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August 9, 1945

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NutmegCT

NutmegCT

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On August 9, 1945, there were clouds over the city of Kokura. So the temperature rose a million degrees in Nagasaki, and Bock's Car returned to base.

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May we never see these weapons used again.
 
Gotta say: "It worked."

The alternative to NOT utilsing the second device would have been worse.

I met the navigator of the first crew, one of his kids was a classmate.

No regrets. No tears.... war ain't got rules. We haven't kiledl 3K people of another country in a surprise raid for conquest. EVER.
 
DrEntropy said:
Gotta say: "It worked."

The alternative to NOT utilsing the second device would have been worse.

I met the navigator of the first crew, one of his kids was a classmate.

No regrets. No tears.... war ain't got rules. We haven't kiledl 3K people of another country in a surprise raid for conquest. EVER.
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Had to be the hardest decision ever made by any President. But then...

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You have to keep in mind too that it was several years before the long term ramifications of use of the bomb was really understood. Look at the rather casual approach to cleanup after the Bikini atoll tests and the use of troops in the atmospheric tests in the later 40s and early 50s, in those cases the effects were thought to be minimal or non existent by most. There are reports of civilians watching tests from nearby mountain tops as entertainment. So while it was a serious decision, with the knowledge of the time and fear of the invasion alternative costs, maybe not as difficult as we'd think today.
 
The Retired Lt Col, Al Santilli, who administered the oath when my son Commissioned into AF, was part of the team that conducted the first test at Trinity site. He had a front row seat. BTW, they open Trinity to the public on two days every year. Once in April and again in October.
 
I do believe the sacrifice of the Japanese citizens with the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombs spared the world a far greater catastrophe. Had we not known the kind of destruction these weapons were capable of and employed them when there were hundreds or thousands of these weapons stockpiled, none of us would probably be here today.

One of the little known aspects about the end of the war was on August 14th, when the Japanese Imperial Council met to discuss surrender, the Army Air Corps put up no less than 1,000 aircraft over Japan. I once interviewed a B-29 plane commander (he insisted that was his title, not just "pilot") who believed that these raids, which showed that America could strike Japan with a large amount of force wherever and whenever it chose helped push those Japanese, who still may have been on the fence about surrender, to agree to do so.
 
There are many pilots. There are fewer Aircraft Commanders. The AC for short, in the lingo. All AC are pilots, not all pilots are AC's. When the bird's in the air, the AC is one klik lower than God.
 
DrEntropy said:
There are many pilots. There are fewer Aircraft Commanders. The AC for short, in the lingo. All AC are pilots, not all pilots are AC's. When the bird's in the air, the AC is one klik lower than God.
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My son is an AC (KC-135s)
 
I joined the wrong Air Force... :sorrow: After BMTS I never saw another airplane, fact I didn't see anything but the bright glow of computer screens. Stationed on an Army base and worked for the Navy. The 90's were a confusing time to be a "blue suit"...
 
My experience was somewhat odd. Going thru Basic we were asked if there was anyone who had some skill set that they thought the Air Force could put to use, my background from childhood was as a photographer. Worked for a local newspaper through high school, side work for a studio and a camera store. Took what they called a "Bypass Specialist Test" and apparently passed it. Got a direct-duty assignment to a Photo Squadron. Went thru all the aircrew training and got my Aircrew wings. Got to be "back-seat baggage" in a bunch of aircraft.

One of my pals got PCS'd to a missile site in Turkey, he resigned his commission after that gig and went racing instead. :thumbsup:
 
A good read ( although not easy ) is "The Making Of The Atomic Bomb", by Richard Rhodes, explains the whole process through the years and how close they were to people and the population in the study and manufacturing process. No computers just slide rules.
 
LarryK said:
A good read ( although not easy ) is "The Making Of The Atomic Bomb", by Richard Rhodes, explains the whole process through the years and how close they were to people and the population in the study and manufacturing process. No computers just slide rules.
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Amen to that. One of the best books I've found on the whole "Manhattan" project.
 
Have a book at home called "Picturing the Bomb" all sorts of photos taken by the government, scientists, their families and such of Los Alamos and the work going on during the project. Some is in the labs and experiments, some is of every day life for those living there during the war. Interesting study of what it was like during those years.
 
I always will remember the first time I read Hiroshima, it is simply staggering the destruction that Little Boy caused and the suffering of those that survived it.
 
LarryK said:
A good read ( although not easy ) is "The Making Of The Atomic Bomb", by Richard Rhodes, explains the whole process through the years and how close they were to people and the population in the study and manufacturing process. No computers just slide rules.
Click to expand...

How many of you still remember how to use a slide rule? I threw mine in the trash when the scientific calculators came out! :highly_amused: PJ
 
PAUL161 said:
How many of you still remember how to use a slide rule? I threw mine in the trash when the scientific calculators came out! :highly_amused: PJ
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I used to have a regular slide rule and a circular slide rule. Very early on in my EE studies I bought the TI-59 Programmable calculator. It was an amazing little box for its time. I still have it somewhere.
 
I still have my dad's 1930s Keufel and Esser slide rule - even figured out how to use it. Amazing to think that the Apollo moon landing project was mostly done on slide rules!

On a different tack, 70 years ago today (August 14), there was very nearly a coup in Japan. Some military leaders didn't want Japan to surrender (which the Emperor had already approved, and recorded the "surrender" speech to be broadcast on August 15).

The coup failed as the participants tried to take over the Emperor's palace and cut outside communications. They desperately tried to find the Emperor's speech recording, but it had been hidden in a pile of laundry, and was successfully delivered to NHK broadcasting on August 15. That broadcast was heard by the Allies, and is considered the unofficial "end" of World War Two.

The Japanese civilian and military surrender didn't take place until September 2 (USS Missouri). And the actual end of the Pacific war is often recognized as the signing of the Treaty of San Francisco, September 8, 1951, taking effect April 28, 1952.

Tom M.
details, details
 
Mine was a Texas Instrument, but don't remember what model. All I know was I could carry it in my pocket, a little tight fit but it was so handy, I didn't have to think anymore! LOL :encouragement: PJ
 
Tom, that Instrument of Surrender picture I posted earlier in this thread was from our visit to the Missouri.
 
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