We live in a truly unique time. Never before have we had the power to destroy or save every life on Earth. Yet petty disputes, ideologies, and misunderstandings still drive so many of the decisions humans make.

While watching this video, I heard some drunk idiots yelling obscenities at one another outside my apartment.

It's a wonder we've made it this far. If we can make it another 100 years, then we will most likely have survived the curve, and will live until the end of the universe.

What Mark said. And what Spiderman's dad uncle said: With a huge power come huge responsibilities.

PS: Edited for correction

Thomas, you should have been frightened a little bit more when G.W. Busch was in charge.

He was as crazy as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Now for who have it and who don't, let's imagine the opposite: Israel, Iran, Palestine having nuclear bombs, but not France nor Canada, nor USA. What do you think would happen ? Heh, we would make some research to have our nuclear beast.

The real problem is not having the bombs. Using them IS the problem.

There was a war on, you know...

Unless you don't count Hiroshima as a test, then yeah. On the other hand Fatman used implosion design while Trinity and Little boy were gun assembly designs, so Nagasaki was a test on its own - yes cynical as it sounds

Not much. 2053 nuclear devices detonated over the course of 50 years, that's quite sad, but not frightening. On the other hand we know exactly what it can do ergo there's high chance that nobody sane will ever use them. What frightens me a bit is Israel having a considerable arsenal and various unstable middle-eastern countries trying to obtain them.

By the way I really recommend British film Threads. Anyway, we're still here after 65 years of nuclear weapons usage and that's something to say about people around the world.

Well in his defense, if he wouldn't use those two bombs many more people would die, because Japanesee imperial army was really dedicated to fight till the last breath. These losses would include soldiers on both sides and civilians. Much more than died in those two cities. And at least the world got to know what those weapons are capable of.

No doubt that it was a disaster, but it ended the war by breaking Japanesee morale. And those two cities gave us a warning. Without it I dare to say that we could have seen nuclear weapons usage during the Cold war. And mind you there were at least two occasions where we were really close to limited/all out exchange of nukes.

One was during the notorious Cuban missile crisis. And the other, which was probably more serious, but isn't that well known was around 1985. At that time there was large combat training of NATO forces going on in the West Germany. The whole event was planned to last four days. It ended suddenly during the day two if I remember correctly. At that time whole western army group of Warszaw pact military forces was on high alert and SS-20 missiles were positioned into attack positions in the woods along whole East Germany - Soviets were really nervous and thought that the exercise is a cover up for attack.

[quote]And what Spiderman's dad said: With a huge power come huge responsibilities.[/quote]
Uncle. It was Spiderman's uncle.

Ooops, didn't know about that. That sure sounds scary.

The most unique in it, is the fact that vast majority of FB & LJ(& others) users are still alive, mind you.

Well, it hard to say.. Yes & no. The fashioned "end-of-world-war" taught in the U.S. schools, is the one stated above, however..

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& they gave his Peace Nobel prize to Obama, for sending extra troops to Afghanistan

Fun game, pity.. It's very unrealistic. Although I love the fact, that overall it's war between continents, yet Russia is a separate one

Sure.. Thanks.

Anyone can say anything. Overall the World War 2, has ended with the Japanese surrender on whatever that Warship name was, European theater is European theater, it has ended earlier. However, the strategic damage of that war, was a lot greater than of the bombings, the territory, the prisoners of war taken, the fact USSR is no longer neutral, etc'..

We really don't have the tools if Japan would or would not surrender if not one of these factors(assault & bombings).

Furthermore(wiki):

Why does americans always defend the nukes with that statement?

They also like to add that their government didn't know the effects of the bombs, which makes them look like idiots since there was a test before they dropped the nukes and I'm pretty sure even a child could analyze the result and realize the effect if they where to drop it on a fucking city.

The idea that the American government was fair in dropping the second nuke can be discussed, but the fact that the Japanese government didn't realize what had happened for a long time and that the American government's plan was to drop as many nukes as possible until japan surrendered without waiting for respone only makes me think they just wanted to show of their power and crush the japanese.

The fact that the effects of the bombings were censored(oops, I meant classified) for both the american and japanese people proves(to me) that they themself didn't think their actions were as noble as they claim them to be.

There's nothing wrong about being selfish in war, killing a lot of innocent japanese people is totally ok(sort of..) if it has some purpose like saving money or making you look powerfull, what's not ok is acting like you're a fantastic country that saved the world and always thinks about everyone else.

My government is a joke but at least they don't try to make themselves look good.

Ya.. I do agree with the bombings, at least with the first one but the justifications are kind of joke. The Japanese didn't consider anyone but themselves humans, and believed for some reason that half the globe belongs to them.. 40kt makes some good tools to persuade them being wrong, in my eyes..

Append:

This summer Iran will be bombed.