The Atomic Bomb: Crash Course History of Science #33
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Date: 2022-04-04
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Comments and reviews: 10
Tyler
He leaves out that the US just got done with the gruelling battle of Okinawa where there were 50k american casualties (12k dead) and 150k japanese killed. - Okinawa being a small island. The US saw just how ferocious and tenacious the Japanese could be and the US hadnt even reached the home Islands yet. Operation downfall (invasion of mainland Japan) had estimates ranging in the hundreds of thousands for the Americans and into the Millions for the Japanese.
You can still argue the ethics of dropping the bomb, but come on you have to at least mention war fatigue and the ethical argument of the real possibility more would die (both civilians and military) from an actual invasion. Not to mention public opinion of sending more young americans to die in a war they didnt start who didnt need to.
Also the Soviets were about to invade as well and the cold war was already brewing. A -quick resolution- and keeping it out of soviet hands played a major role outside of just the casualties. Dont mention just -justify cost- as the reason why. Again I respect both sides of the argument but at least try to be factual.
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He leaves out that the US just got done with the gruelling battle of Okinawa where there were 50k american casualties (12k dead) and 150k japanese killed. - Okinawa being a small island. The US saw just how ferocious and tenacious the Japanese could be and the US hadnt even reached the home Islands yet. Operation downfall (invasion of mainland Japan) had estimates ranging in the hundreds of thousands for the Americans and into the Millions for the Japanese.
You can still argue the ethics of dropping the bomb, but come on you have to at least mention war fatigue and the ethical argument of the real possibility more would die (both civilians and military) from an actual invasion. Not to mention public opinion of sending more young americans to die in a war they didnt start who didnt need to.
Also the Soviets were about to invade as well and the cold war was already brewing. A -quick resolution- and keeping it out of soviet hands played a major role outside of just the casualties. Dont mention just -justify cost- as the reason why. Again I respect both sides of the argument but at least try to be factual.
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Gerald
I am who I am. I'm struggling with the concept of reality; is this just part of my reality as I perceive it or is it fundamental truth? Is whatever I witness through personal contact, visual, aural or other sensory perception the truth? Maybe everything in my life is of my creation. Have I created this brilliant presentation, (thank you, in my 'creative world' which I inhabit, or is it really true. Is my life and world as I perceive and live in reality? It is to me but what about you dear reader? Can we as individuals change the world by re-adjusting our thoughts and perceptions? Can we change the world into a place of love, peace and joy by embracing the thought that everything so far is a construct of our enormously powerful minds? We created atomic and nuclear weapons, appalling, even more destructive chemical, biological and psychological weapons; maybe now is the time to create strange weapons of peace, love and joy in our minds to change reality. If you've read this far bless you and yours. PAX G
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I am who I am. I'm struggling with the concept of reality; is this just part of my reality as I perceive it or is it fundamental truth? Is whatever I witness through personal contact, visual, aural or other sensory perception the truth? Maybe everything in my life is of my creation. Have I created this brilliant presentation, (thank you, in my 'creative world' which I inhabit, or is it really true. Is my life and world as I perceive and live in reality? It is to me but what about you dear reader? Can we as individuals change the world by re-adjusting our thoughts and perceptions? Can we change the world into a place of love, peace and joy by embracing the thought that everything so far is a construct of our enormously powerful minds? We created atomic and nuclear weapons, appalling, even more destructive chemical, biological and psychological weapons; maybe now is the time to create strange weapons of peace, love and joy in our minds to change reality. If you've read this far bless you and yours. PAX G
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Bejoy
You are wrong about Truman's rationale. More civilians died in conventional bombing of Japanese cities prior to the atomic bombs. Truman later wrote -Despite their heavy losses at Okinawa and the firebombing of Tokyo, the Japanese refused to surrender. The saturation bombing of Japan took much fiercer tolls and wrought far and away more havoc than the atomic bomb. Far and away. The firebombing of Tokyo was one of the most terrible things that ever happened, and they didn't surrender after that although Tokyo was almost completely destroyed. - He also remarks -my object is to save as many American lives as possible but I also have a human feeling for the women and children of Japan- in respect to the casualty estimates from an invasion of the home islands.
I completely oppose targeting civilians during war, but you don't afford Truman the same leniency you give to -pacifist- Einstein, who was also complicit in the bombings.
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You are wrong about Truman's rationale. More civilians died in conventional bombing of Japanese cities prior to the atomic bombs. Truman later wrote -Despite their heavy losses at Okinawa and the firebombing of Tokyo, the Japanese refused to surrender. The saturation bombing of Japan took much fiercer tolls and wrought far and away more havoc than the atomic bomb. Far and away. The firebombing of Tokyo was one of the most terrible things that ever happened, and they didn't surrender after that although Tokyo was almost completely destroyed. - He also remarks -my object is to save as many American lives as possible but I also have a human feeling for the women and children of Japan- in respect to the casualty estimates from an invasion of the home islands.
I completely oppose targeting civilians during war, but you don't afford Truman the same leniency you give to -pacifist- Einstein, who was also complicit in the bombings.
