Podcasts about little boys

Send us a textHarry's story continues through the lens of his friend at the cemetery.She shares a poignant transmission from a little boy whose grave is next to Harry's. The boy recounts his afterlife and encounters with demons, ultimately finding light with the help of Katische and Archangel Michael. Katische reflects on her spiritual journey, the energy of demons, and the connections formed with souls over multiple lifetimes. The episode serves as a testament to the transformative power of spiritual exploration and the mysteries of the soul.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to The Infinite Life00:43 Season Overview and Channeling Session03:28 The Little Boy's Message11:17 Reflections on the Cemetery Experience15:34 Understanding Spiritual Connections16:56 Conclusion and Further ResourcesLet me know what you love about the podcast and email me an audio recording at hello@katische.com to be featured in our special anniversary episode.Love Ancient Rome?Love Ancient Rome? salvēte amīcī! Explore what it meant to be Roman over the centuries. On YouTube.Miracles: Zero Limits MasterclassDr Tassel Faith Shanebrook's masterclass helps you create financial sovereignty. It's FREE.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showHi, I'm Katische Haberfield MBus(Mtkg), Clinical Hypnotherapist CHt. IPHM.I work as a Spiritual Consultant, Guide, and Multidimensional Healer. My work bridges energy, consciousness, and timeless transformation. I help people explore the subconscious, conscious, and superconscious realms to raise their consciousness, release old patterns, and step fully into alignment with their true essence. For some, that looks like healing past-life patterns. For others, it's clearing energy attachments or finding clarity in relationships, career, and purpose. My approach weaves together spiritual coaching, multidimensional healing, and connection with spirit guides and archangels—always guided by what your soul needs most. Find out more about Katische and book sessions at https://katische.com/ Join my Facebook Group. Follow on: Facebook, LinkedIn, Goodreads, YouTube and Amazon

durée : 00:09:31 - Le Fil de l'histoire - par : Stéphanie Duncan - 6 août 1945, trois heures du matin. Trois bombardiers américains décollent de la base de Tinian dans les îles Mariannes, un archipel du Pacifique-Est. Deux avions sont là pour prendre des mesures et des photos. Le troisième est celui qui, dans la soute, transporte la bombe A, surnommée "Little Boy". - invités : Olivier WIEVIORKA - Olivier Wieviorka : Historien, professeur à l'École normale supérieure de Cachan - réalisé par : Claire DESTACAMP Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les autres épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France.

I share my old school perspective on this subject that I got from The Shaun Speaks on TikTok. And my old school Brothers and I gives our old school insite on how we all are just grown up kids that still can enjoys some child like activities. We agree with Derrick Jaxn's take from his Social Media blast on men playing on women emotions acting like a narcissistic little boy too.  Song Choice

Vont's got teeth troubles, we play Would You Rather, and more!

Vont's got teeth troubles, we play Would You Rather, and more!

Vont's got teeth troubles, we play Would You Rather, and more!

John Hunt presents to The Space Show are ready! Sunday, 10-5-25For the quick summary, we started our program with John Hunt as the guest talking about nuclear weapons development and space exploration technologies. The Space Show participants in the Zoom meeting explored various aspects of nuclear weapons history, including bomb designs, testing, and strategic implications, while also discussing the potential for nuclear technologies in space missions and propulsion systems. The conversation concluded with discussions about current and future space exploration initiatives, including reactor technologies and launch schedules, with participants expressing concerns about political and technical challenges. Several Space Show participants were with us in the meeting including Marshall Martin, Peter Forman, John Jossy, Dr. Ajay Kothari, Dr. Phil Swan, Dr. James Benford, & Tim WeaverOur more detailed summary follows. John Hunt discussed his presentation on the evolution of nuclear weapons, including its funding and technological aspects. Marshall shared his interest in manufacturing composites and nanocarbon tubes in space, predicting that medical applications and materials science would be the next big cash cows in space development and was looking to connect the dots to the early tech being discussed by John Hunt. We discussed the potential for producing semiconductors and nanotubes in space, with Marshall suggesting that zero-gravity environments could enable the production of longer nanotubes for stronger materials like nanotube rope, which could be used in space elevators.David Livingston introduced the Sunday Space Show program, mentioning upcoming guests and topics, including a discussion on nuclear weapon development and its impact on space with John Hunt. The conversation ended with introductions of various participants and a brief overview of the show's format.Early on John introduced us to Project Orion as he mentioned his history interest including the work of Freeman Dyson's son, George Dyson who wrote a book about his fathers work. John Jossy expressed interest in reading the book, and they discussed the now-defunct nuclear space website, which had provided valuable information.Hunt discussed the history and development of nuclear weapons, focusing on the physics behind atomic and nuclear fission, and the creation of the first atomic bombs, “Little Boy” and “Fat Man,” used in World War II. He explained the evolution of bomb designs, including the transition from solid to hollow core plutonium spheres for improved yield and the introduction of fusion components in the Teller-Ulam design, which significantly increased explosive power. John also highlighted the Soviet Union's alternative “layer cake” design, which used a central fission bomb surrounded by a lithium deuteride layer for fusion, and noted the cryogenic technology developed for these weapons, which later found applications in space exploration.Our guest explained the evolution of nuclear weapons, focusing on the development of thermonuclear bombs and their components. He described how lithium deuteride was used in fusion reactions, leading to the creation of tritium and increased yield through fission. The discussion covered various weapon designs, including the Mark 17, Mark 28, and the 25-megaton Mark 41 bomb. John also mentioned Ted Taylor's contributions to bomb design and his work on the Orion nuclear-powered spacecraft project, which was canceled due to the Test Ban Treaty.The discussion focused on historical nuclear weapons development, John Hunt explaining that Project Orion conducted conventional explosive tests but never pursued nuclear testing. David suggested visiting government nuclear museums across the US, including Las Vegas and New Mexico, which house exhibits and remnants of nuclear testing. The conversation then shifted to the evolution of nuclear weapons, noting that while the Soviet Tsar bomb was primarily a propaganda device, the US responded by developing smaller, multiple-warhead systems to counter potential ABM defenses, leading to a shift from large single-warhead bombs to more numerous but smaller thermonuclear devices, with both countries eventually deploying around 100,000 strategic warheads each by the mid-1980s.The discussion focused on nuclear weapons and missile defense systems. Hunt explained that Soviet ICBM deployments were initially vulnerable to Minuteman III counterforce capabilities, but Russian silo hardening and U.S. missile number limitations led to Russian achievement of assured destruction capability. The group then discussed a 1957 nuclear test where a manhole cover was launched at escape velocity speeds, with guest James noting this was a deliberate test and not accidental. The conversation concluded with a discussion of current missile defense systems, including the Golden Dome concept using hit-to-kill interceptors, and concerns about North Korea's development of MERV missiles.Next up was a discussion regarding the strategic implications of nuclear weapons, particularly focusing on the challenges of responding to a North Korean attack due to the complex geopolitical landscape involving Russia, China, Japan, and South Korea. They explored the potential electromagnetic pulse (EMP) effects of nuclear weapons on satellite systems like Starlink and the historical development of anti-ballistic missile systems, including exo-atmospheric and microwave-induced detonation technologies. James shared insights from his experience with Soviet microwave weapons research, noting that while these systems were studied extensively, they were never deployed. The conversation concluded with a question about the transition from using nuclear power in satellites to planning for its use on the surfaces of the moon and Mars.We also talked about the history and future of nuclear technology in space exploration, with James noting that nuclear rockets could enable substantial payloads for solar system exploration. They explored how nuclear technology developed from weapons to civilian power, with Hunt suggesting that without the military budget, space program development would have been slower. Ajay raised questions about Russia's Burevestnik nuclear-powered missile program, which James and Hunt explained was similar to a canceled US program but deemed impractical due to radioactive contamination risks.Ajay focused on nuclear reactor technologies, particularly molten salt reactors and uranium isotopes. Dr. Kothari explained that molten salt reactors using uranium-233 could be safer in the event of an accident as the molten salt would freeze and become non-fissile upon contact with the ground. Hunt noted that uranium-233's higher radioactivity makes it difficult to handle, while confirming it produces similar energy output to other isotopes. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the feasibility of gun-launched space missions, with several participants expressing skepticism about spin launch concepts due to drag issues at high speeds, while Phil suggested that robust propulsion technology could handle high G-forces.The feasibility of hypersonic velocities and space travel was brought up with Phil asserting that it's possible to achieve orbital velocity despite atmospheric drag, while others, including and James, disagreed, citing significant challenges. The conversation shifted to the potential of nuclear technologies for space travel, with Phil suggesting underground nuclear explosions to power rockets, though Jossy noted legal and operational limitations. James highlighted the need for high-thrust rockets for interplanetary travel. They mentioned a promising paper on a centrifugal liquid-fuel propulsion system with a high specific impulse, which could be a significant advancement for space travel.We had much to say about nuclear rockets, with Phil explaining that nuclear rockets face challenges with the Oberth effect due to their inability to provide short, high-thrust bursts compared to chemical rockets. Marshall raised concerns about the potential impact of nuclear rocket launches on space stations, but Phil suggested that the radiation environment in space would make astronauts less concerned about nuclear launches. Hunt provided insights into contemporary nuclear weapons, noting that most are thermonuclear and that Russia is attempting to become a near-parity power with the U.S. and China. The discussion concluded with John explaining the potential risks and political implications of Russia using tactical nuclear weapons, emphasizing the importance of avoiding an escalation to full-scale nuclear war.Before ending we discussed nuclear power options for space missions, particularly focusing on a 100-kilowatt fission reactor planned for the moon by 2030. Marshall and others debated whether government or commercial entities should develop these reactors, with Marshall suggesting a public-private partnership might be best. The conversation concluded with a discussion about Artemis II's February 5th launch date, with participants expressing skepticism about whether it would actually proceed as scheduled, given NASA's history of delays.This program is audio archived at www.thespaceshow.com and doctorspace.substack.com for this program date. The Zoom video is also archived on our Substack site.Special thanks to our sponsors:Northrup Grumman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.comThe Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:No program for Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 | Tuesday 07 Oct 2025 700PM PTGuests: Dr. David LivingstonNo program for today, Oct. 7, 2025Broadcast 4441 Hotel Mars featuring Mark Whittington, journalist | Wednesday 08 Oct 2025 930AM PTGuests: Mark Whittington, John Batchelor, Dr. David LivingstonHotel Mars with Mark Whittington on NASA Life on Mars Announcement and moreBroadcast 4442: Andrew Chanin | Friday 10 Oct 2025 930AM PTGuests: Andrew ChaninAndrew talks about the ETF market, commercial space investment and trendsBroadcast 4443 Jack Kingdon | Sunday 12 Oct 2025 1200PM PTGuests: Jack KingdonJack discusses his paper “3 months transit time to Mars for human missions using SpaceX Starship”Special thanks to our sponsors:Northrup Grumman, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Helix Space in Luxembourg, Celestis Memorial Spaceflights, Astrox Corporation, Dr. Haym Benaroya of Rutgers University, The Space Settlement Progress Blog by John Jossy, The Atlantis Project, and Artless EntertainmentOur Toll Free Line for Live Broadcasts: 1-866-687-7223For real time program participation, email Dr. Space at: drspace@thespaceshow.comThe Space Show is a non-profit 501C3 through its parent, One Giant Leap Foundation, Inc. To donate via Pay Pal, use:To donate with Zelle, use the email address: david@onegiantleapfoundation.org.If you prefer donating with a check, please make the check payable to One Giant Leap Foundation and mail to:One Giant Leap Foundation, 11035 Lavender Hill Drive Ste. 160-306 Las Vegas, NV 89135Upcoming Programs:No program for Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 | Tuesday 07 Oct 2025 700PM PTGuests: Dr. David LivingstonNo program for today, Oct. 7, 2025Broadcast 4441 Hotel Mars featuring Mark Whittington, journalist | Wednesday 08 Oct 2025 930AM PTGuests: Mark Whittington, John Batchelor, Dr. David LivingstonHotel Mars with Mark Whittington on NASA Life on Mars Announcement and moreBroadcast 4442: Andrew Chanin | Friday 10 Oct 2025 930AM PTGuests: Andrew ChaninAndrew talks about the ETF market, commercial space investment and trendsBroadcast 4443 Jack Kingdon | Sunday 12 Oct 2025 1200PM PTGuests: Jack KingdonJack discusses his paper “3 months transit time to Mars for human missions using SpaceX Starship”Live Streaming is at https://www.thespaceshow.com/content/listen-live with the following live streaming sites:Stream Guys https://player.streamguys.com/thespaceshow/sgplayer3/player.php#FastServ https://ic2646c302.fastserv.com/streamStream Guys https://player.streamguys.com/thespaceshow/sgplayer3/player.php#FastServ https://ic2646c302.fastserv.com/stream Get full access to The Space Show-One Giant Leap Foundation at doctorspace.substack.com/subscribe

Fat Man and Little Boy bomb talking at the military's top brass. Nitwit Nero declares war on American cities. Not kidding. Also today: forgets the name of the House Minority Leader with whom he met only yesterday. Here comes the Shutdown. Cankles Caligula owns it. We say goodbye to a beloved member of the H.O.R.N Community. September has been the leanest month in the history of this 20+ year experiment in independent broadcasting. We finished with a $2,260 deficit. Everything helps if you're able. 

A grieving family in Metro Detroit is seeking justice following the death of their 5-year-old son. WWJ's Tony Ortiz has the afternoon's top news stories.

