Castle Bravo Disaster - A 'Second Hiroshima'

At the time, it was the most powerful artificial explosion in human history…but it wasn’t supposed to be. On March 1st, 1954, the United States detonated the country’s first thermonuclear or fusion bomb at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands, a small coral reef and 23 islands almost equidistant from Australia, Japan, and Hawaii. In the days and weeks following the blast, the United States would pay out millions of dollars in settlements, thousands of islanders would be evacuated and re-evacuated, and the Japanese public would deem the test “a second Hiroshima,” a comparison no citizen would dare make lightly.

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[kylehill]

Thanks for watching the latest “Half-Life History.” As usual, let me know what you think of the new format — more of these to come!

[MogamiKyoko]

This left me crying a little bit. In college, my Japanese film history professor said to us, "it's something to think about that exposure to radiation creates superheroes in America and monsters in Japan."

[fulcrum]

"As soon as the war ended, we located the one spot on earth that hadn't been touched by the war and blew it to hell." - Bob Hope

[TheGuitologist]

My former landlord was AT this test. His body was riddled with cancer for years. He's still alive by some miracle.

[Strype]

Imagine trying to build the most inconceivably powerful bomb imaginable... only to react to its detonation with, "Holy shit, that was way too damn powerful."

[kerricaine]

when you're dealing with a topic like this, "until next time" is a horrifying phrase to end on.

[afinchinthedark]

These stories are honestly scarier than most horror films.

[takakiwatanabe]

Today, it was reported that Mr. Oishi, a former crew member of the Lucky Dragon No. 5, died on March 7. Many Japanese are grateful for the videos you made. thank you, Mr. Hill. from tokyo.

[skun]

That "Danger, No Smoking" sign next to a nuclear device must be some kind of an internal joke.

[natemogs]

Imagine being those fisherman minding your own business then all of a sudden BAM you’re a blind, feel like you’re on fire, and hear the loudest sound of your life all in a few seconds

[ryanswafford]

My grandfather was present at the Bikini Atoll during this testing. He was on a destroyer. He had documents and everything. He described seeing the bones of his hands through closed eyes when the blast detonated.

[pipolwes]

Two words that should never _ever_ be said together: "acceptable fallout"

[supernova]

Revisiting this playlist after watching Oppenheimer. Kyle's videos fills you with such unimaginable eerie feeling that i almost feel numb for good 15 minutes after. Absolute Masterpiece.

[JariakaBroekie]

I really like these kind of “mini documentary’s” keep up the great content Kyle

[wickedsickfunkyfreshroller]

Imagine seeing a second sun rise on the horizon and hearing literal doom and being like, “yeah let’s keep fishing.”

[TheWretchedOwl]

“It was the worst atomic disaster in American history”
SUDDEN AD BREAK
Quick, get bounty, the quicker picker upper!”

[Morilore]

6:26 "Acceptible fallout" Whoever made that call should have gone to prison.

[casualwoomy]

“The test was supposed to be a secret”
Ah yes, the VERY SECRET *15 MEGATON NUCLEAR BOMB EXPLOSION*

[Mikado]

My grandfather was a heavy equipment operator on Bikini Atoll during Castle Bravo. He said he could feel the heat and light going though his body. Like the light was going through him. He died in 2001 due to cancer related to radiation exposure.

[KuraBinges]

interesting fact: Godzilla's skin or scales were inspired by radiation burns from Hiroshima and the victims of the Castle Bravo test. And the opening scene of the 1954 film with the fishing boat is a reference to this incident.