Nuked: Echoes of the Hiroshima Bomb in St. Louis

by Linda C Morice

Nuked recounts the long-term effects of radiological exposure in St. Louis, Missouri―the city that refined uranium for the first self- sustaining nuclear reaction and the first atomic bomb. As part of the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II, the refining created an enormous amount of radioactive waste that increased as more nuclear weapons were produced and stockpiled for the Cold War.

Unfortunately, government officials deposited the waste on open land next to the municipal airport. An adjacent creek transported radionuclides downstream to the Missouri River, thereby contaminating St. Louis’s northern suburbs. Amid official assurances of safety, residents were unaware of the risks. The resulting public health crisis continues today with cleanup operations expected to last through the year 2038.

Morice attributes the crisis to several factors. They include a minimal concern for land pollution; cutting corners to win the war; new homebuilding practices that spread radioactive dirt; insufficient reporting mechanisms for cancer; and a fragmented government that failed to respond to regional problems.

Genres: Nonfiction

218 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2022

Reviews

[steve spence · Rating 5 out of 5]

what an amazing read. The author has done an outstanding job of researching (a very personal) lethal environmental legacy created when the United States built the “bomb” during World War 2 and for several decades after in the St. Louis area.

I had read about some of the toxic contamination resulting in processing uranium for the government, but was unfamiliar with how extensive the contamination was in St. Louis and St. Louis county. she does a fabulous job of researching and explaining her Research in a very lively, interesting book.

i also really appreciated how she tied in the multiple other communities (think Hanford Downwinders, Rocky Mountain Flats area and Paducah) into her book.

all of those communities and their populace have suffered great physical and emotional harm as the government withheld vital information about its nuclear waste programs. not to mention the incredible environmental damage resulting because of the lackluster\non existent\arrogant way these radioactive materials were handled and dumped onto the ground and into our water ways.

this is a must read book ! definitely 5 stars because it is so well written and backed with her detailed research.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting but disturbing book. I moved with my family to the St. Louis area in 1983. However, we were fortunate to have chosen southern St. Louis County instead of an area near Coldwater Creek. However, it could have been different. This is but one of 1318 “superfund” sites in the United States, and is very small compared to some of the others. Nonetheless, one gets the felling that a problem has been created that is almost too big to solve. The book talks a lot about “cancer clusters”. Coldwater Creek hasn’t actually been designated one as far as I can tell, but cancer incidence there is slightly above normal. The author, of course, has personal experience, having lost her parents and a brother to cancer, as well as a husband who so far is a survivor. She’s done a lot to raise awareness and this book is obviously part of that effort.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like (I imagine) many people, I was familiar with the Manhattan Project prior to reading this book but had never thought about where the materials for the atom bombs were manufactured. I was surprised to learn that not only were they largely made within US borders, but were completely, COMICALLY mishandled leaving generations of people affected by radioactive substances without their knowledge.

Morice does a great job of calmly, factually laying out the history of the Manhattan Project and how nuclear manufacturing plants across the US (but largely in St. Louis) came to damage landscapes and people alike. I cannot even begin to imagine how much research went into this project, as all the minutia of who talked to who when and what internal agency logic was at X time was preserved for the book. This level of research made for a compelling story that was easy to follow and become invested in.

My main issue with this book is that I wish Morice had included more personal narratives. The book very much focuses on the administrative failures that led to this whole mess, but largely leaves out personal testimonies of those affected--including her own testimony, as her family lived in St. Louis shortly after the waste disposal began. I understand she probably wanted to focus strictly on the facts and not individuals' emotion but...emotions in this case really matter and I think would have made the book much more impactful on a human level. The writing was generally a bit dry too, which I think only heightened the distance between the reader and subject matter.

Overall, this was a fascinating read about a subject I was previously unaware of. Its not my favorite history/social science book ever, but it has made me much more curious about this period in American history and I will likely read more about it in the future.

