The Third Atomic Bomb
After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the U.S. planned a third atomic bomb, but Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, allowing Emperor Hirohito to remain, making the bomb unnecessary.
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After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the U.S. Army Air Force planned to drop a third atomic bomb on Japan around August 19, 1945, if necessary. The Japanese government was divided on surrender, with one faction advocating for it under the condition that Emperor Hirohito remain in power, while the military faction wanted to continue fighting. The U.S. had only enough plutonium for one more bomb, which would not be ready until mid-August. President Truman ordered that no further bombs be dropped without his authorization and sought to increase pressure on Japan through continued air raids. On August 10, Prime Minister Suzuki asked the Emperor to intervene, leading to Japan's decision to surrender, provided the Emperor could retain his position. This prompted debates in Washington, but ultimately, the U.S. accepted the Emperor's continued role to facilitate post-war governance. The third bomb was deemed unnecessary as Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945. The plutonium core intended for the third bomb later became infamous as the "demon core" due to two fatal accidents during experiments at Los Alamos. The core was eventually melted down and repurposed for future atomic weapons.
- The U.S. planned a third atomic bombing on Japan after Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
- Japan's surrender was contingent on Emperor Hirohito retaining his position.
- The third bomb was ultimately unnecessary as Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945.
- The plutonium core for the third bomb was involved in two fatal accidents at Los Alamos.
- The U.S. accepted the Emperor's role to maintain stability in post-war Japan.
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- Many commenters express horror at the civilian casualties caused by the bombings, drawing parallels to contemporary conflicts.
- Several recommend books that delve into the history and consequences of nuclear weapons, highlighting the importance of understanding this topic.
- There is a discussion about the technical aspects of nuclear weapons and accidents, indicating a fascination with the science behind them.
- Some comments touch on the political ramifications of the bombings and the U.S. occupation of Japan, suggesting a broader historical context.
- Debates arise regarding the morality of using atomic bombs and the long-term effects on survivors and their families.
13 commentsPossibly the best book that I have ever read. It deals with many of the issues raised in the comments here, and with politics, industrial development, economics, military capabilities, and the history of modern physics.
Rhodes also wrote "'Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb', which told the story of the atomic espionage during World War II, the debates over whether the hydrogen bomb ought to be produced, and the eventual creation of the bomb and its consequences for the arms race." Also impeccable
Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Making_of_the_Atomic_Bomb
I always thought the material had to be forced together at high pressure for the chain reaction to start. Crazy that just dropping it had such dire consequences.
FWIW. You can see the fourth gadget at the National Museum of Nuclear Science & History in Albuquerque.
Kinda offtopic:
> Private Robert Hemmerly, was also irradiated but survived, only to die of cancer 33 years later.
The phrasing is odd, "only to ..." is a colloquialism to indicate bad luck, as in to escape one bad event only to immediately fall to another bad event.
But living 33 more years is a good amount of life! (and long enough interval to start doubting a direct causality between the irradiation and the cancer)
That success in Japan and Europe probably emboldened the B team, who went on to handle regime change in Central/South America, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
That's the difference between reading the book and reading the cliff notes, presumably.
In my social circles I'm usually the first one pointing out the tiniest scent of anti-americanisms but this is too pathetic, even for me.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_a...
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