The Frightening Power of the Very Small (Haiku)




August 9th – 1945

To forget ‘today’

the bright flash – the darkest crime

Nagasaki burns

17 Responses to “The Frightening Power of the Very Small (Haiku)”

  1. Saggio says:

    Man, fuck Truman.

  2. Nick says:

    Yay, a post not related to self-promotion!

  3. Elise says:

    One part of me is saying “Hundreds of thousands of innocents died.” The other part of me is saying “It did save over a million American troops from being slaughtered by the Japanese army.”

    Blarg.

  4. Zeek says:

    I’d kill a billion soldiers to save 1 civilian.

  5. Saggio says:

    One part of me is saying “Hundreds of thousands of innocents died.” The other part of me is saying “It did save over a million American troops from being slaughtered by the Japanese army.”

    Blarg.

    Um. There’s a bit of a difference between killing a guy that has a rifle pointed at you, with orders to kill you, and totally destroying two entire cities and all of their inhabitants. There weren’t even military targets (that’s why they hadn’t been bombed before).

    The US is the original terrorist organisation.

  6. chapulin says:

    Wasnt there a car manufacturing plant nearby? Mitsubishi I think.

  7. chapulin says:

    Not sure if there is debate about the alleged torpedo factory. So excuse my unfamiliarity on the subject. Not giving justification for the Bomb either, just sharing what little I gathered

    “Nagasaki had never been subjected to large scale bombing prior to the explosion of the atomic bomb there. On August 1st, 1945, however, a number of high explosive bombs were dropped on the city. A few of these bombs hit in the shipyards and dock areas in the southwest portion of the city. Several of the bombs hit the Mitsubishi Steel and Arms Works and six bombs landed at the Nagasaki Medical School and Hospital, with three direct hits on buildings there. While the damage from these few bombs were relatively small, it created considerable concern in Nagasaki and a number of people, principally school children, were evacuated to rural areas for safety, thus reducing the population in the city at the time of the atomic attack.

    On the morning of August 9th, 1945, at about 7:50 A.M., Japanese time, an air raid alert was sounded in Nagasaki, but the “All clear” signal was given at 8:30. When only two B-29 superfortresses were sighted at 10:53 the Japanese apparently assumed that the planes were only on reconnaissance and no further alarm was given. A few moments later, at 11:00 o’clock, the observation B-29 dropped instruments attached to three parachutes and at 11:02 the other plane released the atomic bomb.

    The bomb exploded high over the industrial valley of Nagasaki, almost midway between the Mitsubishi Steel and Arms Works, in the south, and the Mitsubishi-Urakami Ordnance Works (Torpedo Works), in the north, the two principal targets of the city.

    Despite its extreme importance, the first bombing mission on Hiroshima had been almost routine. The second mission was not so uneventful. Again the crew was specially trained and selected; but bad weather introduced some momentous complications. These complications are best described in the brief account of the mission’s weaponeer, Comdr., now Capt., F. L. Ashworth, U.S.N., who was in technical command of the bomb and was charged with the responsibility of insuring that the bomb was successfully dropped at the proper time and on the designated target. His narrative runs as follows:
    “The night of our take-off was one of tropical rain squalls, and flashes of lightning stabbed into the darkness with disconcerting regularity. The weather forecast told us of storms all the way from the Marianas to the Empire. Our rendezvous was to be off the southeast coast of Kyushu, some 1500 miles away. There we were to join with our two companion observation B-29’s that took off a few minutes behind us. Skillful piloting and expert navigation brought us to the rendezvous without incident.
    “About five minutes after our arrival, we were joined by the first of our B-29’s. The second, however, failed to arrive, having apparently been thrown off its course by storms during the night. We waited 30 minutes and then proceeded without the second plane toward the target area.
    “During the approach to the target the special instruments installed in the plane told us that the bomb was ready to function. We were prepared to drop the second atomic bomb on Japan. But fate was against us, for the target was completely obscured by smoke and haze. Three times we attempted bombing runs, but without success. Then with anti-aircraft fire bursting around us and with a number of enemy fighters coming up after us, we headed for our secondary target, Nagasaki.
    “The bomb burst with a blinding flash and a huge column of black smoke swirled up toward us. Out of this column of smoke there boiled a great swirling mushroom of gray smoke, luminous with red, flashing flame, that reached to 40,000 feet in less than 8 minutes. Below through the clouds we could see the pall of black smoke ringed with fire that covered what had been the industrial area of Nagasaki.
    “By this time our fuel supply was dangerously low, so after one quick circle of Nagasaki, we headed direct for Okinawa for an emergency landing and refueling”. ”

