What Does a Nuclear Bomb Explosion Feel Like?

The existential threat of nuclear war is no longer a Cold War memory. With nine countries armed with around 15,000 atomic bombs up to 53 times stronger than those dropped in the Second World War, the stakes are arguably higher.

Ahead of the International Day against Nuclear Tests on August 29, we met up British atomic veterans who were present at test sites in Australia and the Pacific, to find out what it’s like to experience a nuclear bomb explosion up close.

While most people know about the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, fewer are aware that an additional 2,000 atomic bombs were detonated after World War II and tested on hundreds of thousands of young soldiers to prepare them for nuclear war.

Follow MOTHERBOARD

[noobsbiking]

These men have been kept in the dark and betrayed by their country. It saddens me to hear the effect on their children. I'm sure none of these men where compensated for their sacrifice.

[Pintkonan]

this should be shown in schools all over the world.

[ooccttoo]

When they talked about the men on the boat breaking down in tears from the sheer magnitude of the bomb, I had a real rush of emotion all of a sudden. Just imagining how terrifying seeing this thing up close is impossible; just understanding the power of this horrible weapon is beyond me.


This sort of thing really just shows the blatant disregard for human life in war. Doesn't matter if you won or lost, or if no war ended up happening at all, authorities see fit to sacrifice the lives and happiness of millions of young people.

[Hxshbox]

What they experienced and went through is absolutely horrible

[ryanstone]

I’m shocked, I have nothing but infinite respect for these gentlemen

[ChrisBautista]

Most of the videos I’ve watched they mention men being so afraid they call out for their mothers. It is just intriguing that some of us have a natural instinct to seek protection from our mothers, the ones that cares for us when we were young.

[pranavtripathi]

"To say it was frightening, was an understatement"
Damn

[GenEXReviews]

Hearing their stories is heartbreaking. Thank you for allowing these men to share tell their stories.

[zippienippi]

*"My God, What Have We Done?"*

The immortal words of Captain Robert Lewis. The co-pilot of the Enola Gay B-29 bomber, which dropped the atomic bomb, Little Boy, on Hiroshima.

[AndresRodriguez-bvmt]

This should be considered a crime against humanity.

[tylermiddaugh]

The energy of this video is so moving. I can't imagine the deep rooted pain and betrayal these men live with. We must eliminate these cruel bombs. We owe it to past, and future generations.

[mckye]

They really need to show this exact video in schools

[Tridnt]

"War isn't about who wins but who is left"
"in war there is no victors, only survivors"

"Its in your nature to destroy yourselves"
-T-800

[ThomasTrue]

"For a government to do that to their own people"

Worse than that, Sir, for a government - successive governments, both Tory and Labour - to do that to their veterans. Shame on the lot of them.

Thank you for your service, gentlemen. I hope you eventually get the recognition and justice you rightly deserve.

[gbrownx]

I can't even imagine sitting w/ your back to the blast eyes covered up and being able to see through all that as if looking at an xray BLOWING for me

[rishabhadhikari]

It's true.. Nobody wins a nuclear war. No one.. And these men.. There's nothing left for them, they've suffered a lifetime and everyone they love have suffered that too. There kids, family.. Everyone of them had that expression on there faces, disappointed, disgusted, questions that never will be answered and a lifelong list of suffering.

[ferociousmullet]

My Father was involved in these tests in the RAF. He got cataracts and all sorts of skin lesions over the years. Was taken from us early in the form of Cancer which affected so many of these brave men. I myself got a form of cataracts only seen in people who have been exposed to ionizing forms of radiation in my mid 30's. Three of my siblings have also had cancers. as well as the same type of cataracts. About 20 years ago what was called the British Nuclear Veterans Testing Association at the time (Do not know if they still use this moniker or not) successfully sued the UK.gov and won their case. Nothing will ever put right the wrongs done to these and other men like them over the globe used by their respective states as guinea pigs for war mongerer's but at least the wrong doing was officially recognised.

[oliverrugg]

My Great Uncle was a part of these tests. He never talked all that much about it until he was practically on his deathbed, the thing that's always stuck with me however, is he claimed he saw number of men who had fought and survived in WW2 from El-Alamein to the fall of Berlin, physically fall to the ground and cry for their mothers.

[robertarichardson]

How horrific for them. I burst into tears when he said 'some cried for their mum's' I have two sons. I imagined them at 18 yrs old. The flood of tears started. Bless each and every one of them. Shame on the UK and US for doing this to them. Thank you for making this video and posting. I had never heard of this happening before and shocks me to the core.

[rustymotor]

The British conducted numerous Nuclear tests on Australian soil and the Radioactive plumes were tracked as they travelled across the country and cities. This was an experiment to examine the fallout dissipation over occupied areas and the Radioactive isotope accumulation in Children. The Radioactive isotopes were taken up by grazing cattle and ended up in milk which was given free to all school children during the 1950's and 60's.