WHERE THE WIND BLEW tells the story of how the Cold War super powers, in their race to develop more and more deadly bombs, spent forty years developing weapons capable of wiping out entire nations, while sacrificing their own vulnerable populations in the name of national security. Using archive and testimony from both those affected and those participating in these escalating events, "Where the Wind Blew" shows not only how ordinary people were allowed to suffer in ignorance, but also how, with personal fortitude and courage, they defied their governments. They helped change the course of history by joining forces, first nationally, then across the world to finally triumph against the testing of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan became, in 1989, the first nation to close its test site, leading the way to an international test ban treaty. The story does not, of course, end with this victory. Despite treaties and promises, today sees the super powers (and some not-so-super powers) once again build up their nuclear arsenals. With global tensions on the increase, and the real fear that nuclear arms are increasingly available to unstable regimes and groups, we more than ever need reminding about the lessons of history. We may have become complacent about nuclear testing – but the Doomsday Clock which warns us about the threat of how nuclear global destruction takes us closer to Armageddon, is ticking steadily towards midnight.
WHERE THE WIND BLEW tells the story of how the Cold War super powers, in their race to develop more and more deadly bombs, spent forty years developing weapons capable of wiping out entire nations, while sacrificing their own vulnerable populations in the name of national security. Using archive and testimony from both those affected and those participating in these escalating events, "Where the Wind Blew" shows not only how ordinary people were allowed to suffer in ignorance, but also how, with personal fortitude and courage, they defied their governments. They helped change the course of history by joining forces, first nationally, then across the world to finally triumph against the testing of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan became, in 1989, the first nation to close its test site, leading the way to an international test ban treaty. The story does not, of course, end with this victory. Despite treaties and promises, today sees the super powers (and some not-so-super powers) once again build up their nuclear arsenals. With global tensions on the increase, and the real fear that nuclear arms are increasingly available to unstable regimes and groups, we more than ever need reminding about the lessons of history. We may have become complacent about nuclear testing – but the Doomsday Clock which warns us about the threat of how nuclear global destruction takes us closer to Armageddon, is ticking steadily towards midnight.