Step into the latest installment of Scary Stories Told in the Dark, where the line between what we know and what we fear unravels thread by thread. Host Malcolm Blackwood guides you through four haunting visions from acclaimed author L.P. Hernandez, each tale a descent into a world that should not exist—but does. In these pages of sound, reflections shift, invitations conceal hidden costs, distant horizons whisper back, and childhood innocence masks something far older. Prepare for an evening where reality itself falters, and nothing you trust can be taken at face value. "The Tattooed Man" by L.P. Hernandez – Jason begins noticing strange flashes of himself in unexpected places—reflections that don't move as they should, doubles that live lives uncannily like his own. Drawn into a reality that overlaps with his own, he discovers that what stares back at him may not simply be a reflection but a rival self with darker secrets. A chilling tale of identity and intrusion, this story probes the terrifying possibility that we are not as singular as we believe. "The Invitation" by L.P. Hernandez – When Anthony “Tony” accepts the friendship of an older man who seems warm and fatherly, he is surprised to be invited to a refined dinner party. But beneath the glitter of tuxedos and polite smiles, he senses a growing unease—one that suggests the evening is not at all what it seems. A sinister exploration of trust, manipulation, and the dangers of belonging, this story leaves you questioning the true cost of acceptance. "The Last Man on Mars" by L.P. Hernandez – Astronaut Adam Pelegrina believed his mission was to prepare Mars for colonization, but isolation has worn thin, and communications with Earth have grown disturbingly irregular. When he begins receiving covert transmissions, he learns the planet he left behind may no longer exist as he knew it. A stark and unsettling vision of abandonment and revelation, this story captures the dread of being alone where no one can reach you. "Little Boy" by L.P. Hernandez – Charlotte and her young son, Ethan, are eager to start fresh in their new home. But when Ethan's “imaginary friend” begins revealing knowledge and behaviors no child should possess, Charlotte realizes their new house harbors something far more sinister than creaking floorboards. A haunting tale of innocence corrupted and unseen presences, this story reminds us that sometimes the scariest playmates are the ones who shouldn't be there at all. To watch the podcast on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/ChillingEntertainmentYT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast for free wherever you're listening or by using this link! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/ScaryStoriesPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you like the show, telling a friend about it would be amazing! You can text, email, Tweet, or send this link to a friend: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/ScaryStoriesPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ngày 28/08/2025, Anh, Pháp và Đức đã dọa kích hoạt cơ chế tái áp đặt các lệnh trừng phạt của Liên Hiệp Quốc, còn được gọi là « snapback », vào lúc thỏa thuận về hạt nhân Iran ký kết 2015 sắp hết hiệu lực ngày 18/10/2025. Nhưng ít ai biết rằng, trong quá khứ, một số nước phương Tây, đặc biệt là Pháp, đã từng đóng góp tích cực vào việc khai sinh chương trình hạt nhân Iran. Một mảng tối khác trong mối quan hệ căng thẳng giữa Iran và phương Tây. Ngược dòng thời gian, vào năm 1957, vào lúc châu Âu đang vực dậy từ nỗi kinh hoàng của Đệ Nhị Thế Chiến, Iran, dưới sự trị vì của vua Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, đã bắt tay vào việc tìm kiếm năng lượng nguyên tử. Quốc vương Iran lo sợ rằng dầu hỏa mà đất nước phụ thuộc một ngày nào đó sẽ cạn kiệt và do vậy phải tìm kiếm một giải pháp thay thế. Atome For Peace : Đổi hạt nhân lấy dầu lửa Một dự án điện hạt nhân dân sự được hình thành qua sự trợ giúp của chương trình « Atom for Peace – Nguyên tử vì hòa bình », do tổng thống Mỹ Dwight D. Eisenhower khởi xướng từ năm 1953. Cũng như nhiều nước thành viên khác của chương trình, Iran cam kết giới hạn sử dụng hạt nhân cho mục đích hòa bình. Đổi lại, Hoa Kỳ đào tạo các nhà khoa học Iran và cung cấp các trang thiết bị cho Teheran, bao gồm lò phản ứng nghiên cứu được thiết kế vào năm 1967 để sản xuất đồng vị phóng xạ dùng trong y tế. Quan hệ hợp tác tốt đẹp giữa hai nước kéo dài cho đến cuối những năm 1970. Trong một cuộc trả lời phỏng vấn dành cho Viện Nghe nhìn Quốc gia Pháp (INA), vào tháng 12/2022, nhà nghiên cứu Heloise Fayet, chuyên gia về phổ biến hạt nhân Viện Quan hệ Quốc tế Pháp (IFRI) giải thích « trong những năm 1950, dưới thời quốc vương Iran, mối quan hệ giữa Mỹ và Iran rất bền chặt. Hoa Kỳ đã đưa Iran vào chương trình Atom For Peace (Nguyên tử vì hòa bình), được sử dụng để phát triển chương trình hạt nhân dân sự cho Iran, để đổi lấy dầu lửa và sự bảo đảm rằng quốc gia này sẽ duy trì một chế độ ổn định gần gũi với Hoa Kỳ ». Tuy nhiên, vào lúc diễn ra Chiến Tranh Lạnh, Hoa Kỳ ngày càng lo lắng khi thấy xuất hiện nhiều cường quốc hạt nhân khác. Chương trình « Nguyên tử vì hòa bình » có nguy cơ phản tác dụng. Năm 1968, Iran gia nhập Hiệp ước Không phổ biến Hạt nhân TNP và đặt các cơ sở hạt nhân của mình dưới sự giám sát của Cơ quan Năng lượng Nguyên tử Quốc tế (AIEA). Nhưng quốc vương Iran có tham vọng xây thêm 20 lò phản ứng, đồng thời bày tỏ quan tâm đối với một số công nghệ. Điều này đã khiến Mỹ lo ngại, nhất là đối với kỹ thuật tách rời plutonium hoặc làm giầu uranium. Mặc dù mục tiêu nêu ra vẫn mang tính dân sự, Washington nghi ngờ vua Iran âm thầm thèm khát vũ khí nguyên tử. Clément Therme, giáo viên tại Đại học Paul-Valéry tại Montpellier, trong chương trình Giải Mã (19/05/2025) của kênh truyền hình ARTE nhắc lại, « ngay từ tháng 12/1975, Cơ quan Tình báo Mỹ (CIA) đã đánh giá rằng Iran rất có thể sẽ trang bị hệ thống vũ khí hạt nhân vào năm 1985. Vì vậy, ngay từ những năm 1970, đã có những nghi vấn về mục đích dân sự hay quân sự của chương trình Iran ». Pháp, Đức thay chân Mỹ Trước mối ngờ vực từ Mỹ, quốc vương Iran chuyển hướng tìm kiếm các đối tác châu Âu, được đánh giá là « ít quan tâm » đến những vấn đề được nêu trên, theo như nhận định của François Nicoullaud, cựu đại sứ Pháp ở Téhéran, trong bài viết đề tựa « La France et la négociation avec l'Iran » (Pháp và cuộc đàm phán với Iran). Pháp và Tây Đức thời đó đang chạy theo vàng đen của Iran. Cú sốc dầu hỏa năm 1973 biến Teheran thành một đối tác thiết yếu và ưu tiên cho Paris. Trong một bài giải thích, trang RFI tiếng Pháp nhắc lại, ngay từ năm 1974, bộ trưởng Tài Chính lúc bấy giờ là Jean-Pierre Fourcade đã ký kết rất nhiều hợp đồng với Iran để bảo đảm nguồn cung dầu khí cho đất nước. Teheran là nhà cung cấp nhiên liệu thứ hai cho Paris. « Chuyến thăm của Quốc vương tới Marcoule có ý nghĩa quan trọng hơn sau thông báo đặt xây năm nhà máy điện hạt nhân được xác nhận hôm qua và các thỏa thuận liên quan đến việc cung cấp uranium làm giàu cho Iran. » (France 2 ngày 25/06/1974) Trên đây là lời bình của bản tin lúc 20 giờ kênh truyền hình Pháp France 2 ngày 25/06/1974, nhân chuyến thăm của quốc vương Iran đến Pháp và trung tâm khai thác điện hạt nhân ở Marcoule vùng Gard, đông nam Pháp. Được xây dựng vào năm 1956, cơ sở công nghiệp này từng là mũi nhọn cho ngành năng lượng hạt nhân Pháp, cả về sản xuất điện lẫn sử dụng cho mục đích quân sự. Với hợp đồng trị giá gần 5 tỷ đô la – một khoản tiền « khổng lồ » theo như tuyên bố của bộ trưởng Tài Chính Jean-Pierre Fourcade – Pháp thay thế Mỹ trong lĩnh vực hạt nhân bất chấp những ngờ vực của Washington. Paris cam kết đào tạo nhân sự và cung cấp các nhà máy điện hạt nhân cho Teheran như hai lò phản ứng tại Ahvaz miền nam Iran do tập đoàn Framatome của Pháp xây dựng. Nước Đức cũng không kém cạnh. KraftWerk Union, một chi nhánh của tập đoàn năng lượng Siemens, trúng thầu xây dựng hai lò phản ứng hạt nhân ở Bushehr, miền nam Iran, trị giá 7,8 tỷ mác Đức. Chính quyền Berlin còn ký kết một thỏa thuận về hợp tác hạt nhân với vua Iran, tương tự như « hợp đồng thế kỷ », được ký một năm trước đó với Brazil. Cổ đông Eurodif : Tham vọng hạt nhân của vua Iran ? Tuy nhiên, việc các nước đồng minh mới châu Âu có những hứa hẹn tham gia tích cực vào chương trình phát triển hạt nhân Iran càng củng cố hơn nỗi lo lắng từ Mỹ. Không những vua Iran tự cung cấp phương tiện cho các tham vọng của mình và cùng với những thỏa thuận khác nhau, quốc vương Mohammad Reza còn biến nước ông thành một trong những nhà đầu tư chính cho ngành hạt nhân Pháp. Trong khuôn khổ thỏa thuận hợp tác đầu tư Eurodif - European Gaseous Diffusion Uranium Enrichissement Consortium - quốc vương Iran cho Pháp vay một tỷ đô la để xây dựng nhà máy làm giầu chất uranium Tricastin và sở hữu 10% vốn của Eurodif. Đổi lại, Iran bảo đảm lấy đi 10% chất uranium làm giầu do Eurodif sản xuất. Nhìn lại lịch sử, người ta không khỏi đặt nghi vấn về ý định quân sự của vua Iran. Một công nghệ « lưỡng dụng » uranium làm giàu có thể được sử dụng cả cho các nhà máy điện hạt nhân lẫn các đầu đạn được chế tạo theo mô hình Little Boy, từng được sử dụng để san bằng Hiroshima. Trong cuộc chạy đua vũ trang thời Chiến Tranh Lạnh, liệu quốc vương Iran có muốn trang bị vũ khí hạt nhân cho đất nước mình hay không ? Theo báo Pháp Le Monde, ngày 20/07/2025, trong bài viết dài đề tựa « Khi Pháp hứa hẹn uranium làm giầu cho Iran, nguồn cội của một hiệp ước hạt nhân đáng nguyền rủa », Akbar Etemad, chủ tịch Tổ chức Năng lượng Nguyên tử Iran (1974 – 1978) trước ống kính trong một bộ phim tài liệu của France 2 phát sóng ngày 08/10/2017, kể lại ông đã chất vấn Quốc vương như thế nào: « Liệu chúng ta có thể cân nhắc phương án quân sự hay không ? Ông ấy nói với tôi là 'Tại sao không?' Tôi hiểu rằng nhiệm vụ của tôi là phát triển tất cả các công nghệ cần thiết để sẵn sàng triển khai bom hạt nhân ». Vào thời điểm đó, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi khẳng định ông không cần đến bom nguyên tử. Dù không thể chắc chắn, châu Âu đã tin lời ông. Ngoại trưởng Pháp Jean-François Poncet (1978 – 1981), trong một chương trình phim tài liệu của kênh ARTE, khẳng định rằng, « tất cả các biện pháp phòng ngừa luôn được đặt ra để đảm bảo những gì chúng tôi thực hiện về phát triển hạt nhân với Iran sẽ không được sử dụng cho mục đích quân sự. » Cách mạng Hồi giáo 1979 và các cuộc khủng hoảng Pháp - Iran Nhưng cuộc Cách mạng Hồi giáo 1979 bùng nổ, buộc vua Iran phải sống lưu vong, chương trình hạt nhân của ông cũng tan theo. Đại giáo chủ Khomeini lên cầm quyền và chính quyền mới cho ngưng tất cả các hợp đồng xây dựng nhà máy điện hạt nhân, cũng như mua chất uranium. Hai tập đoàn Framatome của Pháp và KWU của Đức chấm dứt công trình và cho hồi hương các nhân viên. Ngoài ra, Teheran còn đòi Paris phải hoàn trả tiền vay, một đòi hỏi mà Pháp đã từ chối khi cho rằng chế độ Iran mới không thực hiện đầy đủ các nghĩa vụ được đặt ra với tư cách là một cổ đông của dự án. Nhưng cử chỉ này của Pháp đã bị nước Cộng hòa Hồi giáo xem như là một hành động đối đầu. Xung đột Iran – Irak nổ ra còn làm cho căng thẳng giữa Teheran và Paris thêm căng thẳng. Trong nhiều năm sau đó, Iran tiến hành một loạt hoạt động chống Pháp như bắt cóc và giam giữ các nhà báo và nhà ngoại giao Pháp tại Liban trong những điều kiện tệ hại. Iran đòi Pháp phải hoàn trả số nợ vay cũng như ngưng cung cấp vũ khí cho chế độ Saddam Hussein. Pháp trở thành mục tiêu tấn công của Iran. Nhiều vụ tấn công khủng bố đã xảy ra tại Pháp trong thập niên 1980 mà Iran bị cáo buộc là chủ mưu. Năm 1988, sau nhiều năm bị giam cầm ở Liban, các con tin Pháp được thả. Phần lớn khoản nợ vay của Eurodif cuối cùng đã được trả cho Iran như là tiền chuộc. Về mặt chính thức,tranh chấp đã được giải quyết xong ba năm sau đó, vào năm 1991, sau khi Pháp đổ thêm một tỷ đô la cho Cộng hòa Hồi giáo Iran. Chỉ vừa mới được bình thường hóa, quan hệ giữa Iran và phương Tây một lần nữa trở nên căng thẳng. Vào đầu những năm 2000, qua sự tố giác của một nhóm người Iran phản đối chế độ, Cơ quan Năng lượng Nguyên tử Quốc tế AIEA phát hiện nhiều cơ sở hạt nhân bí mật của Iran, đặc biệt là các cơ sở ở Natanz và Arak, miền trung đất nước. Một chương căng thẳng mới lại bắt đầu và kéo dài đến tận ngày nay. Các cuộc đàm phán rơi vào bế tắc kể từ khi tổng thống Mỹ Donald Trump trong nhiệm kỳ I rút Hoa Kỳ ra khỏi Thỏa thuận hạt nhân Vienna 2015. RFI Tiếng Việt sẽ tiếp tục trình bày chủ đề này trong một dịp khác. Tóm lại, như thừa nhận của ông Javad Vaeedi, nhà đàm phán Iran giai đoạn 2005-2009, với kênh truyền hình ARTE, « chương trình hạt nhân Iran đã được hình thành nhờ vào sự hợp tác với Mỹ, rồi Pháp cả trong khuôn khổ trao đổi sinh viên và cả trong việc hình thành các cơ sở hạ tầng có liên quan đến chương trình hạt nhân Iran ». (Nguồn INA, ARTE, RFI, Le Monde)