    http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/abomb/mp07.htm

  8. Guppy says:

    Yeah not the usual rememberance stuff on tv like years past.

    Unrelated to this topic–
    And also in the early morn… reports of apprehended terrorists in the UK just in time before the massive carryon liquid strike…

    so now you cannot bring baby formula on the plane, will they provide it for passengers? Hmm..

    🙁

    So much sadness.

  9. dumbwhiteguy says:

    I will never understand why people got their panties in such a bunch over this. I mean the A-bomb saved more lives than any peace accord or various other hippie nonsense. I’ll give you a minute to clean up the load you just dropped in your pants.

  10. Saggio says:

    I will never understand why people got their panties in such a bunch over this. I mean the A-bomb saved more lives than any peace accord or various other hippie nonsense. I’ll give you a minute to clean up the load you just dropped in your pants.

    You’re an idiot. I want you to die.

  11. dumbwhiteguy says:

    ”You’re an idiot. I want you to die. ”

    Alrighty here we go. You know the only reason why us and the soviet union didn’t start dropping bombs on each other . Or why we’re not having a bullet exchange with China right now. The threat of nuclear annihilation is one of the only reasons why world leaders try to talk things out instead of going to war. And since you’re fairly smart I think you could come up with something either than “I want you to die” as you’re universal comeback. I expect a better one in your response or I will withhold your wookies.

  12. Saggio says:

    “Alrighty here we go. You know the only reason why us and the soviet union didn’t start dropping bombs on each other . Or why we’re not having a bullet exchange with China right now. The threat of nuclear annihilation is one of the only reasons why world leaders try to talk things out instead of going to war. And since you’re fairly smart I think you could come up with something either than “I want you to die” as you’re universal comeback. I expect a better one in your response or I will withhold your wookies.”

    Mutually assured destruction only describes what might possibly happen if a nation was to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against another. Effectively, the same zero-sum result could be had by complete unilateral disarmament.

    Also, China does not have the capability to launch a second nuclear strike that would adaquetely destroy the US as the Soviet Union could. It has very limited strategic nuclear deterrance, with the emphasis on tactical deterrance. That means if Japan decides they want Manchuria back, they could nuke the invading party. That’s about it.

    If you think that the existence of nuclear weapons prevents war, you are absolutely insane. Look at the US right now – it’s currently involved in heavy combat operations in two countries, in addition to having it’s fleet patrol most of the ocean, and has deployments of soldiers all throughout the world (bases in 100+ countries). It’s nuclear weapons have not prevented it from getting involved in numerous wars throughout the twentieth century.

    Wake the fuck up.

  13. dumbwhiteguy says:

    “Mutually assured destruction only describes what might possibly happen if a nation was to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against another. Effectively, the same zero-sum result could be had by complete unilateral disarmament.”

    Because total unilateral disarmarment will never happen. And also the absence of the big one would mean that there’s no reason for any major escalation between us and China. Or on a lesser not the E.U.

    “Also, China does not have the capability to launch a second nuclear strike that would adaquetely destroy the US as the Soviet Union could. It has very limited strategic nuclear deterrance, with the emphasis on tactical deterrance. That means if Japan decides they want Manchuria back, they could nuke the invading party. That’s about it.”

