Vietnam War: Stopping nuclear disaster
In 1975, physicist Wally Hendrickson prevented nuclear disaster in Vietnam
Witness History · BBC World Service
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Show Notes
In 1975, during the final days of the Vietnam War, most of the world was unaware that the North Vietnamese were advancing a new breed of nuclear reactor, gifted to the South by the United States government.
Not only was it technology the North's Russian allies did not yet have, it was also a source of weapons-grade nuclear fuel.
As a last resort, the US discussed bombing the facility, risking nuclear fallout, rather than risk the technology falling into Soviet hands.
To avoid humanitarian and environmental disaster, a physicist from Idaho in the US, called Wally Hendrickson, volunteered to be dropped into the front line to remove the fuel rods from the reactor.
He speaks to Ramita Navai. A Two Degrees West production for BBC World Service.
(Photo: Dalat nuclear institute. Credit: Diane Selwyn)