Little boy blue, Come blow your horn, The sheep's in the meadow, The cow's in the corn. Where is the boy who looks after the sheep? He's under a haycock fast asleep. Will you wake him? No, not I. For if I do, He's sure to cry. 藍色小男孩，吹起你的號角，羊在草地，牛在玉米田，看羊的小男孩在哪兒？他在乾草堆里熟睡呢。你要叫醒他嗎？不，我不要，如果我這樣做，他一定會哭的。 *補充: ▲blow/blew/blown ▲blow one's own horn 吹牛 Cherry is tired of the man who is always blowing his own horn. 切利厭倦了總是吹牛的人。 ▲meadow: 草地 / corn 玉米, 穀物 ▲look after = take care of ▲haycock 乾草堆 ▲asleep 熟睡的 ----- 雙語廣播營成果發表 (114年8月9日第四組) Sharing Feelings (Scene: At school, during break time) (Lucy is sitting alone, head down. She looks sad.) Sarah: Hi Lucy. Are you okay? Lucy: (shakes head) No. My dog Max is sick. He's at the vet. Sarah: Oh no! I'm so sorry. That's really sad. Do you want to talk about it? Lucy: (quietly) I'm scared. I love Max so much. I don't want him to stay sick. Sarah: I understand. It's okay to feel sad. Max is strong. The vet will help him. Lucy: (smiles a little) Thank you, Sarah. Talking helps. (Scene: After school) (Sarah walks to Lucy and gives her a card.) Sarah: Here, I made this for you. It says, “Max will get better soon!” Lucy: (smiling) Thank you! You are a good friend. (Narrator): Lucy felt better. A few days later, Max came home — happy and healthy! Lucy was so happy and said thank you to Sarah. Moral: It's good to share our feelings. Friends can help us feel better. 標題: 分享感受 （場景：學校課間休息時間 （露西獨自坐著，低著頭。她看起來很難過。） 莎拉：嗨，露西。你還好嗎？ 露西：（搖頭）不，我的狗麥克斯生病了。他正在看獸醫。 莎拉：哦不！我很抱歉。這真是令人傷心。 你想談這件事嗎？ 露西：（輕聲地）我很害怕。我太愛馬克斯了。我不想讓他一直生病。 莎拉：我明白。感到悲傷是正常的。 馬克斯很強壯。獸醫會幫助他。 露西：（微笑）謝謝你，莎拉。談話真的有幫助。 （場景：放學後） （莎拉走向露西並給了她一張卡片。） 莎拉：給你，這是我為你做卡片的。上面寫著：“馬克斯很快就會好起來！” 露西：（微笑）謝謝！你是一位好朋友。 （旁白）： 露西感覺好多了。幾天後，馬克斯回家了——快樂又健康！ 露西非常高興並向莎拉說謝謝。 寓意：分享我們的感受是件好事。朋友可以讓我們感覺更好。 ----- #每周六雙語麻吉同學會 #每周日英語童謠童話小森林 #想要無廣告收聽更多節目請點選教育電台雙語頻道 #每周六、日更新 ----- Apple｜Spotify｜Google｜KKBOX｜Firstory｜SoundOn 搜尋訂閱：NER Kids -----

Phillies Karen GOES VIRAL! STEALS home run ball from LITTLE BOY at Phillies vs Marlins game!

Hiroshima simboliza el fin de la Segunda Guerra Mundial y el inicio de una era marcada por la ansiedad nuclear. Este documental viaja en el tiempo para analizar las decisiones que llevaron a la creación y lanzamiento de la bomba atómica y sus profundas consecuencias en la historia mundial. El 6 de agosto de 1945, tres bombarderos B-29 despegan de Tinian, en las islas Marianas. El Enola Gay transporta en su interior a "Little Boy", una bomba atómica de 15 kilotones. Siete horas después la bomba es lanzada sobre Hiroshima. La explosión es devastadora: un inmenso hongo atómico se eleva en el cielo y una onda expansiva arrasa la ciudad. El 90% de los edificios quedan dañados o destruidos y cerca de 90.000 personas pierden la vida en el acto.

Today's episode:MY LITTLE BOY SCARES THE HELL OUT OF MEAll stories were written and narrated by Steve Hudgins"Hudgins is a Horror-Meister to reckon with!"VICTOR MILLER - Writer of Friday the 13thHere are 5 simple ways to help support the show:1.) Contribute directly to the show here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maniacontheloose.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠2.) Buy some of Steve's books:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maniacontheloose.com/books⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠3.) Buy some of Steve's audiobooks:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maniacontheloose.com/audiobooks⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠4.) Buy some Maniac on the Loose Merchandise:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.maniacontheloose.com/store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠5.) Please Subscribe. Share. Tell everyone you know about the show!

En este capítulo te platicamos como las bombas que arrasaron con Hiroshima y Nagasaki no solo terminaron con la guerra, también cambiaron l apolítica mundial para siempre.

durée : 00:09:31 - Le Fil de l'histoire - par : Stéphanie Duncan - 6 août 1945, trois heures du matin. Trois bombardiers américains décollent de la base de Tinian dans les îles Mariannes, un archipel du Pacifique-Est. Deux avions sont là pour prendre des mesures et des photos. Le troisième est celui qui, dans la soute, transporte la bombe A, surnommée "Little Boy". - invités : Olivier WIEVIORKA - Olivier Wieviorka : Historien, professeur à l'École normale supérieure de Cachan - réalisé par : Claire DESTACAMP Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les autres épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France.

En el verano de 1945 el imperio japonés se encontraba ante una situación insostenible tras la derrota de Alemania, que durante toda la guerra había sido su principal apoyo. Esto permitía a los aliados, especialmente a EEUU, concentrar todos sus recursos en el Pacífico y redoblar el esfuerzo para rendir a Japón. A pesar de que la fuerza aérea aliada había realizado devastadores bombardeos con bombas convencionales, como los de Tokio en el mes de marzo, el Gobierno japonés, dominado por la facción más militarista del régimen imperial, rechazaba la rendición incondicional que le exigía EEUU. Lo cierto es que, aunque en el curso de la guerra Japón había perdido territorios, su imperio aún abarcaba desde Manchuria hasta Indonesia. Incluía Corea, partes de China, Indochina y muchas islas del Pacífico. Entretanto, la Unión Soviética de Stalin permanecía neutral para evitar abrirse un segundo frente. En la conferencia de Potsdam, que se celebró entre julio y agosto de 1945, los aliados exigieron la rendición incondicional de Japón advirtiendo a su Gobierno que, de no ser así, el país sería destruido. En Japón ignoraron el ultimátum, lo que llevó al presidente de Estados Unidos, en aquel entonces Harry Truman, a decidirse por el uso de la bomba atómica que acababa de ser desarrollada en el Proyecto Manhattan. De este proyecto, en origen concebido para Alemania, salieron dos bombas a las que bautizaron "Little Boy" y "Fat Man”. Ambas estaban operativas. En julio se realizó en el desierto de Nuevo México la prueba Trinity que confirmó la viabilidad de "Fat Man”, una bomba de plutonio algo más compleja que su hermana. La "Little Boy” era de uranio y no se ensayó previamente porque el equipo científico estaba completamente seguro que funcionaría. La decisión de usar las bombas no fue unánime. Truman justificó su empleo para evitar una invasión terrestre, la Operación Downfall, que estimaban que costaría entre 250.000 y un millón de bajas aliadas. Los números los calcularon tomando como referencia las numerosas bajas en la batalla de Okinawa. Pero generales de alto rango como Dwight Eisenhower y William Leahy se opusieron. Creían que Japón ya estaba derrotado por el bloqueo naval y los bombardeos convencionales. Pero el lanzamiento tenía también un propósito geopolítico, el de demostrar superioridad tecnológica estadounidense ante la Unión Soviética. Se escogieron los objetivos y, con todo listo, el 6 de agosto "Little Boy" fue lanzada desde un avión B-29 llamado Enola Gay sobre Hiroshima. Tres días más tarde y como Japón no se rendía, se lanzó"Fat Man" sobre la ciudad de Nagasaki. Los ataques fueron devastadores. Ocasionaron la muerte de entre 150.000 y 250.000 personas y ambas ciudades quedaron completamente destruidas. Los supervivientes sufrieron algo desconocido hasta entonces, el síndrome de irradiación aguda que terminó provocando muchas más muertes y sufrimiento a cientos de miles de personas durante años. Pero las bombas consiguieron su objetivo. Eso y que los soviéticos declararon la guerra a Japón el 8 de agosto. Una semana después, el 15 de agosto, el emperador Hirohito anunció públicamente que aceptaba la declaración de Potsdam. Japón se rindió oficialmente el 2 de septiembre a bordo del acorazado Missouri fondeado en la bahía de Tokio. La rendición supuso el fin de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, dio comienzo a la ocupación estadounidense de Japón y marcó el surgimiento de Estados Unidos y la Unión Soviética como superpotencias. Pese a que la guerra terminase con estas dos bombas atómicas, el debate ético sobre si se debieron lanzar o no persiste hasta nuestros días. Unos justifican los bombardeos como un mal necesario para evitar una invasión muy costosa en vidas. Otros creen que fueron crímenes de guerra inaceptables. En El ContraSello: 0:00 Introducción 4:22 La bomba de Hiroshima 1:23:00 La reunificación de Suiza 1:26:50 La Biblia en castellano Bibliografía - "La segunda guerra mundial" de Antony Beevor - https://amzn.to/4mp95Ah - "Hiroshima" de John Hersey - https://amzn.to/45PphnH - "Hiroshima" de Agustín Rivera - https://amzn.to/4fWkDc8 - "Flores de verano" de Tamiki Hara - https://amzn.to/4fJUU6s · Canal de Telegram: https://t.me/lacontracronica · “Contra la Revolución Francesa”… https://amzn.to/4aF0LpZ · “Hispanos. Breve historia de los pueblos de habla hispana”… https://amzn.to/428js1G · “La ContraHistoria de España. Auge, caída y vuelta a empezar de un país en 28 episodios”… https://amzn.to/3kXcZ6i · “Lutero, Calvino y Trento, la Reforma que no fue”… https://amzn.to/3shKOlK · “La ContraHistoria del comunismo”… https://amzn.to/39QP2KE Apoya La Contra en: · Patreon... https://www.patreon.com/diazvillanueva · iVoox... https://www.ivoox.com/podcast-contracronica_sq_f1267769_1.html · Paypal... https://www.paypal.me/diazvillanueva Sígueme en: · Web... https://diazvillanueva.com · Twitter... https://twitter.com/diazvillanueva · Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/fernandodiazvillanueva1/ · Instagram... https://www.instagram.com/diazvillanueva · Linkedin… https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-d%C3%ADaz-villanueva-7303865/ · Flickr... https://www.flickr.com/photos/147276463@N05/?/ · Pinterest... https://www.pinterest.com/fernandodiazvillanueva Encuentra mis libros en: · Amazon... https://www.amazon.es/Fernando-Diaz-Villanueva/e/B00J2ASBXM #FernandoDiazVillanueva #hiroshima #nagasaki Escucha el episodio completo en la app de iVoox, o descubre todo el catálogo de iVoox Originals

H3 - Segment 4 - Thur Aug 21 2025 - Person caught in a car with a little boy I advocate for the death penalty -

Laura's world seems fresher, more magical, and genuinely miraculous now that she's a grandma.