    It’s doubtful that China could turn the entire U.S. into the surface of the moon like the Soviets could yes, but they could heavily damage it to the point where it really wouldn’t matter.

    “If you think that the existence of nuclear weapons prevents war, you are absolutely insane. Look at the US right now – it’s currently involved in heavy combat operations in two countries”

    One of the major reason that we invaded Iraq besides oil was because Bush thought it would be an easy target and we’d be able to kick their ass no problem.

    “in addition to having it’s fleet patrol most of the ocean, and has deployments of soldiers all throughout the world (bases in 100+ countries). It’s nuclear weapons have not prevented it from getting involved in numerous wars throughout the twentieth century. ”

    Yes we have. Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Lebanon etc… All countries that were no real threat. All of them incapable of projecting any real force beyond their borders. Which is what I mean by this. If Vietnam had a masssive nuclear arsenal we never would have invaded and killed about 3 million of them. If Iraq actually had the kind of capabilities that Bush said it had we wouldn’t have killed untold numbers of them throughout the years. The point I’m trying to get at here is that the only reason that world leaders have ever sat down to negoitate was the threat of force.

    Wake up.

  14. dumbwhiteguy says:

    “I’d like to remind you that it was the Soviet Union that offered complete disarmament, and that it was the US that turned it out.”

    Yes but we negoitated, and we did reduce the number. Which is a lot more than we’ve done for anythign else

    “Do you not know how to read? China has a nuclear deterrent. That means a very limited second strike capability. If you don’t believe me, read this. It says: “China has about 20 ICBMs capable of targeting the United States.”

    Like I said it can’t destroy us, but it can damage us. And secondly knows exactly how many that have. And thridly Russia and China have joined together on, well rather China has bought support from Russia, to get the massive nuclear arsenal.

    “You have no idea what you are taking about. The US invaded Iraq because controlling Babylon (as Alexandros very well knew) was the key to controlling Central Asia. Securing oil reserves is not a priority (the US has Saudi Arabia, afterall) of this administration. It’s priority is moving into Central Asia and gaining influence over the Republics before Russia and China can re-assert themselves. It’s an open secret. Read “The Grand Chessboard”.

    Yeah I know what you’re talking about. And in case you haven’t read the numerous peak oil threads you’ll know that oil isn’t in such great abudence as it was in times of yore. And it’d be a bargining chip with Russia and China. But outside oil central asia is more or less a mass of 3rd world shitholes whose presence on the world stage in a strategic sense couldn’t matter less.

    “I’m not sure you understand the concept of war-by-proxy. Nor do I think you understand basic twentieth century history. The Korean war almost lead to a full-scale third world war (thanks, MacArthur). Vietnam was limited only because of the Sino-Soviet split (otherwise, all bets would’ve been off). Iraq was tempered the first time by a willingness by Iran to watch it’s main enemy for regional supremacy be destroyed. ”

    The Korean War didn’t turn into world war 3 because us and the soviets wouldn’t go to war with each other. You know why we didn’t go to war with each other? If Vietnam had major support of Russia, and therefore the threat of nukes, we would’ve left it alone.

    “The very reason the US invaded these countries was because they could project force beyond their own borders. Come on, man. Get with it. ”

    Which is why the Vietnamese have marched in and taken control of Thailand and North Korea has overrun South Korea.

    “The threat of force is something very different from shitloads of ballistic missles with strategic nuclear payloads. All the wars of the twentieth century and the preceding centuries were fought without nuclear weapons (save two instances, of course). Disarming the nukes won’t change that wars will still be fought. It will just mean that the president of the united states won’t have his finger on the fucking button that could quite literally destroy the entire planet.”

    Lokk you think that everything can be talked out and everyone will just get along and I don’t. We could spend the next ten years going over this, but instead I will drink some maple syrup. MMMMM…… syrup

  15. admin says:

    LOL.

    You’re both funny.

    😛

  16. Saggio says:

    I don’t have time for your idiocy.

    Or for your dismissals, Brooke.

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