Query: weapons of mass destruction

Posted by Paul Guthrie on July 15, 2000

In Reply to: Query: weapons of mass destruction posted by Nina on July 13, 2000

: To readers of this list:

: I am interested in the origins of the phrase
: "weapons of mass destruction." Does anyone
: have any idea of its earliest usage, or
: where I might look for info?

: Thanks very much.
: Nina

I'd also be interested to find out who coined this phrase. Doing a search in Altavista the earliest references I could find are:
1. 1977 - a paper entitled "Weapons of Mass Destruction and the Environment" by A.H. Westing.
2. A folder entitled "Weapons of Mass Destruction" being an archive of activities conducted by a peace movement group called SANE between 1968-1975. In this case the title may have came after the fact. (www.library.temple.edu/ urbana/urb50.htm)

• Einstein/Russell - "weapons of mass destruction" Paul Guthrie 07/15/00
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