Nigel's guest today is Jake Graf. Jake is an actor, screenwriter, director and transgender rights activist. Jake knew he was born in the wrong body at an early age, telling his family that he knew he was destined to change. His journey is one that saw him live life a lesbian while hiding what he really knew deep down. It also saw him turn to addiction. But he turned his life around. These days the man who once felt that he was the only person in the world who felt as he did is a strong, proud trans man, married to wife Hannah and father to two gorgeous children. He and Hannah use their voices to educate and fight injustice.This series is a celebration of a beautiful queer community; people of all ages, people who have had to tread their own path to live their real truth, who have fought with their emotions and emerged victorious, who inspire, who aspire and always entertain. Hosted by Nigel May. Every episode Nigel speaks to a person from the LGBTQIA+ rainbow to hear their story; one person, one life, one conversation. And it always guarantees A Gay Old Time!Follow the podcast on TikTok @agayoldtime and on Instagram @agayoldtimepodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When was Little Boy dropped on Hiroshima? How did different people react to the news of the explosion? Why was the second atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki? Join James Holland, Al Murray, and Iain MacGregor for Part 2 as they explore the monumental decisions that led to the world's first atomic bomb being dropped at the end of WW2. SUBSCRIBE FOR A FREE WEEK AND GET THE NEXT EPISODES WITHOUT ADS - go to patreon.com/wehaveways A Goalhanger Production Produced by James Regan Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Social: @WeHaveWaysPod Email: wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com Join our ‘Independent Company' with an introductory offer to watch exclusive livestreams, get presale ticket events, and our weekly newsletter - packed with book and model discounts. Membership Club: patreon.com/wehaveways Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We get sick when our bodies are not working right. In today's story we learn about a daddy who was so worried about his sick boy and looked for Jesus to help. His daddy loved him, but we learn how Jesus loved him even MORE and healed him. Mem. vs. Hosea 6:1. Check out this week's coloring pages at https://startingwithjesus.com/spb-cp/ Child helpers: Issac, Sam, Audrey, Heidi, and Cora. Recorded and produced by: Ashley B. Larson Don't forget to check out the coloring pages that go along with each lesson! https://startingwithjesus.com/spb-cp/ If you have enjoyed this program and would like to know more, go to our website: www.startingwithjesus.com The Bible and nature story material used in today's devotional podcast has been used with permission from My Bible First. If you would like your own copy, please visit their website-or call 1-877-242-5317. If you would like to purchase your own Memory Verse CD or Songbook, go to Ouachita Hills Store (https://www.ouachitahillsacademy.org/store?page=1&store_category_id=0&sort_by=title&is_ascending=1&search=). Songs from: Little Voices Praise Him, SDA Hymnal, Sabbath Songs For Tiny Tots, New Sabbath Songs For Tiny Tots, Memory Verse Verse Songs for Cradle Roll, Children's Songs For Jesus, and Scripture Songs and Little Lessons All Bible verses are from the NKJV. Singers for this Quarter: Tory, Caleb, and Enoch Hall, Hudson Reeves, Michael and Amy Nelson Editing assist: Dillon Austin and Josh Larson Music Recording and Editing: Rachel Nelson and Kristy Hall Coloring Pages: Rachel Lamming, Lily Canada, and Evie Rodriguez Theme Music: Lindsey Mills- www.lindseymillsmusic.com  God: who gives talents for us to use for Him

Darrell Castle recounts the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, around the 80th anniversary of the events and where it leaves us in the world today. Transcription / Notes COLONEL PAUL TIBBETS AND THE ATOMIC AGE Hello, this is Darrell Castle with today's Castle Report. This is Friday the 8th day of August in the year of our Lord 2025. Two days ago, on August 6th we remembered the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, Japan. Tomorrow the 9th of August is the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan. I will talk about those events and about where they leave us in the world today. During World War ll the United States was in a technological race with Germany to develop a war winning atomic weapon. The U.S. had some of the smartest people on earth working on the weapon which came to be called “The Manhattan Project.” Einstein gave his theoretical advice and Oppenheimer ran the effort to build a potentially world destroying weapon. No one knew for sure what this weapon would do when it was unleashed. The only thing certain was that its explosive power would be like nothing seen before on earth. I am certainly no scientist and I am not scientifically educated but as I understand it the microscopic particle that makes up matter, called the atom contains enormous energy and if it could be split that energy would be unleashed by way of explosive power. Some scientists were afraid that the explosion would not be able to be contained and would continue until it destroyed the entire universe but they went ahead with it despite the unknown. The allies throughout the war fought a clandestine effort to prevent German scientists from finishing their work first. Many people gave their lives in that effort but eventually German industry was destroyed and only Japan was left. The decision to use the weapon against Japan was President Truman's alone. I understand from much reading on the subject that he was in Europe to conclude the German surrender when he received word that the weapon known as “Little Boy” was ready. His response was “use it.” Winston Churchill once famously said, “I think history will be kind to me because I intend to write it.” The point is that history is written by the winners not the losers. I have read many histories of the end of the war and the decision to use the bomb and my conclusion is that the historical perspective depends on your world view today. I read something this week which asserted that Japan was begging to surrender but Truman wanted to use the bomb so he ignored them. The supposed reason was to send a message to the Soviet Union that the same thing could happen to them. The Soviet angle as a secondary reason makes sense but I see no evidence of Japan begging to surrender. In fact, after the surrender when MacArthur was proconsul in Japan surviving Japanese troops tried to lead a rebellion against the surrender. The real question for debate is, was the dropping of the atomic bomb justified or was it the most heinous crime against humanity in history. Everyone has his opinion, but from the perspective of the Marines and soldiers on the beaches and in the jungles of Asia I doubt that they wanted to invade the Japanese home islands. Perhaps if some of those who condemn the decision had been at Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, or Okinawa they would see it differently. In any event on August 6th, 1945, a B-29 Super fortress flown by Colonel Paul W. Tibbets Jr and with a crew of 12 more men lifted off the runway on the island of Tinian and headed for Japan and a mission that would forever alter our world. I saw an interview with Colonel Tibbets just before he died and the interviewer gave him a chance to express his sorrow at what he did but he said no I have no regrets. “I viewed my mission as one to save lives. I didn't bomb Pearl Harbor. I didn't start the war. But I was going to finish it.” Colonel Tibbets continued to maintain the same m...

#magic #louisiana #folktalesIn the first story, we learn why it is important to keep your ears open. In the second, we learn why you don't want to hang out with giants. And in the third, we learn why sleeves are important.Source: Louisiana folk-tales: in French dialect and English translation by Fortier, AlcéeNarrator: Dustin SteichmannMusic: MEDLEY OF SOUTHERN MELODIES by FRED VAN EPSSound Effects: The Stay 5am by Dustin SteichmannPodcast Shoutout: The History of China PodcastListener Shoutout: Lausanne, SwitzerlandPhoto Credit: English: Saint Anthony of Padua (Sculpture, Nice, in church "Saint-Jacques-le-Majeur" Creative Commons 4.0 by Lamiot

On the 6th of August 1945, US bombers dropped the first nuclear bomb, nicknamed ‘Little Boy', over the Japanese city of Hiroshima.80 years later, guest host Tom Dunne is joined by Ronan McGreevy, Journalist and Historian, to walk through what happened, and the legacy of the bomb today.

 El lanzamiento de la bomba atómica sobre Hiroshima supuso un antes y un después en la historia militar universal. El mundo, de repente, se vio atrapado de inmediato entre la incertidumbre y el miedo a causa de la existencia de un arma de destrucción masiva. 'Little Boy' se cobró la vida de 140.000 personas, pero aún más importantes son las consecuencias que dejó en Hiroshima, un lugar que jamás fue el mismo con una población marcada por la tragedia. Hablamos con Ken Sasaki, nieto de unos supervivientes. En Santa Cruz de Tenerife, el Ayuntamiento ha lanzado un proyecto pionero en todo el país para proteger a quienes más sufren las altas temperaturas y más a la hora de trabajar en la calle con este calor, el personal de limpieza municipal. Se va a hacer con pulseras inteligentes. Saludamos a  Marta Prieto, en Radio Club Tenerife. Alba Villanueva estrena una nueva sección en La Ventana, 30 por 30. La primera invitada es Patricia Fernández, una joven madrileña de 27 que actualmente es una de las voces más potentes de las redes sociales. También es escritora, con tres libros publicados y desde muy joven está comprometida con causas sociales relacionadas con los derechos humanos y y la infancia. Después de más de dos décadas el musical que hizo sonar el nombre de Jonathan Larsson por todo el mundo vuelve a Madrid. RENT, cambió la forma de contar historias y reflejó la forma de vida de toda una generación de neoyorquinos.  Patricia del Río se acercó a sus audiciones para conocer a los candidatos y al equipo directivo. 

