Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site pyuxii.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!pyuxww!pyuxii!tw8023 From: tw8023@pyuxii.UUCP (T Wheeler) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Re: America-bashing (use of atomic bomb) Message-ID: <202@pyuxii.UUCP> Date: Thu, 22-Aug-85 09:07:10 EDT Article-I.D.: pyuxii.202 Posted: Thu Aug 22 09:07:10 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 24-Aug-85 17:03:50 EDT References: <3268@drutx.UUCP> <10615@rochester.UUCP> <1733@mnetor.UUCP>, <429@baylor.UUCP> Organization: Bell Communications Research, Piscataway N.J. Lines: 28 Sorry, Peter, but they HAD dropped the bomb before H and N. Take a look at what happened in April 1945 in New Mexico. Ok, the bomb was set off in a tower, but it went off. One hell of a lot of people on the West coast knew we had the bomb after the explosion. It was seen over a rather large area. Therefore, we knew that the idea would work, but, we did not know if the detonation device in the bomb would work. Remember, the bomb over Nag. was set to go off at a given altitude. This was the part they were uncertain about. If the bomb had been set to go off on impact, the area of destruction would have been much smaller. Thus, if the bomb had been dropped over water as a demo, the detonation device had failed, the bomb goes under water and either does not explode or finally does, all that would happen would be a large water spout, not too convincing to observers. There were a total of four bombs produced at that time. The first one was tested in New Mexico, the second dropped on Nag., the third (and different type of bomb) was dropped on Hiro. (not the prime target by the way, Hiro. being, at the time, a large center of christians in Japan), and the fourth was destined for another, as yet unnamed, target. What with all of our hindsight, it is very easy to now second guess the thinking of 40 years ago. I do it all the time when the Mets lose a ballgame. The major consideration in discussing past events is that, unless one of us had a direct involvement in a decision, we should not be laying a guilt trip on ourselves. What we should be doing is learning if we feel a mistake was made by those who preceded us and try not to repeat those mistakes. T. C. Wheeler