"That's all, I guess."
Landsiedel looked at him "If you're not going to say it, I will—"
"What?"
"About you. How you got there."
Dugan sighed. "One more sentence, Wilson. Major Dugan encountered difficulty in both approach and egress. It is believed certain that Soviet officials are aware a visit has been made. It is not recommended that Atomsk be subjected to further visits until the other locations have been checked. The nature of the forest cover is such that no weapons testing could be performed without total spoilage of the camouflage. It is also suggested that the entire subsoil, down to the water table, may become heavily radioactive in the near future. If that occurs, Soviet personnel will presumably be evacuated and American visitors would be subjected to hazards."
Dugan looked at Landsiedel. "Do you want to spell out the conclusions?"
Landsiedel nodded, "Let me talk it.
"The fact that Atomsk has been penetrated destroys its primary mission — the preparation of radioactive material other than a bomb. It would therefore appear likely that the Russians now have one less weapon than they thought they had. Though they will not be able to trace the interference to the United States, they may suspect the presence of American clandestine operations. This prolongs the period of peace in strictly strategic terms and allows more time for the reasonable political settlement of outstanding international difficulties.
"Experience of the representative who visited Atomsk suggests that the possession of violent weapons is not as great a threat to peace as the possession of secret weapons. The loss of the secrecy of Atomsk, on which such a tremendous effort of human labor was expended, may reduce Soviet military confidence to the point that conciliatory diplomatic gestures would be more welcome than they have been for some time.
"The visit to Atomsk showed that the Russian people are a proud and lovable people. They are kind to one another. Their present political system is extremely tyrannical and oppressive. It is only the good humor and patience of the common people of Russia which permits such a system to survive. A less admirable people would have died under such oppression; a more liberty-minded people would have revolted. It is the personal conclusion of the observer that the freedom of Russia is the hope of the world. If the Russian people escape the deceptive propaganda and police suppression of the Communist dictatorship, they will contribute mightily to the peace and culture of the world. I'll leave that in, Major. I really mean it."