This episode contains descriptions of graphic violence and may not be suitable for all listeners.On the morning of August 6th, 1945, a single American bomber unleashed a weapon unlike anything the world had ever seen - Little Boy, the first atomic bomb used in war. In a blinding flash, the city of Hiroshima was levelled. In this episode, we chart that fateful day moment by moment, from the daily routines of the city's mayor and the preparations of the American air crews to the instant of unimaginable destruction.Joining us is Ian MacGregor, author of ‘The Hiroshima Men: The Quest to Build the Atomic Bomb, and the Fateful Decision to Use It'. He takes us through the horror of this fateful day and the dawn of the nuclear age.Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Last time we spoke about the Siege of Japan. In the summer of 1945, Japan faced its most devastating siege. A pivotal component was the aerial mining campaign entitled "Starvation," masterminded by General Curtis LeMay. B-29 Superfortress bombers were deployed to lay mines in critical waterways, cutting off resources and crippling Japan's industrial capabilities. This silent assault inflicted chaos on Japan's shipping lanes, sinking over 670 vessels and significantly disrupting supply lines. Amid this turmoil, the Allies intensified their firebombing campaigns, targeting urban centers like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kobe, leading to extensive devastation and loss of life. By August, Japan's civilian and military morale crumbled under the weight of destruction. The climax of this siege came with the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, which unleashed unparalleled destruction. As Japan's leadership struggled for options, the nation was effectively brought to its knees. The relentless siege had achieved its goal, Japan was irrevocably broken, marking a profound moment in history. This episode is the Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Hello there, again like in the previous episode, this one is just going to state what happened, I am not going to delve into the why's just yet. I am currently writing an entire special episode on why exactly Japan surrendered, focused on the actions of Emperor Hirohito, who I will argue prolonged the 15 year war to protect the Kokutai. So a bit of a spoiler there I guess.  The worst has come to pass for the Japanese Empire. An atomic bomb has fallen, devastating an entire city. In a blinding flash, over 140,000 lives were lost or forever altered. But this was merely the beginning. The Americans were poised to unleash destruction from the skies, a scale of devastation never before witnessed on this planet. The choices were grim: surrender or complete annihilation.The Japanese faced not only this overwhelming threat but also another peril. The Soviet Union prepared to invade Manchuria and other crucial territories within its reach. As we last left off, the Americans had been conducting a prolonged and devastating air and naval siege of the Japanese Home Islands in preparation for the invasion of Kyushu. This campaign culminated in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, reducing the once-great city to ruins and leaving a staggering casualty toll that would forever haunt the Japanese people. Survivor accounts recount the haunting experience of wandering through the destruction, disoriented and unsure of where to go. They spoke of hearing the desperate cries of those trapped beneath crushed buildings or suffering from horrific burns. As small fires ignited by the blast began to spread, they coalesced into a firestorm that surged through the rubble, claiming the lives of many still trapped inside. Frightened residents jumped into the rivers of Hiroshima, only to drown in their desperate attempts to escape the flames. Over 90% of the doctors and 93% of the nurses in Hiroshima perished or were injured, and most hospitals were either destroyed or heavily damaged. By early afternoon, police and volunteers worked tirelessly to establish evacuation centers at hospitals, schools, and tram stations. Yet, tragically, many would die before receiving aid, leaving behind grim rings of corpses around these facilities. Some survivors who initially appeared unharmed would succumb within hours or days to what would later be identified as radiation sickness. Most members of General Hata's 2nd General Army headquarters were undergoing physical training on the grounds of Hiroshima Castle, barely 900 yards from the hypocenter. As a result, 3,243 troops lost their lives on the parade ground. Miraculously, Hata himself survived the explosion with only minor injuries, but many of his staff were not so fortunate, including Lieutenant-Colonel Yi U, a prince of the Korean imperial family, who was killed or fatally wounded. In total, the 2nd General Army, 59th Army, 5th Division, and other combat units in the city lost an estimated 20,000 troops. Survivors regrouped at the Ujina Air Base on the outskirts of Hiroshima, where they organized relief efforts and maintained public order once martial law was declared. With Mayor Awaya Senkichi killed at the mayoral residence, Hata assumed control of the city's administration and coordinated relief efforts. The initial reaction of the Japanese government to the devastation in Hiroshima was mixed. The Imperial Japanese Army and Imperial Japanese Navy military leadership received only fragmentary reports about the tragedy, as communications with Hiroshima had been severed. Meanwhile, American and British radio broadcasts promptly informed ordinary Japanese civilians and their government about the atomic bomb attack on August 7. The following day, Tokyo issued a press release confirming the bombing of Hiroshima, but it notably did not state that the United States had dropped an atomic weapon. After technical teams visited the site of the bombing, they concluded that the enemy B-29s had indeed used a nuclear device. At this juncture, the diplomatic situation within Japan was chaotic. Many members of the Japanese cabinet believed that surrender was the only viable option, while others, particularly military figures like Hata, were determined to continue the fight. Looking back, between July 17 and August 2, Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and U.S. President Harry Truman convened in Potsdam to negotiate terms for the end of World War II. The Potsdam Conference is perhaps best known for President Truman's conversation with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin on July 24, during which Truman informed Stalin that the United States had successfully detonated the first atomic bomb on July 16. Prior to leaving for the conference, a top-level civilian Interim Committee, led by Secretary of War Henry Stimson, suggested that Truman inform Stalin about America's new nuclear capability. This was intended to prevent the Soviets from learning about the bomb through leaked information, and Truman agreed to share this news. Historians have often interpreted Truman's somewhat firm stance during negotiations as a reflection of the U.S. negotiating team's belief that their nuclear capability would enhance their bargaining power. However, Stalin was already well-informed about the American nuclear program, courtesy of the Soviet intelligence network. This understanding enabled him to hold firm in his positions, complicating the negotiations. In the end, the leaders of the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union, despite their differences, remained allied throughout the war. However, they would never meet again collectively to discuss cooperation in postwar reconstruction. One of the critical topics discussed was how to handle Japan. During the conference, Truman sought and received Stalin's final assurance of entering the war on August 9, in accordance with the agreements made among the Allies during the Yalta Conference in February 1945. On April 5, Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov informed Tokyo of the Soviet Union's unilateral abrogation of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact. He assured Japan that the treaty would remain in effect until April 1946, even though the Soviets were already planning an offensive in the Far East. A Soviet invasion would prove beneficial for the Americans, as it could prevent the movement of hostile troops from Manchuria, Korea, and North China to the Home Islands of Japan before an invasion of Kyushu was launched. On July 26, the United States, Great Britain, and China released a declaration demanding Japan's immediate surrender. The declaration called for the dismemberment of Japan's remaining empire, the demobilization of all military forces, trials for war criminals, and the elimination of Japan's capacity for future belligerence. While the declaration did not alter the requirement for unconditional surrender, critically it left ambiguous how the Japanese people might shape their future government, as it did not specify a direct end to or continuation of the imperial dynasty. The crux of that matter was the preservation of the Kokutai. The Kokutai was the national essence of Japan. It was all aspects of Japanese polity, derived from history, tradition and customs all focused around the cult of the Emperor. The government run by politicians was secondary, at any given time the kokutai was the belief the Emperor could come in and directly rule. If you are confused, dont worry, I am too haha. Its confusing. The Meiji constitution was extremely ambiguous. It dictated a form of constitutional monarchy with the kokutai sovereign emperor and the “seitai” that being the actual government. Basically on paper the government runs things, but the feeling of the Japanese people was that the wishes of the emperor should be followed. Thus the kokutai was like an extra-judicial structure built into the constitution without real legal framework, its a nightmare I know. Let me make an example, most of you are American I imagine. Your congress and senate actually run the country, wink wink lets forget about lobbyists from raytheon. The president does not have executive powers to override any and all things, but what if all American voters simply felt he did. So the president goes above his jurisdiction, and the American people violently attack Congress and the Senate if they don't abide by the president's wishes. That's kind of how it works for a lack of better words. Again in the specials I will roll out soon, it will make more sense after I blabber about it in roughly 7000 words. Now, in response, Prime Minister Suzuki Kantaro expressed to the Japanese press on July 29 his belief that the Potsdam Declaration was nothing new and held no "significant value." This statement was interpreted by Truman and his administration as a rejection of the declaration. In reality, since the Yalta Conference, Japan had repeatedly approached the Soviet Union in an attempt to extend the Neutrality Pact and to enlist the Russians in negotiating peace with the Allies, offering attractive territorial concessions in return.  The Japanese, therefore, chose not to officially respond to the Potsdam Declaration as they awaited a reply from the Soviet Union. However, this response never materialized. The Soviet Union was preparing for an invasion of Manchuria, fully aware that Japan had become a weakened nation after suffering several defeats in the Pacific. In contrast, the once-inadequate Russian military had transformed into one of the strongest forces of the time. They had successfully absorbed powerful German offensives in 1941, 1942, and 1943, and rebounded with their own offensives in 1944 and 1945, ultimately crushing the military might of Nazi Germany. Motivated by Allied requests for support and the desire to solidify the Soviet Union's post-war position in the Far East, Soviet leaders began planning in March for a final campaign to reclaim Manchuria, northern Korea, southern Sakhalin, and the Kuril Islands from Japan. However, most Soviet troops were stationed more than 10,000 kilometers away in Europe. As a result, forces and equipment designated for deployment to Manchuria had to be transported along a fragile and limited-capacity network over a five-month period from April to August. Initially, they stockpiled equipment in the Far East to re-equip units already present in that region. Then, a massive regrouping of forces to the east commenced in May, with units still arriving even as the campaign opened in August. This shift, involving nearly one million men, effectively doubled the strength of Soviet forces in the Far East from forty to more than eighty divisions. Opposing Valisevsky's Far East Command was General Yamada Otozo's Kwantung Army, along with its Manchukuoan and Inner Mongolian auxiliaries. Once the most prestigious and powerful unit of the Imperial Japanese Army, the Kwantung Army had significantly eroded in strength and quality over the past few years due to the diversion of its main assets to other theaters. Consequently, many experienced units were siphoned off and replaced by formations made up of draft levies, reservists, and smaller, cannibalized units. By August, the Kwantung Army consisted of General Kita Seiichi's 1st Area Army in eastern Manchuria, which included the 3rd and 5th Armies, alongside two divisions under direct area army control. General Ushiroku Jun commanded the 3rd Area Army in central and western Manchuria, encompassing the 30th and 44th Armies, plus two divisions, three independent mixed brigades, and one independent tank brigade under his direct command. In northern Manchuria, Lieutenant-General Uemura Mikio led the 4th Army, which was composed of three divisions and four independent mixed brigades. Additionally, the army of Manchukuo contributed eight infantry and seven cavalry divisions, along with fourteen brigades of infantry and cavalry. Mengjiang added six cavalry formations and other garrison forces from Inner Mongolia. Furthermore, Lieutenant-General Kozuki Yoshio's 17th Area Army was stationed in central and southern Korea, totaling seven divisions and three independent mixed brigades. In northern Korea, Lieutenant-General Kushibuchi Senichi's 34th Army consisted of two divisions and one independent mixed brigade. Recognizing that his forces lacked adequate training and equipment, Yamada's plans called for a delay at the borders, followed by a defense consisting of successive positions culminating in a final stand at a stronghold constructed in the Tunghua area. This strategy would see roughly one-third of the Japanese forces deployed in the border region, while the remaining two-thirds would be concentrated in operational depth to create a series of defensive lines. By July 25, Soviet force deployments to the Far East were virtually complete. The Soviets meticulously tailored all military units, from the front level down to army, corps, division, brigade, and battalion, to effectively achieve specific missions. This tailoring took into account not only the strength and dispositions of enemy forces but also the terrain where the unit would operate and the desired speed of the operation. Each unit was equipped with the necessary artillery, anti-tank, tank, air defense, and engineer support. For instance, the 1st Far Eastern Front received heavy artillery attachments to provide the firepower needed to breach heavily fortified Japanese positions. In contrast, the Transbaikal Front was given heavy vehicular and motorized rifle support, enabling it to conduct rapid, balanced combined arms operations across the broad expanses of western Manchuria and Inner Mongolia. Within each front, armies assigned to assault strong enemy fortified zones had significantly more artillery assets compared to those operating on open axes of advance. Units deployed in difficult terrain were afforded extensive engineer support to facilitate their operations. At the lowest tactical levels, specially tailored forward detachments from rifle divisions and tank and mechanized corps, alongside assault groups from rifle regiments and battalions, ensured the firepower and mobility necessary to execute high-speed operations. However, the final decision to attack would not be made until August 7, when Vasilevsky committed the Transbaikal and 1st Far Eastern Fronts to a simultaneous assault scheduled for August 9. It is believed that the detonation of the atomic bomb the previous day prompted this hasty decision, resulting in the short two-day period between the decision and the planned attack. Vasilevsky's strategy called for a double envelopment conducted by Soviet forces along three axes to secure Manchuria and destroy a significant portion of the Kwantung Army. The Transbaikal Front was tasked with attacking eastward into western Manchuria, while the 1st Far Eastern Front would move westward into eastern Manchuria. Both offensives were to converge in the Mukden, Changchun, Harbin, and Kirin areas of south-central Manchuria. Meanwhile, the 2nd Far Eastern Front would conduct a supporting attack into northern Manchuria, driving southward toward Harbin and Tsitsihar. Moreover, the timing of on-order operations against southern Sakhalin and the Kuriles would depend on the progress of these main attacks. For the western pincer, Malinovsky's plan involved the 17th and 39th Armies and the 6th Guards Tank Army, followed by the 53rd Army, launching the primary assault. Their objective was to bypass the Halung-Arshaan Fortified Region to the south and advance toward Changchun. The success of the Transbaikal Front operation hinged on speed, surprise, and the deployment of mobile forces across virtually every sector, aiming to preempt effective Japanese defenses. To achieve this swiftness and surprise, tank formations were positioned in the first echelon of units at all command levels. The operation required tank-heavy forward detachments at each command level, with the 6th Guards Tank Army designated to spearhead the front's efforts. A tank division would lead the advance of the 39th Army, supported by tank brigades assigned to the first-echelon corps and divisions. Planned rates of advance were ambitious: 23 kilometers per day for combined arms units and an impressive 70 kilometers for tank units. However, the operation involved significant risks. If Japanese units responded quickly to the Soviet attack, or if even nominal forces occupied strategic positions in the Grand Khingan mountain passes, the Soviet advance could be severely hampered. Additionally, the success of the operation relied heavily on logistical units' capability to supply these fast-moving formations deep into Manchuria. Despite these challenges, the Soviets confidently accepted the risks involved. Their mission was to crush the enemy in the border regions, cross the Grand Khingan Mountains, and occupy positions in the central Manchurian plain from Lupei to Solun by the tenth to fifteenth day of the operation.In support, the Soviet-Mongolian Cavalry-Mechanized Group was to attack across the Inner Mongolian desert and southern Grand Khingan Mountains toward Kalgan and Dolonnor. Simultaneously, the 36th Army was set to advance from Duroy and Staro-Tsurukaytuy across the Argun River to secure Hailar. In the next phase, for the second pincer, Meretskov's plan involved the 1st Red Banner Army, the 5th Army, and the 10th Mechanized Corps launching the main attack from the Grodekova area, located northwest of Vladivostok. Their objective was to advance toward Mutanchiang to exploit and secure the Kirin, Changchun, and Harbin regions, while coordinating with Soviet forces from the Transbaikal Front. Additionally, the 35th Army was tasked with attacking from the Lesozavodsk-Iman area, north of Lake Khanka, to capture Mishan, Linkou, and Poli. Meanwhile, the 25th Army would launch an offensive from northwest of Ussurysk to secure the Tungning, Wangching, and Yenchi areas. Once the 1st Far Eastern and Transbaikal Fronts converged in the Changchun area, they would advance together to eliminate the final Japanese resistance on the Liaotung Peninsula and secure the strategic naval base at Port Arthur. Furthermore, Purkayev's 2nd Far Eastern Front was to advance on a broad front across the Amur and Ussuri rivers, extending from Blagoveshchensk to south of Khabarovsk. This movement aimed to exert maximum pressure on Japanese forces in northern Manchuria. The 15th Army would spearhead the main attack across the Amur River in the Leninskoye area, advancing southward into the regions around the Sungari and Ruhe rivers. In support, the 2nd Red Banner Army was designated to attack across the Amur River from the Blagoveshchensk area to Sunwu and then advance southward to Tsitsihar. The 5th Rifle Corps would also be involved, attacking from Bikin to secure Paoching and Poli. This multifront operational plan aimed for the complete destruction of Kwantung Army units in Manchuria with maximum speed, effectively cutting off Japanese troops from reinforcements coming from northern China or Korea. These relentless mobile attacks, deployed across the broadest of fronts, were designed to prevent the Japanese from reallocating forces, leading to their ultimate collapse and piecemeal defeat. As planned, the Japanese were caught completely by surprise when they received the Soviet declaration of war just an hour before midnight on August 8. At the same time, they were facing a critical decision in response to the recent bombing of Hiroshima. After learning about the success of Colonel Tibbets' mission, President Truman released a pre-approved statement that detailed the atomic bomb's destructive capabilities and warned that if Japan did not accept the Potsdam Declaration, "they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth." Although Truman had only the plutonium Fat Man device remaining for use, he had been informed that a third bomb might be ready sometime in August. Among American military leaders, including Admiral Nimitz and Generals Spaatz, LeMay, and Twining, there was a belief that this third nuclear weapon should be dropped on Tokyo if Japan did not surrender. Conversely, some Japanese senior officials, like Admiral Toyoda, speculated that even if the Allies had used an atomic bomb, they likely would not have many more at their disposal. They argued that the Japanese people should be prepared to defend their home islands to the death if favorable terms of surrender could not be secured. However, on August 8, Prime Minister Suzuki instructed Foreign Minister Togo Shigenori, who advocated for negotiating with the United States, to inform Emperor Hirohito about the devastation caused by the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. Hirohito responded by authorizing foreign minister Togo to notify the world on August 10th that Japan would accept the allied terms of surrender with one condition “that the said declaration does not comprise any demand which prejudices the prerogatives of His Majesty as a Sovereign Ruler.”  In the meantime, to increase pressure on the Japanese, Twinning launched additional conventional B-29 raids. A total of 412 B-29s targeted the Nakajima aircraft plant in Musashino during a daylight attack on August 8. However, the United States also needed to demonstrate to the Japanese government and people that Little Boy was not just an isolated experimental device. As a result, a decision was made to drop the Fat Man plutonium bomb on either the primary target of Kokura or the secondary target of Nagasaki, with this mission scheduled for August 9. For this operation, Tibbets selected Major Charles Sweeney to pilot the B-29 named Bockscar and deliver the device. The leading B-29 would decide the ultimate target based on weather reports from two reconnaissance B-29s, followed by two additional aircraft assigned to scientific and photographic missions. To prepare for takeoff, the bomb was armed by installing three plugs. At 03:49 on August 9, Sweeney departed from Tinian, heading toward Yakushima Island to rendezvous with his escorts. The mission began with complications that only escalated. A typhoon near Iwo Jima forced mission planners to relocate the planned rendezvous between Bockscar and her escorts to Yakushima, an island south of Kyushu. Sweeney took off at 03:49 on August 9 and headed north, but strong headwinds hindered her progress toward Yakushima. A further issue arose when a photographic specialist assigned to the support aircraft Full House was barred from flying due to forgetting his parachute. Consequently, Major Hopkins on Full House had to break radio silence to seek instructions on operating the camera. However, a more critical situation was uncovered when Commander Ashworth and his assistant discovered that an indicator was showing that Fat Man's electronic fusing circuits had closed, indicating that arming was complete. A faulty switch, with incorrectly installed wiring, posed the risk of a premature explosion. As the mission continued over Yakushima, Sweeney successfully met up with Captain Bock, piloting the scientific support B-29, but failed to rendezvous with Major Hopkins. This meant that Bockscar would only have The Great Artiste to accompany it for the final leg of its mission. According to Ashworth's log, they arrived at the rendezvous point at 09:00 and saw Bock at 09:20, while Full House waited south of the arranged position. Sweeney had initially agreed to circle Yakushima for only 15 minutes; however, he ended up waiting approximately 50 minutes for Hopkins to arrive, wasting precious fuel in the process. Due to the weather conditions, Hopkins had lost visual contact with the other B-29s and had to break radio silence again to locate Bockscar, but Sweeney did not respond. Despite reports indicating 30% cloud cover over Kokura, Sweeney chose to proceed there, believing the haze over the city would clear. Bockscar arrived at the initial start point for the bomb run over Kokura at 10:44, but unfortunately, heavy cloud cover had settled over the city, preventing a successful bomb delivery. After three unsuccessful bomb runs, which consumed an additional 45 minutes of fuel, a flight engineer discovered that a fuel pump had malfunctioned, trapping 600 gallons of fuel in the auxiliary bomb bay fuel tanks. Despite fuel concerns, Sweeney chose to proceed with the mission, heading south and then east toward Nagasaki, which he reached at 11:50. Unfortunately, the weather there was as poor as it had been at Kokura, prompting Sweeney to make the controversial decision to drop Fat Man using radar guidance. Due to the fuel shortage, he only conducted a single bomb run. Just before initiating the radar approach, a hole in the clouds opened, revealing the aim point: the Mitsubishi Steel and Arms Works located on the Urakami River. Fat Man was dropped at 11:58 and detonated approximately 1,650 feet above the target after a 50-second descent. Initial reports indicated that the explosion occurred about 500 yards north of the Mitsubishi plant and roughly 0.8 miles south of another Mitsubishi facility. While Fat Man had a more powerful detonation, the damage and casualties were not as extensive as those caused by the lower-yield Little Boy. The topography of Nagasaki, surrounded by hills, confined the explosion to the bowl-shaped center of the city, in stark contrast to Hiroshima's relatively flat landscape. Of the 7,500 Japanese employees at the Mitsubishi plant, 6,200 were killed, with an additional 17,000 to 22,000 employees at other war plants and factories also perishing. Unlike Hiroshima, where the military death toll was high, only about 150 Japanese soldiers were killed instantly, alongside at least 8 prisoners of war. Overall, it is estimated that around 45,000 civilians lost their lives due to the explosion, with between 50,000 and 60,000 sustaining injuries. The radius of total destruction extended about one mile, with fires spreading across the northern portion of the city to two miles south of the impact point. Thankfully, no firestorm developed as it had in Hiroshima. Bomb damage to physical structures in Nagasaki was erratic. Some areas, such as the Nagasaki Arsenal and the Mitsubishi plant, experienced significant destruction, while nearby locations appeared almost untouched. Despite this, Sweeney's mission resulted in an estimated 68.3% loss of pre-existing industrial production, excluding the harbor facilities, without disrupting the critical north-south National Railway track. While Fat Man's debut was historic, its destructive capability was comparable to other B-29 incendiary night raids. After circling Fat Man's expanding mushroom cloud, Sweeney headed toward Okinawa at 12:05, with only 300 gallons of fuel remaining. Fortunately, Bockscar's crew managed to return to Yontan Field with just seven gallons of fuel left, successfully making their way back to Tinian later that same day.  Simultaneously, Vasilevsky's Far East Command began its offensive just ten minutes after midnight on August 9. Reconnaissance units, forward detachments, and advanced guard units of the Transbaikal Front crossed the border into Inner Mongolia and Manchuria. Initially, attacking units faced resistance primarily in the 36th Army zone, where their attack routes passed through fortified Japanese border installations. However, most assault units advanced with little opposition. By 04:30, main force units had begun to follow closely behind the assault troops. Colonel-General Issa Pliyev's Soviet-Mongolian Cavalry-Mechanized Group advanced in two march columns, 200 kilometers apart. By nightfall, they had penetrated 55 miles into the arid expanses of Inner Mongolia, moving southward toward Dolonnor and Kalgan while sweeping aside small detachments of Inner Mongolian cavalry. Meanwhile, Lieutenant-General Aleksei Danilov's 17th Army entered Inner Mongolia virtually unopposed in two columns, advancing approximately 70 kilometers by nightfall. To the left, Colonel-General Andrey Kravchenko's 6th Guards Tank Army led the main attack into Inner Mongolia in two columns, encountering limited opposition and rapidly advancing about 150 kilometers until reaching the foothills of the Grand Khingan Mountains, west and north of Khorokhon Pass, by nightfall. Simultaneously, Colonel-General Ivan Lyudnikov's 39th Army advanced along two divergent axes. The 5th Guards and 113th Rifle Corps gained 60 kilometers as they bypassed the Halung-Arshaan and Wuchakou Fortified Regions to the south. Meanwhile, the 94th Rifle Corps struck northeast towards the rear of the Hailar Fortified Region, swiftly overcoming light resistance. The 124th Rifle Division was also deployed between both axes to probe toward the Halung-Arshaan Fortified Region. Lieutenant-General Alexander Luchinsky's 36th Army advanced on two fronts, with the 2nd and 86th Rifle Corps successfully crossing the rain-swollen Argun River between Staro-Tsurukhaytuy and Duroy and securing key bridges north of Hailar. Additionally, an operational group of two rifle divisions attacked across the border, establishing a foothold in the small fortified post at Manchouli. During the night, Luchinsky sent the 205th Tank Brigade to assault Hailar from the northeast, while the 152nd Rifle Regiment maneuvered to attack from the southeast. This offensive succeeded only in capturing the railroad station in the northern part of Hailar, as the southern and eastern sections of the city fell the following day. However, the 80th Independent Mixed Brigade continued to delay the Soviet advance, while the 119th Division moved eastward to fortify positions in the Grand Khingan Mountains, stretching from Yakoshih to Pokotu. Despite these setbacks, the 36th Army had advanced 60 kilometers into Manchuria and had partially secured Hailar. Meanwhile, to the east, drenched by inundating thunderstorms, the 1st Far Eastern Front advanced under the worst weather conditions during the dark of night. This totally surprised the Japanese defenders and led to the rapid reduction of many unsuspecting border posts. Colonel-General Nikolay Krylov's 5th Army spearheaded the main attack, with the 17th, 65th, and 72nd Rifle Corps quickly breaking through the Volynsk center of resistance. They achieved a penetration of 16 to 22 kilometers toward Laotsaiying and Machiacho. Meanwhile, the 105th Fortified Region and assault engineer units attacked the Suifenho center of resistance, successfully seizing critical railroad tunnels on the main rail line into Manchuria. In support, Colonel-General Afanasy Beloborodov's 1st Red Banner Army to the north launched an assault with the 26th and 59th Rifle Corps over a 16-kilometer sector through heavily wooded, wet terrain. As they advanced, they constructed roads through the forest. By nightfall, forward divisional elements had advanced five to six kilometers deep into Manchuria, crossing the Shitouho River and half of the forested region. At the same time, the 6th Field Fortified Region and the 112th Fortified Region stormed several Japanese border positions and slowly advanced north towards Mishan. This assault supported Lieutenant-General Nikanor Zakhvatayev's 35th Army, which deployed the 66th and 363rd Rifle Divisions to cross the Sungacha River and attack towards Mishan. The 264th Rifle Division and the 109th Fortified Region assaulted across the Ussuri River against Hutou. After securing a crossing over the Sungacha, the 66th Division penetrated deep into the swamps, managing to advance 12 kilometers into Tachiao. Meanwhile, the 363rd Division successfully broke through an enemy strongpoint at Maly Huankang, ultimately reaching the southwest edge of Tachiao. In turn, the 264th Division crossed the Ussuri River and outflanked Hutou to the south, capturing the railroad depot and cutting the highway to Hulin. Lastly, Colonel-General Ivan Chistyakov's 25th Army launched an attack along two principal axes. The 39th Rifle Corps and the 259th Tank Brigade targeted Tungning, while border guard units, along with the 108th and 113th Fortified Regions, crossed the Hunchun and Tumen rivers to engage Japanese defenses in Korea and at Hunchun. Shielded by rain, the Russians swiftly captured or subdued the Japanese forward defenses along the front. By nightfall, the 39th Rifle Corps had advanced ten to twelve kilometers into the Japanese rear along the Pad Sennaya River. Lead elements, reinforced by the 72nd Tank Brigade, began their assault on the town of Tungning and the vital railroad line to Tumen. To the north, the 2nd Far Eastern Front deployed its forces across three separate sectors. Lieutenant-General Stepan Mamonov's 15th Army was tasked with the main attack across the Amur River in the center of the front sector. Lieutenant-General Makar Teryokhin's 2nd Red Banner Army was assigned to conduct a supporting attack against the Aihun and Sunwu Fortified Regions, while Major-General Ivan Pashkov's 5th Rifle Corps aimed to seize the fortified region at Jaoho. Supported by the Amur Naval Flotilla, reconnaissance and advanced detachments of the 15th Army launched assaults without artillery preparation and rapidly secured major islands in the Amur River. Mamonov's rifle divisions then sent reconnaissance units across to the south bank of the river, which was likewise secured against light opposition. Throughout the remainder of the day, reconnaissance units and advanced battalions of the 15th Army consolidated their positions on the islands and the south bank, while main forces concentrated on conducting a challenging river crossing, hampered by heavy rains, high water, and mud. At the same time, assault units and reconnaissance detachments of the 5th Rifle Corps crossed the Ussuri River, successfully securing a beachhead north of Jaoho while the remainder of the corps was transported across the river. From August 9 to 11, the forces of the 2nd Red Banner Army limited their activities to reconnaissance, focusing on seizing islands in the Amur River and harassing Japanese installations. This operation occurred at a critical moment for the Japanese, who were still reeling from the impacts of two atomic bombings. The Soviet Union had successfully initiated its invasion of Manchuria, setting the stage for a campaign that, although brief, was just beginning. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Two atomic bombs have been dropped and the Soviet Union has invaded Manchuria. For months the Japanese had been working tirelessly to obtain better peace terms through the Soviets, hoping above all else to preserve the Kokutai. It was all for nothing. The Americans offered terms, leaving the Kokutai ambiguous. What would Japan, or better said, the Emperor do?

