ridgway, Matthew B. 1978 box 1, folder 11 Sandmeier, Henry A. 1978 Speeches and Writings 1969-2004 Scope and Contents Speeches and writings by S. T. Cohen, arranged chronologically
box 1, folder 12 "U.S. Offensive Forces," letter to the editor, Los Angeles Times 1969 June 28 Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 1, folder 13 "U.S. Strategic Nuclear Weapon Policy," Air University Review 1975 January-February Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 1, folder 14 Untitled satirical writing in the form of imaginary correspondence with Soviet Minister of Defence A. A. Grechko 1975 Scope and Contents Typescript and working material
box 1, folder 15 "The Retreat of a Strategy," letter to the editor, Los Angeles Times 1976 May Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 1, folder 16 "America's Hawks Glower at Carter," letter to the editor, Los Angeles Times 1977 January 17 Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 1, folder 17 "Something Is Uglier than a Neutron Bomb," Washington Star 1977 July 10 Scope and Contents Printed copy
Preliminary Inventory of the S. T. 2019C62 3 Cohen papers Speeches and Writings 1969-2004
box 1, "Trev" [alternate title "Gardner"] 1978 January 7 folder 18-19 Scope and Contents Lengthy synopsis of projected motion picture script about Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Trevor Gardner and his role in development of intercontinental ballistic missiles. Typescript
box 1, Series of interviews with Bill Froug 1978 June 23-July 20 folder 20-21 Scope and Contents Typed transcripts of recordings
box 2 Series of interviews with Bill Froug 1978 June 23-July 20 box 3 Series of interviews with Bill Froug 1978 June 23-July 20 box 4, Folder 1 Series of interviews with Bill Froug 1978 June 23-July 20 box 4, folder 2 "Soviets 'Should Give a Damn' about SALT II," letter to the editor, Los Angeles Times 1980 January Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements Printed copy
box 4, folder 3 "Whither the Neutron Bomb? A Moral Defense of Nuclear Radiation Weapons," Parameters: Journal of the U.S. Army War College 1981 June Scope and Contents Printed copy
"Nuclear Barrier Defenses," International Security Review 1981 Fall box 4, folder 4-5 Typescript box 4, folder 6 Printed copy box 4, folder 7 "Collateral Damage from Tactical Nuclear Weapons," 1982 November Scope and Contents Technical report for U.S. Defense Nuclear Agency. Processed
box 4, folder 8 "Arms Limits from Open Skies to Open 'Spies'" (with Laurence Beilenson), Wall Street Journal 1983 June 29 Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 4, folder 9 "Wall against War," Reason 1984 March Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 4, folder 10 "What if Soviet Silos Are Empty?" (with Joe Douglass), Wall Street Journal 1986 July 18 Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 4, folder 11 "Technological Prescriptions for U.S. National Security," Global Affairs 1988 Summer Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 4, folder 12 "Competitive Strategies: A Sow's Ear from a Silk Purse?" two-part article, Defense Science 1989 November and 1989 December Scope and Contents Printed copy
Preliminary Inventory of the S. T. 2019C62 4 Cohen papers Speeches and Writings 1969-2004
box 4, folder 13 "Let's Restart START" 1991 September 27 Scope and Contents Typescript. Includes holograph comment on draft by former President Jimmy Carter
box 4, folder 14 Article on red mercury, Spin 1995 January Scope and Contents Title obscured. Printed copy (photocopy)
box 4, folder 15 "Murrah: Iranian Style" ca. 1995 Scope and Contents Typescript
box 4, folder 16 "Was TWA Flight 800 Mini-Neutron Bombed?" ca. 1996 Scope and Contents Typescript
box 4, folder 17 "Save the Nukes," National Review 1997 February 10 Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 5, folder 1-2 "The Invisible Jew: A Neutron Bomb Spy Story" 1998 April Scope and Contents Book-length fictional writing. Typescript
box 5, folder 3 The Automat: Gambling Genius of the Century 2000 Scope and Contents Self-published memoir about Jess Marcum, Rand Corporation analyst and professional gambler. Typescript
Shame: Confessions of a Nuclear Pariah 2000 Scope and Contents Self-published memoir
box 5, folder 4, Typescript box 6, folder 1 box 6, folder 2 Reviews box 6, folder 3 "The Rogue Nuclear Threat" (with Joseph D. Douglass, Jr.), Financial Sense Online 2002 April 12 Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 6, folder 4 "Jesus in Brentwood" 2002 Scope and Contents Fictional writing. Typescript
box 6, folder 5 "Ring around a Mosque" (with Joe Douglass), Financial Sense Online 2004 August 18 Scope and Contents Typescript and printed copy
box 6, folder 6 "Lazar's Beam" undated Scope and Contents Book-length fictional writing. Typescript
Preliminary Inventory of the S. T. 2019C62 5 Cohen papers Speeches and Writings 1969-2004