[Mary Cunningham]

You are most likely aware of the Manhattan Project. But are you aware of the collateral effects of the waste products from creating the atomic bomb? This book discusses those effects in detail. The author, a former resident of Florissant, Mo. lost both her parents and one brother to rare cancers. Her husband, who also lived in this area, has had two different kinds of cancers in his lifetime. In addition, there does not seem to be a solution to this ongoing problem. "We have the oldest radioactive waste of the atomic age. And there is on place on the planet to put this where it won't impact our air, our water, our lives. There is no solution." Kay Drey.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So glad I ran into this book at a local bookstore! It is so insightful and exposes St. Louis’ radioactive history, which was kept a secret for so long. It is amazing (and yet not very surprising) that there were, and still are, so many haphazardly managed superfund sights in our area.

This book is especially important in light of the recent findings at Jana Elementary School in Hazelwood. Citizens in North County are being poisoned and they have no idea that the land they live on is toxic- and even if they do know, there is still little being done to resolve the issue. So many families are still being impacted by the negligence of our local and federal government.

[Sleepy Sheepie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is really written for locals. It highlights an important topic in the STL region and it REALLY made me admire the persistence of a dedicated group of North County residents who pushed, and kept pushing, for this situation to get the attention it deserved. Speaking personally as a cog in the American electorate machine, it’s really easy to think that nothing you do matters.

I don’t say this often, but I wanted this book to be longer. There’s a lot more that could have and should have been said about the experience of the children who grew up on the banks of Coldwater Creek, the shameful negligence and coverups of the government, and the question of environmental responsibility. I personally do not know nearly enough about the topic of nuclear contamination to fully understand what needs to happen from here. However, I will seek out additional books on this topic, so in that sense, it accomplished a noble objective.

[Chase Shiflet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brisk read centered on the reverberations the construction of nuclear weapons had on a single St. Louis suburb and the resulting health deficiencies of people who lived around the suburban Coldwater Creek Watershed. It felt like the book began making the connection between the distinct lack of care for American citizens on the part of the US government and the underlying implications of that arrangement while ultimately stopping just short of anything truly profound. An interesting and heartbreaking read nonetheless.

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a healthcare provider in the St. Louis area, I have cared for many patients diagnosed with cancer. Some grew up in the Coldwater Creek area. I wanted to better understand the history behind this area and the exposures the residents of north county St. Louis faced many years ago and perhaps continue to face today. This book helped answer many questions and clarified the timeline of events up to present day. Thank you Linda for your extensive research and for sharing your personal experience within this work.

[Jess Shanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing (yet depressing) read. The author makes what could be a very dense science-based book very digestible for the everyday reader. This is phenomenal because more people need to know about this. More people from my hometown — St. Ann, Missouri. Part of the Clearwater Creek Watershed. And with this digestible yes THOROUGH read, it’s gonna reach more people. And hopefully that leads to earlier cancer detections.

Wonderful job, Linda 🙏🏻

[Kristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very appropriate follow-on read to M.G. Sheftall's Hiroshima, especially for St. Louis area readers.
I didn't grow up in St. Louis but I've lived here over 30 years, so I've read a lot of the coverage cited in the book from local newspapers/magazines. However, I still found this book (published in 2022) helpful to organize and contextualize the events that occurred since the 1940s with indelible consequences.

This book fulfilled the 2025 PopSugar prompt #8 - A book under 250 pages.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing coherent and well researched. News coverage of Cold Water Creek and the landfill has always been a back and forth between "tragedy" and "no big deal." It was nice to read something that told exactly what was happening. Even though the author's family was a victim of the radioactive dumping, she remained balanced in her reporting of the facts.

[Colette · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for every St. Louis resident.

[Theresa DePaepe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but powerful information on the impact of the Manhattan Project on the residents in the St. Louis area particularly North County from the 1940s to current.

[Marissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Ruffalo & Todd Haynes I have a sequel for you after that DuPont movie you did 👍 (also I can’t say I’m surprised but I am a little..I dunno, verklempt?)

[Susan Grout · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book telling a sad story. Too many lies, and too little caring about people and the environment.

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well sourced, informative, and terrifying

I've followed this story for a long time, but there are so many things I learned from this book. I like that the author covers how "The Great Divorce" of STL City & County affected the waste processes and how/where to store it. This is an important book for my fellow St Louisans and I cannot recommend it enough.