Hiroshima simboliza el fin de la Segunda Guerra Mundial y el inicio de una era marcada por la ansiedad nuclear. Este documental viaja en el tiempo para analizar las decisiones que llevaron a la creación y lanzamiento de la bomba atómica y sus profundas consecuencias en la historia mundial. El 6 de agosto de 1945, tres bombarderos B-29 despegan de Tinian, en las islas Marianas. El Enola Gay transporta en su interior a "Little Boy", una bomba atómica de 15 kilotones. Siete horas después la bomba es lanzada sobre Hiroshima. La explosión es devastadora: un inmenso hongo atómico se eleva en el cielo y una onda expansiva arrasa la ciudad. El 90% de los edificios quedan dañados o destruidos y cerca de 90.000 personas pierden la vida en el acto.

Time Team's Francis Pryor appears on this episode of the podcast to discuss the damage to one of Flag Fen's reconstructed roundhouses. You'll hear from Derek Pitman and Lawrence Shaw who've been at the Festival of Archaeology's launch event near Belfast in Northern Ireland. The Operation Nightingale military veterans and serving members of the armed forces talk about their experience digging for a B17 bomber, Little Boy Blue, which crashed in a field around 80 years ago. Join Dr Helen Geake and Martyn Williams as they take you further into the world of history and archaeology. Ask Helen a question on Patreon by heading to patreon.com/timeteamofficial. We've a special offer on annual membership running at the moment, but you don't have much time to take advantage of it. Full details available by listening to the podcast or via Time Team's social media.