box 6, folder 7 "Ten Common Pitfalls to Paranoia, or They Loved Me in Hoboken" undated Scope and Contents Fictional writing. Typescript
box 7-9 Subject File 1950-2010 Scope and Contents Correspondence, memoranda and printed matter, arranged by topic
box 7, folder 1 Kroesen, Frederick J. 2003 Scope and Contents Memoir by General Kroesen, General Thoughts: Seventy Years with the Army. Printed copy
box 7, folder 2 Marshall, Andrew 2001 Scope and Contents Printed articles
Neutron bomb box 7, folder 3 General 1996-1999 Scope and Contents Printed articles
box 7, folder 4 Aquino, Michael A., "The Neutron Bomb" 1980 Scope and Contents University of California, Santa Barbara, doctoral dissertation. Typescript
box 7, folder 5 Nuclear energy 1992-2001 Scope and Contents Printed matter
box 7, folder 6, Nuclear physics 1982 box 8, folder 1-2 Scope and Contents Study by R. G. Breene, Jr., "An Introduction to the Group Theory of Elementary Particles." Processed
Nuclear weapons box 8, folder 3 General 1963-2010 Scope and Contents Printed matter
box 8, folder 4 Memoranda 1972-1976 Scope and Contents Includes H. A. Sandmeier and G. E. Hansen, "Neutron-Induced Ground Activities from Small Thermonuclear and Fission Weapons" and R. C. Tompkins, "Effect of Depth of Burial on Fallout from Atomic Demolition Munitions"
box 8, folder 5 Boldrick, Michael R., U.S. Post-Cold War Nuclear Strategy: From Deterrence through Marginalization to Unilateral Aboliton? 1997 Scope and Contents Lancaster University Centre for Defence and International Studie report. Printed copy
Preliminary Inventory of the S. T. 2019C62 6 Cohen papers Subject File 1950-2010
box 8, folder 6 Campbell, J. E. and H. A. Sandmeier, "Radiation Transport in Air over Ground and Air over Seawater for Application to Low-Altitude, Low-Yield Tactical Nuclear Detonations" 1973 Scope and Contents U.S. Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility study. Processed
box 8, folder 7 Extended Air Defence and the Long-Range Missile Threat 1997 Scope and Contents Lancaster University Centre for Defence and International Studies report. Printed copy
box 8, folder 8 Russian-American Collaborations to Reduce the Nuclear Danger 1996 Scope and Contents Los Alamos National Laboratory report. Printed copy
box 9, folder 1 Sandmeier, H. A. et al., "How to Calculate Effects of Tactical Low-Yield Enhanced Radiation and Fission Warheads" 1982 Scope and Contents Los Alamos National Laboratory report. Processed
box 9, folder 2 United States General Accounting Office, Department of Energy: DOE Needs to Improve Control oveer Foreign Visitors to Weapons Laboratories 1997 Scope and Contents Printed copy
box 9, folder 3 Wiencek, David G., Dangerous Arsenals: Missile Threats in and from Asia 1997 Scope and Contents Lancaster University Centre for Defence and International Studies report. Printed copy
box 9, folder 4 Psychoanalytic interpretation 1950 Scope and Contents Study by Norman Walter, The Sexual Cycle of Human Warfare: Being a New Theory of the Causes of War and an Inquiry into the Possibility of War-Prediction. Printed copy
box 9, folder 5 Rand Corporation 1975-2001 Scope and Contents Printed matter
box 9, folder 6 Red mercury 1992-1996 Scope and Contents Correspondence, memoranda and printed matter. Includes material re Edward Teller
box 9, folder 7 Schriever, Bernard A. 2004 Scope and Contents Printed article. General Schriever was involved in missile development
box 9, folder 8 Shallow Buried Munitions (SBM) 1976 Scope and Contents Report and memorandum
box 9, folder 9 Strauss, Leo 2003 Scope and Contents Printed article
Preliminary Inventory of the S. T. 2019C62 7 Cohen papers Subject File 1950-2010
box 9, folder 10 United States Central Intelligence Agency 1998 Scope and Contents Printed article
box 9, folder 11 Von Neumann, John 1992 Scope and Contents Memoir by Nicholas A. Vonneuman, "John von Neumann as Seen by His Brother." Processed
box 9, folder 12 Miscellany 2009-2010 box 9-10 Audiovisual File 1954-2002 and undated Scope and Contents Photographs and audiotapes
box 9, folder 13 Photographs undated Scope and Contents Contact prints, including prints of Cohen alone and with others
box 10 Audiotapes 1954-2002 Scope and Contents Includes recordings of interviews of Cohen and panel discussions in which he participated
box MC20 5 unlabeled cassette tapes box MC20 "Tony Sutton," cassette tape box MC20 "KNX, 10/12/81, ?", cassette tape box MC25 2 unlabeled VHS videocassettes Scope and Contents Includes photographs of "The Reason for the Neutron Bomb" exhibit by Chris Burden
box MC6
One 3.5 floppy disk
box MC3
DVD, "Sam Cohen Project 11-09-07 DVD Cut 2"
box MC3
DVD+R, "Cover-up in Oklahoma OTR Films"
box MC3
DVD+R, "Sam Cohen"
box MC3
DVD-R, "Sam Cohen"
box MC3
8 DVD+RW, "Sam Cohen"
Preliminary Inventory of the S. T. 2019C62 8 Cohen papers