The Swiss concept of civil defense calls for almost total mobilization of civilian manpower in the survival system. Nearly every adult member of the community is given an emergency assignment as a fire fighter, a medical attendant, a stretcher bearer, a member of the welfare service, or another essential job. Virtually all key assignments are filled by personnel with compulsory civil defense service commitments. To fill the demand for personnel, women are encouraged to accept assignments on a voluntary basis whenever the nature of the job permits.

On July 24 I casually mentioned to Stalin that we had a new weapon of unusual destructive force. The Russian Premier showed no special interest. All he said was he was glad to hear it and hoped we would make “good use of it against the Japanese.”