Vor 80 Jahren, am 6. August 1945, warf ein Flugzeug der US Air Force die Atombombe „Little Boy“ über Hiroshima ab. Mehr als 100.000 Menschen starben durch die Explosion und deren Folgen. Das Gedenken an dieses Ereignis bleibt bedeutend in einer Zeit, in der in Europa erneut Krieg herrscht. Arata Osada, damals Rektor der Universität Hiroshima, sammelte in „Kinder aus Hiroshima“ über 2.000 Aufsätze von Kindern und Jugendlichen, die den Angriff überlebt hatten. Auf Grundlage dieser Texte haben Jürgen Geers und Christian Gebert ein Dokumentarhörspiel geschaffen. Die Erinnerungen sind erschütternd. Gerade die ungeschönten kindlichen Perspektiven verleihen ihnen besondere Eindringlichkeit. Nach schriftlichen Zeugnissen japanischer Kinder, herausgegeben von Arata Osada und Hermann Vinke Bearbeitung: Jürgen Geers und Christian Gebert Regie: Christian Gebert Mit: Oliver Bomsdorf, Barbara Brodt, Hans Helmut Dickow, Tobias Eggert, Annette Füssel, Agathe Corsula u.v.a. hr und Sender Freies Berlin 1985 | ca. 88 Min. (Audio verfügbar bis 01.08.2026)

