Radio Bikini

[expat]

Just watched Radio Bikini on Netflix, interesting to see some more old footage of operation crossroads.
But it seemed a little like the film was trying to lay a Guilt Trip on the U.S. military, that were probably just doing their best to explore the effects nuclear devices.

Sad that some were harmed and lives lost, but as they say, Hindsight is 20/20

 

[TooManyWheels]

My father was in Nevada at the time of the nuclear tests there, and died of leukemia. You can imagine I might have some strong feelings about public nuclear testing.

 

[Brons2]

I watched this documentary a few months ago also. Sad that they exposed so many people to the aftereffects of the tests. But I guess they didn't know any better at the time.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Brons2
But I guess they didn't know any better at the time.


Originally Posted By: expat
But it seemed a little like the film was trying to lay a Guilt Trip on the U.S. military, that were probably just doing their best to explore the effects nuclear devices.

Sad that some were harmed and lives lost, but as they say, Hindsight is 20/20


It is really hard to judge what the consequence of the action are until much later. It is bad, but as you said there is no knowing until much later and I'm sure right now no nation on earth would get a pass on doing the same thing again in public and open air.

However, I think it is justified of the "guilt trip" and no free pass to the military just because "they didn't know". It is all part of the cost of running a military in WWII and they might have to potentially deal with the Soviet after taking out Japan. If there were no N bomb in US but Soviet got it, Japan would have been under communism as well as the entire Korea. It would also mean many millions in Asia in addition to China and N Korea would have died under communism.

 

[Win]

Originally Posted By: TooManyWheels
My father was in Nevada at the time of the nuclear tests there, and died of leukemia. You can imagine I might have some strong feelings about public nuclear testing.


That's tragic, but my mother died young of Leukemia and had never been anywhere near Nevada. I suppose there was fall out all over the country.

 

[Tempest]

There is a museum here in town that claims "leftovers" from the above ground testing have been found in every county in the contiguous US.

 

[TooManyWheels]

Originally Posted By: Win
Originally Posted By: TooManyWheels
My father was in Nevada at the time of the nuclear tests there, and died of leukemia. You can imagine I might have some strong feelings about public nuclear testing.


That's tragic, but my mother died young of Leukemia and had never been anywhere near Nevada. I suppose there was fall out all over the country.


I'm not trying to claim a sure cause-effect link, but it does make you wonder, especially from the standpoint of heredity.

 

[mechtech2]

Fast food gigantabusinesses have done far more damage.

 

[expat]

Perhaps the Upside is, the Cold War never became a Hot War.

It was important that we knew the effects of nuclear warfare, proberbly, the sooner the better.

However, anyone here Google Earthed the Nevada test site?

 

[edhackett]

I don't have to Google it. I've been there for work. The stories I could tell, but then they'd kill me.

I got a good dose when I was two years old. The wind was not as predicted for an above ground test. The radiation came directly over Tonopah. We were at the rodeo and my dad overheard the DOE folks who were there monitoring calling in asking if they should warn everyone, and he noticed the readings on the Geiger counters. They were told not to mention anything. Dad collected mom and I and got us home and inside. At least I have an excuse for the way I am.

Another good film along those lines is Atomic Cafe.

Ed

 

[JetStar]

http://www.amazon.com/Trinity-Beyond-Ato...omic+bomb+movie

Here is another good movie.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Have you seen any of the old bomb test footage, where the camera is in a lead box but the soldiers are watching with sunglasses and their shirts off? That would almost be funny if it weren't so tragic.

We want to say "they didn't know," but I suspect at least somebody did. Sure, above ground testing was ended in the early sixties. But look into the Rocky Flats bomb trigger plant between Denver and Boulder, which was releasing plutonium and other pollutants into the late 1980s.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Rhymingmechanic
Have you seen any of the old bomb test footage, where the camera is in a lead box but the soldiers are watching with sunglasses and their shirts off? That would almost be funny if it weren't so tragic.

We want to say "they didn't know," but I suspect at least somebody did. Sure, above ground testing was ended in the early sixties. But look into the Rocky Flats bomb trigger plant between Denver and Boulder, which was releasing plutonium and other pollutants into the late 1980s.


X ray from atomic bomb can blank out the film, the same reason back in the days you have to take out the films and cameras before passing the airport security X ray.