History Channel-Simply Amazing What You Might Learn!

[TimesTheyRAChangin]

I am over 60,and until a few minutes ago I wasn't aware of what a lot of Americans probably take for granted.Though Canadian,I was still shocked that I had not known of this piece of historical fact.I always understood that the the bombs dropped on Hiroshima & Nagasaki were of identical nature.But on 'Lost Worlds',a feature of the History Channel,I found out that the first was uranium based and the latter was plutonium based.I read quite a lot and can't believe I have never come across this previously.Thank GOD for the History Chanel!(And National Geographic!)

[russowen77]

My fathere was a B24 navigator flying recon missions in WWII. They overflew hiroshima the day after the bomb was dropped. He died a few years ago and was very conservative in almost all ways except for one thing. He absolutely hated nukes. Even worse than he hated the Japanese and that took a lot.

[Tom]

Times, I never knew how close both Germany and Japan were to having thier own nukes either. And there is some controversy about a possible nuke development site in Korea that diappeared whent he Russina got there
some very interesting programs on Discovery/Discovery Times.

Another one that was a surprise - the fold up airplanes that were being sent off shore in submarines - to be used to fly into NY City skyscrappers to demoralize and terrorize our committment to the war!

[46zilzal]

Good movie about same.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_Man_and_Little_Boy

Little Boy had an exploding linear mechanism to get critical mass by sending a charge down the length of it, while Fat Man IMPLODED to get critical mass.

They had little idea of which would work best so they had two methods for this "experiment."

The lives of many of these scientists was forever changed as you see General Groves was the one pushing this so that the Soviets would be the ones impressed by this weapon as they were heading toward mainland Japan from the mainland. It was of questionable effect as the powers could have starved out the Japanese bottled up at home where saturation bombing with firebombs had all but destroyed their infrastructure. Just listen to MacNamara talk about this in the Fog of War.

[delayjf]

He absolutely hated nukes. Even worse than he hated the Japanese and that took a lot.
Most US General including Adm. Halsey and Gen MacArthur were against the use of the bomb in Japan.

[Greyfox]

Come on guys. My memory is:

1. When you believe that the Emporer is a God, you do not quit.
2. Japanese soldiers were still surfacing from jungles 15 years after the war.

It is sad the bomb had to be used, but the Japanese would have never quit.
Thousands and thousands of lives were saved.

[JustRalph]

Come on guys. My memory is:

1. When you believe that the Emporer is a God, you do not quit.
2. Japanese soldiers were still surfacing from jungles 15 years after the war.

It is sad the bomb had to be used, but the Japanese would have never quit.
Thousands and thousands of lives were saved.

Great points~!!

[xtb]

My father was in training for months for an invasion into Japan before the bombs were dropped. They were told that 1 out of 3 would not be coming back alive and that the number of casualties would be unlike anything else in the war. He was greatly relieved when the bombs were dropped.

[46zilzal]

My father was in training for months for an invasion into Japan before the bombs were dropped. They were told that 1 out of 3 would not be coming back alive and that the number of casualties would be unlike anything else in the war. He was greatly relieved when the bombs were dropped.
Almost line for line as I heard from my father who was stationed with the Army Air Corps in Manila.

Funny we had our differences over the years (Vietnam which he finally came to realize was a joke) but during the last decade of his life he agree with me that 80% of warfare is trumped up Bull Shit so the rich can get richer.

I can vividly recall his opinion about Iraq and the rutabaga. We were talking about governments (he used to oft quote me the term "My country right or wrong" but later re-evaluated it and told me that while that was still true, it was up to decent citizens to point out when something was terribly wrong [Iraq] and make every effort to change it) and he flatly stated that he would not have joined up today for what he termed was a God damned lie. He used to tell me that he wondered just where the country he fought for had gone and stated many a time that the president was dangerously out of his mind.

This was a man who taught me to consider the deeds and ideas of people not from which mouth those ideas came.

[Gittup]

My neighbor, Harvey S, is one of the few remaining physisists that worked on the Manhatten project at Los Alomos. He was irradiated, and continues to shake (tremors) as he has for the past fifteen years that I've known him.

We've had many dicussions regarding the weapon that he helped to create.
In hindsight, Harvey wishes he had applied his talents elsewhere. He still has conflicted thoughts on the "morality" of his endeavors.

[JustRalph]

Almost line for line as I heard from my father who was stationed with the Army Air Corps in Manila.

Funny we had our differences over the years (Vietnam which he finally came to realize was a joke) but during the last decade of his life he agree with me that 80% of warfare is trumped up Bull Shit so the rich can get richer.

I can vividly recall his opinion about Iraq and the rutabaga. We were talking about governments (he used to oft quote me the term "My country right or wrong" but later re-evaluated it and told me that while that was still true, it was up to decent citizens to point out when something was terribly wrong [Iraq] and make every effort to change it) and he flatly stated that he would not have joined up today for what he termed was a God damned lie. He used to tell me that he wondered just where the country he fought for had gone and stated many a time that the president was dangerously out of his mind.