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paul
The video claims that no one knew how big the Trinity explosion was going to be. This isn't really true. The theoretical physicists estimated a 5-10 kt explosion, and there was a bet among a few scientists before the test with estimates ranging from 0 to about 40kt. The explosion itself was about 20kt. So for a never before attempted experiment, they knew pretty well what was going to happen.
Also the Manhattan Project wasn't all that secret if we are honest. I mean, the soviets knew about it, and not just that it existed, they had detailed technical knowledge of it's inner workings of the bomb, such that they quickly had their own, and this despite the fact that the top european physicist had either fled to the US before the war started or were snatched by the US after the war.
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The video claims that no one knew how big the Trinity explosion was going to be. This isn't really true. The theoretical physicists estimated a 5-10 kt explosion, and there was a bet among a few scientists before the test with estimates ranging from 0 to about 40kt. The explosion itself was about 20kt. So for a never before attempted experiment, they knew pretty well what was going to happen.
Also the Manhattan Project wasn't all that secret if we are honest. I mean, the soviets knew about it, and not just that it existed, they had detailed technical knowledge of it's inner workings of the bomb, such that they quickly had their own, and this despite the fact that the top european physicist had either fled to the US before the war started or were snatched by the US after the war.
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Jon
Your science is good. But your history is sloppy.
The bomb was the shock the jappanese needed to surrender, case and point after both atomic bombings vaporizing 2 cities in an instant, the emperors minister of war told people to continue fighting and prepare for an all out struggle agaisnt the Americans.
The emperor was consulted, and he elected to surrender to prevent further suffering in an inevitable conclusion.
And when he did their was an attempted coup agaisnt him, by the army to continue the war.
Make no mistake, failing the atom bomb, or a massive firebombing campaign.
Their would have been a ground invasion of japan
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Your science is good. But your history is sloppy.
The bomb was the shock the jappanese needed to surrender, case and point after both atomic bombings vaporizing 2 cities in an instant, the emperors minister of war told people to continue fighting and prepare for an all out struggle agaisnt the Americans.
The emperor was consulted, and he elected to surrender to prevent further suffering in an inevitable conclusion.
And when he did their was an attempted coup agaisnt him, by the army to continue the war.
Make no mistake, failing the atom bomb, or a massive firebombing campaign.
Their would have been a ground invasion of japan
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Purple-headed
6: 50 when you talked about causes for dropping the atomic bomb I think you fail to understand the war crimes and the resolve of the Japanese citizens at this time. You failed to mention the monumental loss of life that was being inflicted on China at this time. They forcibly raped women in the tens of thousands. Allies may have forcibly raped women but this happened in the hundreds not tens of thousands or possibly more because they inflicted bigger kill counts on single cities in China than whole countries in WW2
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6: 50 when you talked about causes for dropping the atomic bomb I think you fail to understand the war crimes and the resolve of the Japanese citizens at this time. You failed to mention the monumental loss of life that was being inflicted on China at this time. They forcibly raped women in the tens of thousands. Allies may have forcibly raped women but this happened in the hundreds not tens of thousands or possibly more because they inflicted bigger kill counts on single cities in China than whole countries in WW2
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Leigh
Can't help but feel you came on very harsh on nuclear. Putting the debate of dropping the bombs on Japan (which I think you should have explained arguments on both sides, for nuclear energy production, simply compare the number of people who have died from fossil fuel pollution, and many more will die from global warming, compared to a handful of nuclear accidents (mainly caused by incompetence more than the technology itself.
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Can't help but feel you came on very harsh on nuclear. Putting the debate of dropping the bombs on Japan (which I think you should have explained arguments on both sides, for nuclear energy production, simply compare the number of people who have died from fossil fuel pollution, and many more will die from global warming, compared to a handful of nuclear accidents (mainly caused by incompetence more than the technology itself.
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demonwalker01
Love how he skipped over that the Japanese military was training civilians to fight for every square inch of soil or that the military command refused to surrender when the emperor wanted to and half of the cabinet or that multiple surrender offers were made and they still refused or the predictions of 10 million dead taking the home island got a love revisionist history.
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Love how he skipped over that the Japanese military was training civilians to fight for every square inch of soil or that the military command refused to surrender when the emperor wanted to and half of the cabinet or that multiple surrender offers were made and they still refused or the predictions of 10 million dead taking the home island got a love revisionist history.
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Geoff
And as usual this American centric video does NOT mention the important part played by British scientists. Secret until the 1970s yes, but public now. It was also SHAMEFUL that these scientists, after making such a large contribution were literally thrown out of the USA without their own notes.
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And as usual this American centric video does NOT mention the important part played by British scientists. Secret until the 1970s yes, but public now. It was also SHAMEFUL that these scientists, after making such a large contribution were literally thrown out of the USA without their own notes.
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joracer1
The bomb save millions of lives, Japan said they would fight until the last man, woman or child was dead, so it gave us no choice but to show enormous devastation, we had to drop the 2nd one to get them to quit. Not until the 2nd one hit they announced they would surrendered, smart move.
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The bomb save millions of lives, Japan said they would fight until the last man, woman or child was dead, so it gave us no choice but to show enormous devastation, we had to drop the 2nd one to get them to quit. Not until the 2nd one hit they announced they would surrendered, smart move.
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