This was a man who taught me to consider the deeds and ideas of people not from which mouth those ideas came.

you ever think he finally just gave up.............. :lol:

[lsbets]

you ever think he finally just gave up.............. :lol:

I am just impressed at Zilly's ability to bring Bush up in almost every thought he has. I wonder if in the middle of sex he screams "rutabaga".

[russowen77]

Come on guys. My memory is:

1. When you believe that the Emporer is a God, you do not quit.
2. Japanese soldiers were still surfacing from jungles 15 years after the war.

It is sad the bomb had to be used, but the Japanese would have never quit.
Thousands and thousands of lives were saved.
Then explain Okinawa. The first mass troop surrender in the war and it was occuring on Japanese soil. The civilian survivors there are still a little angry that they were their families that committed suicide were lied to by Japanese officers.

We had killed almost all their elite troops and what defended Japan was a far cry from the what we had battled so far.

[Tom]

I am just impressed at Zilly's ability to bring Bush up in almost every thought he has. I wonder if in the middle of sex he screams "rutabaga".

No, it's "NO Bush, NO Bush!":eek:




This one's gonna be gone tonight!:rolleyes:

[Tom]

This was a man who taught me to consider the deeds and ideas of people not from which mouth those ideas came.


Say what??????:lol::lol::lol:

[Greyfox]

Then explain Okinawa. .

Okinawa? The surrender came none to soon.
A close personal friend of mine would have died as a P.O.W. in a matter of days had that war not ended when it did. Explain it to his kids why we should have dragged it out for what would have been a long long time? Let's not forget Pearl Harbor.

( Did I mention that those kids would have never been born?)

[hcap]

I am just impressed at Zilly's ability to bring Bush up in almost every thought he has. I wonder if in the middle of sex he screams "rutabaga".I seem to recall a few years ago many here totally enamored with Bush, doing just that for all to hear. Amazing that some here still close their eyes in delight and shout.....

"Oh Georgie, Oh Georgie !!! "

:jump: :bang: :lol:

[Greyfox]

I am just impressed at Zilly's ability to bring Bush up in almost every thought he has. I wonder if in the middle of sex he screams "rutabaga".

Yes. And in the middle of eating rutabagas he screams "Yes." "Yes." "Yes."

[delayjf]

Another factor motivating Truman was his desire to show the Russians our nuclear capability. I think he could have done that without bombing a city - tell everyone what your doing and drop the bomb in the countryside somewhere. There's a lot of evidense that Japan was ready to capitulate after the first bomb was dropped. Given the passive nature of the Japanese after the surrender - I'm not sure they were really prepared to fight to the death.

[lsbets]

I seem to recall a few years ago many here totally enamored with Bush, doing just that for all to hear. Amazing that some here still close their eyes in delight and shout.....

"Oh Georgie, Oh Georgie !!! "

:jump: :bang: :lol:

Really? Aside from Lefty show me the quotes. He's better than Kerry probably doesn't count as enamored. Can you find me the quotes? If not, to use one of your favorite terms - STFU and learn how to read.

[Tom]

Didn't the Emperor intervene and convince the military to surrender to spare the civilians?

[46zilzal]

Really? Aside from Lefty show me the quotes. He's better than Kerry probably doesn't count as enamored. Can you find me the quotes? If not, to use one of your favorite terms - STFU and learn how to read.
More of this malarkey.

[rastajenk]

That guy could just as easily be an AlGorian in a global warming debate.

[lsbets]

I see 46 cannot rise to the challenge, but I'm not surprised. Don't you have some manure to shovel Dr. 6 foot 3?

[Gittup]

I see 46 cannot rise to the challenge, but I'm not surprised. Don't you have some manure to shovel Dr. 6 foot 3?
When it comes to shoveling manure, seems to me Isbets, you're doing more than your share.

[46zilzal]

I see 46 cannot rise to the challenge, but I'm not surprised. Don't you have some manure to shovel Dr. 6 foot 3?
Actually as a hot walker and groom I did a lot of that learning from the "ground" up.

[DeanT]

Another factor motivating Truman was his desire to show the Russians our nuclear capability. I think he could have done that without bombing a city - tell everyone what your doing and drop the bomb in the countryside somewhere. There's a lot of evidense that Japan was ready to capitulate after the first bomb was dropped. Given the passive nature of the Japanese after the surrender - I'm not sure they were really prepared to fight to the death.

Imo, if something like this happened today, with a 24 hour news cycle and "analysts" virtually on every news cast it would have been the most debated political decision of our times. It would make Iraq look like a footnote in history.

History seems to have treated it fairly, I think - namely, in the heat of battle, with far-reaching effects on the world we live in, it was certainly a decision that was "ok", funamentally sound, or even excused.

Times have changed, that's for sure. I dont like 24 hour, hindsight driven media. It does us all a disservice, imo.

[PaceAdvantage]

When it comes to shoveling manure, seems to me Isbets, you're doing more than your share.That was helpful.