Last time we spoke about Operation Downfall. The Allies, under General Krueger, initiated a decisive campaign to clear the Japanese from Luzon. As they faced the entrenched Shobu Group, challenges included treacherous terrain and a resilient enemy. Simultaneously, Japan braced for an invasion, mobilizing reinforcements and devising defensive strategies to ward off the impending Allied assault. As July approached, General Yamashita's forces prepared to execute a final breakout, but progress was hampered by relentless guerrilla attacks and adverse weather conditions. With Operation Downfall looming, Allied troops focused on strategic landings in Kyushu and Honshu, driven by a relentless determination to defeat the Japanese militarily. The intense battles of Luzon became a precursor to this monumental operation, marking a turning point in the Pacific War.  This episode is The Siege of Japan Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  Boy I have been waiting a long time to come to this point. One of the most significant events in human history that deeply affects us to this very day. Nuclear war is as much a threat today as it was during the cold war. The dropping of the Atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were deeply complicated events fraught with issues of morality. It goes without saying whether or not the bombs needed to be dropped, their actual impact on the surrender of Japan and so forth are still issues hotly debated to this very day. I have spoken on the issue countless times on my personal channel and podcast, but I figure to do this subject justice I will create a full episode for it. Thus in this episode we are going to just cover what happened, but rest assured I will come back to this later on. As we last explored, following the successful invasion of Luzon in the Philippines, along with the fall of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, American forces began preparing for the final invasion of the Japanese Home Islands. This operation was codenamed Operation Downfall. One key initiative leading up to this invasion was a comprehensive air-sea blockade and bombardment campaign against Japan itself. Previously, we detailed the extensive firebombing and precision bombing efforts executed by General LeMay's 21st Bomber Command. However, during this crucial period, the B-29 Superfortress bombers undertook a distinct operation under the codename Starvation. This single operation would be one of the largest factors that contributed to the surrender of Japan and its one most people have never heard of. In July 1944, Admiral Chester W. Nimitz proposed a bold plan to use B-29 Superfortress bombers to mine the waterways surrounding the Japanese Home Islands. Although Generals Henry H. Arnold and Walter Hansell expressed concerns that this mining campaign could distract from the B-29's primary role as a strategic bombardment aircraft, they eventually agreed to assign one bomber group to focus on aerial mining when conditions permitted. On December 22, Hansell's 21st Bomber Command was directed to formulate a naval mining program aimed at executing between 150 to 200 sorties each month, which was set to begin in April 1945. However, by this time, General Curtis LeMay had taken command of the 21st Bomber Command. LeMay was notably enthusiastic about the idea and successfully recommended to Washington an upgraded mining program that aimed to deploy up to 1,500 mines each month using a full B-29 wing. LeMay viewed aerial mining in a different light than Arnold or Hansell, seeing it as a vital extension of strategic bombing. He recognized that most of Japan's war production materials, as well as a significant portion of its food supplies, were imported from regions such as China, Southeast Asia, and the Dutch East Indies. Japan's industrial heartland is primarily found on Honshu, its largest and most industrialized island, while Shikoku, another island, also lacks essential resources such as iron ore and high-quality coal. These crucial materials were sourced from Kyushu and Hokkaido, both of which are other Japanese islands. All these resources were transported by sea, so without easy access to raw materials, Japan's industrial output would come to a grinding halt. The only aircraft capable of deploying mines effectively where they were needed were the B-29s. Areas such as the Inland Sea, the Sea of Japan, and the Korean Peninsula were out of reach for other Allied aircraft. Additionally, Allied submarines could only venture into these perilous waters with great risk. Notably, about 80% of Japan's merchant fleet utilized the Shimonoseki Strait, a critical waterway that separates Kyushu from Honshu. Understanding the strategic advantage of closing this strait, LeMay decided to allocate an entire wing of B-29s specifically to mine this vital route. Brigadier General John Davies commanded the 313th Bombardment Wing, tasked with deploying approximately 2,000 naval mines each month into Japanese waters. The primary goals of this operation were to prevent essential raw materials and food supplies from reaching the Home Islands, hinder the supply and mobilization of Japanese military forces, and disrupt transportation routes in the Inland Sea of Japan. Between March 27 and April 12, Davies' bombers targeted key enemy shipping bases located in Kure, Sasebo, and Hiroshima. They also focused on the Shimonoseki Strait, a narrow and strategically important waterway that links the Inland Sea with the Tsushima Strait. Notably, after these attacks, this strait was successfully closed for two weeks. On May 3 and 5, the 313th Bombardment Wing laid down a total of 1,422 mines in the waters surrounding the Shimonoseki Strait, as well as near major urban centers like Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, and Osaka. These efforts aimed to severely disrupt maritime commerce between Japan's major industrial areas. Just a week later, the minefields expanded from the Shimonoseki Strait to include Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's four main islands, and northwest Honshu, the largest island containing Tokyo. By the end of that month, these mines were proving remarkably effective, accounting for the sinking of more ships than Japanese submarines. In fact, within the Shimonoseki Strait alone, 113 ships had been sunk. Between June 7 and July 8, American forces expanded and fortified minefields along the western coast of Japan while also replenishing the existing minefields in the Shimonoseki Strait and the Inland Sea. During this effort, they successfully laid a total of 3,542 mines across 14 missions. The "total blockade" officially commenced on July 9 and continued until the end of the war. Throughout this period, American forces executed 474 sorties, dropping another 3,746 mines that replenished existing minefields and extended coverage to harbors in Korea. In total, Brigadier General Davies conducted 46 missions that laid down 26 minefields containing 12,135 mines. Remarkably, only 15 B-29s were lost during these operations. In turn, the mines accounted for the sinking or damaging of 670 Japanese ships, with a total loss of 1.25 million tons. This mining campaign effectively strangled Japanese industry, as the denial of essential raw materials to factories proved more disruptive than the direct bombing of the plants themselves.  Despite the clear vulnerability of Japan's economy to disruptions in coastal shipping, Japanese authorities were alarmingly unprepared to address the threat posed by air-dropped mines. By August 1945, Japan had committed 349 ships and 20,000 personnel to counter the Starvation campaign, but these efforts were overwhelmingly ineffective. The shipping crisis escalated to such a degree that searchlights and anti-aircraft batteries were redeployed from urban centers to defend expected mining targets. Additionally, suicide boats were employed in desperate attempts to clear the minefields. Royal Navy historian S.W. Roskill commented on the situation, stating, “The blockade had, in fact, been far more successful than we realized at the time. Although submarines initially played a critical role in enforcing the blockade, it was the air-laid mines that ultimately strangled Japan.” Japanese officials shared this assessment. A director from a Tokyo steel company reflected on the situation, noting that the denial of essential raw materials to factories caused far greater disruption than the direct bombing of the plants themselves. This contradicted the views of US Army Air Forces experts back in Washington. In a striking remark after the war, a Japanese minesweeping officer told American forces, “The result of B-29 mining was so effective against shipping that it eventually starved the country. You could have likely shortened the war by starting this campaign earlier.” Meanwhile, General LeMay continued his firebombing campaign against Japan. By the end of May, urban areas around Tokyo Bay had been devastated, prompting the 21st Bomber Command to shift focus westward toward the densely populated industrial complexes lining Osaka Bay. On June 1, 521 B-29s were dispatched to bomb industrial targets situated along the Yodo River, with an escort of 148 P-51 fighters. Unfortunately, an undetected thunderstorm struck en route, which meant only 27 P-51s reached Osaka, while another 27 crashed, and the remaining fighters had to return to Iwo Jima. Despite these complications, the B-29s bombed from altitudes ranging between 18,000 and 28,500 feet, successfully dropping 2,788 tons of incendiary bombs on Osaka. The attack resulted in the burning of 3.15 square miles, destroying 136,107 houses and 4,222 factories. Four days later, on June 3, 530 unescorted B-29 Superfortresses launched a bombing raid on the city of Kobe. Of those, 473 aircraft targeted the city, resulting in the destruction of 4.35 square miles. This devastating strike led to the demolition of 51,399 buildings, while another 928 suffered significant damage. The raid, however, came with losses, as 11 bombers were downed, and 176 were damaged in the operation. On June 7, 449 B-29s returned to Osaka. Despite facing heavy cloud cover that restricted visibility, they managed to burn an additional 2.21 square miles of the city, destroying another 55,333 buildings.  By the conclusion of General Curtis LeMay's maximum-effort area bombing campaign, the six most significant industrial cities in Japan, Tokyo, Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka, Yokohama, and Kawasaki, had been left in ruins. Major factories were either destroyed or severely damaged, while thousands of smaller household and feeder industrial units were consumed by flames. Casualty figures surged into six figures, leaving millions of people homeless. The evacuation of survivors further complicated efforts to secure labor for the factories that remained operational. Japan's air-raid protection system proved woefully inadequate to withstand a protracted siege by very heavy bombers. The system lacked sufficient organization, trained personnel, shelters, fire-fighting equipment, and facilities for relief and evacuation. Additionally, there was a significant deficiency in civilian indoctrination regarding emergency procedures. Under the relentless pressure of repeated major attacks, local Air Raid Precaution organizations collapsed, adding strain to an already overburdened imperial government. Japanese civilians, who had been conditioned by victory propaganda, displayed little of the discipline that helped German citizens endure years of aerial bombardment. As news of military defeats and the impact of B-29 precision strikes filtered into the great cities, residents began to lose confidence in their leaders' ability to protect them or care for the victims of the attacks. Abe Motoki, the Minister of Home Affairs at the time, later remarked, “I believe that after the raids on Tokyo on May 23-24, 1945, civilian defense measures in that city, as well as in other parts of Japan, were considered a futile effort.” Regarding the operational cost of this campaign for the 21st Bomber Command, it was not considered excessively burdensome. Over the course of 17 maximum-effort incendiary attacks, LeMay dispatched a total of 6,960 B-29s, which dropped 41,592 tons of bombs. The losses amounted to 136 B-29s, averaging only 1.9% of the sorties, a rate significantly lower than what had been endured in earlier months, and quite acceptable by the standards of conventional strategic bombing. Meteorologists predicted that the summer monsoon would keep Japan's skies covered with clouds for most of the upcoming months, from June to August. As a result, LeMay shifted strategies under what became known as the Empire Plan. This approach prioritized targeting industrial and military sites during daylight hours when the weather permitted, while secondary cities that had sufficient industrial capability became targets for nighttime area attacks. This change meant that since no single target warranted a full four-wing maximum effort, multiple missions could be scheduled in a single day. Accordingly, on June 9, 110 B-29s attacked three aircraft factories located in Narao, Atsuta, and Akashi. The strikes successfully destroyed the factories in Narao and Atsuta, but an unfortunate miscalculation led to the bombing of the town near Akashi. The following day, June 10, a force of 280 B-29s, escorted by 107 P-51 Mustang fighters, targeted six distinct sites in the Tokyo Bay area. The mission yielded significant results, with all targets sustaining heavy damage. Finally, on June 15, 516 B-29s were dispatched for one last firebombing raid against Osaka and the neighboring city of Amagasaki. In this combined assault, 444 bombers dropped over 1,350 tons of incendiary bombs, incinerating an additional 1.9 square miles in Osaka and more than half a square mile in Amagasaki. Starting on June 17, General Curtis LeMay's firebombing campaigns began to focus on medium-sized secondary cities across Japan. On that day, 477 B-29 Superfortresses targeted the cities of Omuta, Hamamatsu, Yokkaichi, and Kagoshima, burning a combined total of six square miles in these urban areas. The success of this initial multi-target mission ensured the continuation of the program, establishing an operational pattern that would remain standard during the final weeks of the war. In total, multiple incendiary attacks were conducted on sixteen occasions, averaging about two missions per week. Between June 17 and August 14, American forces carried out 8,014 sorties, dropping a staggering 54,184 tons of incendiaries across 58 secondary cities. On June 22, 446 B-29s were dispatched to strike six targets located in southern Honshu, including the crucial Kure Naval Arsenal. In this mission, 382 bombers released 2,103 tons of bombs, inflicting heavy damage to these essential manufacturing facilities. Just four days later, on June 26, a force of 510 B-29s, accompanied by 148 P-51 Mustang escorts, targeted locations in southern Honshu and the nearby island of Shikoku. However, dense clouds over much of the area complicated assembly and forced many aircraft to attack targets of opportunity individually or in small groups. As a result, adverse weather conditions would delay subsequent daytime raids until July 24.  In the coordinated strike program that commenced in June, the decision to focus on either the Empire Plan or urban industrial targets was largely influenced by weather conditions. As the program took shape, the 315th Bombardment Wing (VH) became available for combat operations. This wing operated somewhat independently from the other bomber units, with its activities significantly guided by the specialized equipment of its aircraft. Authorized for deployment in the Pacific in December 1944, the 315th settled at Northwest Field, Guam, during May and June. Its commander, Brigadier General Frank A. Armstrong, Jr., was a seasoned veteran of the strategic air offensive against Germany. The B-29s of the 315th Wing differed in two key respects from those of other units. They were equipped with the AN/APQ-7 (Eagle) radar, a sophisticated radar system designed for bombing, instead of the conventional AN/APQ-13 radar. The latter had primarily served as a navigational aid. While crews had become adept at using the AN/APQ-13 for night or poor-weather bombing, it lacked the precision necessary for accurate strikes. The Eagle radar, however, offered significantly greater definition and, although it required a long bomb run averaging seventy miles, this was not considered a serious hindrance in the tactical context of Japan. To further enhance its night-bombing capabilities, the Superfortresses had been stripped of all armament except for the tail gun. This modification, along with the Eagle radar, clearly marked the 315th as a dedicated night-bombing unit. There were various proposals for the use of these specially equipped B-29s, including high-altitude bombing, area bombing, and aerial mining. However, by the time the 315th Wing was ready for combat, the 313th Bombardment Wing had already gained proficiency in aerial mining, while all wings had become adept at area bombing using the AN/APQ-13. Training for the 315th had focused heavily on night radar tactics, with less emphasis on visual bombing and daytime formation flights. It was evident that if the Eagle radar was to undergo a thorough scientific evaluation, it should be tested against a specific set of targets that were preferably large in size and located along the coastline. In the view of the 21st Bomber Command, the oil industry met these requirements perfectly. The 315th Bombardment Wing initiated its specialized campaign on June 26 with a targeted strike against the Utsube Oil Refinery in Yokkaichi, the top-priority target. By August 14, the wing had conducted 15 additional missions against a total of 10 targets, which included various petroleum refineries and synthetic plants, such as the Maruzen Oil Company in Wakayama, Mitsubishi Oil Company in Kawasaki, and Nippon Oil Company plants spread across Akita, Kansai, Kudamatsu, and Amagasaki, as well as the Imperial Fuel Industry Company in Ube and Toa Fuel Industry in Wakayama. During the campaign, the 315th Wing dispatched a total of 1,200 B-29s, 1,095 of which successfully bombed their primary targets, dropping 9,084 tons of 500-pound general-purpose bombs deemed particularly effective against the scattered installations. The increase in bomb load capacity was made possible by stripping the planes of unnecessary equipment and conducting bombing missions individually at night. As the crews gained experience, they were able to increase the average weight carried from 14,631 pounds during the first mission to 20,684 pounds by August 9. Despite concerns about safety from removing most of the aircraft's armaments, only four planes were lost and 66 sustained damage throughout the campaign. The 20th Air Force estimated that the B-29 attacks led to the destruction of approximately 6 million barrels of tank storage capacity, and the United States Strategic Bombing Survey (USSBS) reported that refining capacity had been reduced from 90,000 barrels a day in December 1941 to around 17,000 barrels. However, the strategic impact was more apparent than real, as many storage tanks were empty and refinery production had fallen to just 4% of capacity before the very heavy bomber campaign began. The lack of precise intelligence regarding the state of Japan's economy had justified the emphasis on the oil program as a form of reinsurance. Nevertheless, the blockade had effectively severed the nation's oil resources, resulting in tankers remaining idle at the docks. On July 1, Admiral Halsey's 3rd Fleet departed San Pedro Bay to initiate the first preliminary strikes in preparation for Operation Olympic. This operation involved battleships and heavy cruisers conducting surface bombardments of industrial targets in eastern Japan, while lighter forces performed anti-shipping sweeps along the coast. Additionally, a fleet of submarines advanced ahead of Admiral McCain's Task Force 38 to eliminate picket boats and establish lifeguard positions. At 18:15 on July 9, the force began its 25-knot approach toward the Home Islands, launching its first strikes against the Tokyo area at 04:00 on July 10. A total of 1,732 sorties were executed, targeting locations from Koriyama to Hamamatsu, dropping 454 tons of bombs and 1,648 rockets over Honshu with negligible opposition. American airmen reported the destruction of 109 enemy aircraft and damage to 231 during these strikes.   Following this, Halsey's fleet moved north to bombard Hokkaido and northern Honshu, which were beyond the effective range of the B-29s and had previously evaded attack. At 05:59 on July 14, Rear-Admiral John Shafroth's Bombardment Group Able, consisting primarily of three battleships and two heavy cruisers, was tasked with attacking the Kamaishi Works of the Japan Iron Company. By midday, Shafroth's forces had opened fire on Kamaishi, marking the first surface bombardment of Japan by a hostile fleet in over 80 years. Between 12:10 and 14:19, a total of 802 16-inch shells, 728 8-inch shells, and 825 5-inch shells were expended, setting the town ablaze as key industrial and residential targets were hit and resulting in the sinking of one oil tanker, two barges, and one small ship in the harbor. Simultaneously, McCain's carriers closed to within 80 nautical miles of Japan, launching 1,391 sorties against Hokkaido and northern Honshu to target railways, shipping, and airfields, again facing only light resistance. In the ensuing strikes, American planes sank over 50,000 tons of shipping and naval craft, including the destroyer Tachibana, four minesweepers, eight naval auxiliaries, and around 20 merchant vessels, with significant losses occurring at Muroran and Hakodate. In addition, 25 enemy planes were destroyed, while American losses totaled 24 aircraft and 17 airmen, about half of whom were lost in combat. Task Force 38 launched another assault on July 15, executing 966 combat sorties that dropped 355 tons of bombs and expended 2,093 rockets. This operation resulted in the sinking of 65 vessels and damaging 128 others, as well as the destruction of 48 locomotives and damage to 28. Widespread destruction was inflicted on several facilities, particularly the Aomori–Hakodate railcar ferry system, which transported 30% of the coal between Hokkaido and Honshu. The strikes devastated the ferry system, sinking eight ferries, beaching eight more, and damaging two. In total, 70 auxiliary sailing colliers were sunk, and 11 were damaged, along with 10 steel freighters lost and 7 damaged. The ferry strikes were the brainchild of Halsey's operations officer, Captain Ralph “Rollo” Wilson. “When the first action reports began to sift in,” Halsey related: He snatched them up and pored over them; the ferries were not mentioned. Later reports also ignored them. Rollo was sulking and cursing when the final reports arrived. I heard him whistle and saw him beam. “Six ferries sunk!” he said. “Pretty soon we'll have ‘em moving their stuff by oxcarts and skiffs!”  Additionally, 20 city blocks in Kushiro were razed. The most significant outcome of these operations was the virtual severance of Hokkaido from Honshu. By the end of the raids, Halsey's 3rd Fleet had achieved the sinking of 140 ships and small craft, damaging 235 others, and destroying 38 planes while damaging 46. Meanwhile, Rear-Admiral Oscar Badger's Bombardment Group Baker, composed of three battleships, two light cruisers, and eight destroyers, was assigned to bombard Muroran. Between 09:36 and 10:25, this group fired 860 16-inch shells at the Nihon Steel Company and the Wanishi Ironworks, targeting both the coal liquefaction plant and coke ovens. This bombardment inflicted severe damage on those facilities and resulted in the destruction or damage of 2,541 houses in Muroran. As Hasley recalled “These sweeps and bombardments accomplished more than destruction. they showed the enemy that we made no bones about playing in his front yard. From now on, we patrolled his channels and shelled his coast almost every night that the weather permitted.” Additionally, Rear-Admiral James Cary Jones' four light cruisers conducted a sweep along the east coast of Honshu to hunt for Japanese shipping; however, they reported no contacts during their mission. Early on July 16, Task Force 38 retired east of Honshu to begin refueling and rendezvoused with Admiral Rawlings' Task Force 37, which agreed to operate closely as an additional task group for Admiral Halsey. At 03:50 on July 17, the two task forces began launching strikes against central Honshu despite adverse weather conditions. The American forces executed 205 sorties targeting the Mito area, while British aircraft flew 87 sorties against airfields and railyards along the northwest coast of Honshu. Despite the bad weather, several small craft and locomotives were destroyed, though the operation resulted in the loss of nine aircraft and four airmen. Later that afternoon, Halsey detached Badger's augmented Bombardment Group to attack Hitachi, a significant industrial and electronics-producing city. The 53-minute bombardment commenced in fog and rain at 23:14, during which 1,207 16-inch shells, 267 14-inch shells, and 292 6-inch rounds were expended against the Tago and Mito Works of the Hitachi Manufacturing Company, as well as the Yamate Plant and copper refining facilities of Hitachi Mine, resulting in severe devastation. On July 18, McCain's two leading carriers launched a total of 592 sorties against Yokosuka, specifically targeting the heavily camouflaged battleship Nagato at the naval base. The attacks resulted in the sinking of one old cruiser, one minesweeper, one submarine, one incomplete destroyer, and three patrol vessels, in addition to damaging one subchaser, one old destroyer, and one old battleship. Although Nagato was hit multiple times and suffered heavy damage, it managed to stay afloat. Meanwhile, three carriers also targeted airfields and other opportunities in Tokyo, while Task Force 37 attacked a seaplane base at Kitaura and airfields at Nobara, Naruto, Chosi, Kanoike, Natori, and Kitakawa. The recent raids resulted in the destruction of 43 enemy planes and damage to 77 others on the ground, along with the destruction of three locomotives and the derailing of four electrified train cars by rockets. However, the American forces incurred losses of 14 aircraft and 18 aircrew, as the 3rd Fleet flyers reported encountering the fiercest anti-aircraft fire they had yet experienced. Additionally, Rear-Admiral Carl Holden's four light cruisers were detached during the night to sweep shipping off Sagami Bay and to target the radar site at Cape Nojima. On July 21, Captain Thomas Hederman's Destroyer Squadron 61, consisting of nine destroyers, was assigned to conduct another anti-shipping sweep off Sagami Bay. Pursuing four radar contacts, the destroyers engaged targets at midnight on July 22, firing guns and torpedoes from 7,000 yards. This action resulted in the sinking of the 800-ton freighter No.5 Hakutetsu Maru and damaging the 6,919-ton Enbun Maru. In response, Japanese coastal artillery, the minesweeper W-1, and subchaser Ch-42 returned fire, but Hederman's squadron successfully retired without damage. Although minor in scale, the Battle of Sagami Bay would ultimately be the last surface action of the war. Meanwhile, as part of Operation Barney, a planned submarine penetration of the Sea of Japan, nine submarines succeeded in sinking 27 Japanese merchant vessels and one submarine, totaling 54,786 tons.  On June 8, the submarine Barb commenced her twelfth patrol, tasked with terrorizing the Sea of Okhotsk using her newly installed 5-inch rocket launchers. Over the following weeks, Skipper Commander Eugene “Luckey” Fluckey executed successful rocket bombardments on Shari, Hokkaido, and targets in Shikuka, Kashiho, and Shiritoru on Karafuto (southern Sakhalin), also employing the submarine's deck guns to destroy 35 sampans in the town of Kaihyo To. Observing Karafuto trains transporting military supplies to ports, Fluckey devised a plan to intercept these trains. Engineman Third Class Billy Hatfield recalled how, as a child, he had placed nuts on railroad ties and watched as the weight of passing trains cracked them between rail and tie. Realizing this principle could be adapted, he suggested rigging an automatic detonator. Fluckey had many volunteers for the mission, including a Japanese POW, and carefully selected Hatfield and seven others, deciding against leading the shore party himself. Just after midnight on July 23, 1945, Fluckey maneuvered Barb to within 950 yards of the Karafuto coast. Led by Lieutenant William Walker, the team launched two rubber rafts at 00:30. Before they left, Fluckey instructed them, “Boys, if you get stuck, head for Siberia, 130 miles north, following the mountain ranges. Good luck.” Upon reaching the shore, the Americans located the tracks and buried a 55-pound scuttling charge and battery beneath the rails, positioning it under a water tower they planned to use as a lookout. As Motor Machinist's Mate First Class John Markuson climbed up, he unexpectedly found he was scaling a sentry tower, causing him to retreat without alerting the sleeping guard. When a train passed, the team dove for cover before resuming their work after it had gone by. Shortly after 01:30, Walker's team signaled their return to Barb, which was now just 600 yards offshore. Fifteen minutes later, while the boats were halfway back, Fluckey heard the rumble of an approaching train. He hoisted a megaphone and urged the crew to “Paddle like the devil, boys!” At 01:47, a 16-car Japanese train struck Hatfield's detonator, resulting in a massive explosion that sent debris soaring 200 feet into the air and reportedly killed 150 Japanese. Minutes later, all eight Americans were safely aboard Barb, which then slipped back into the night, having successfully executed the only amphibious invasion of Japan during World War II. Returning to the main action, Halsey aimed to eliminate the remnants of the Combined Fleet at the heavily fortified Kure Naval Base. Consequently, Task Force 38 began launching the first of 1,363 sorties against ships and airfields in Kyushu, Shikoku, and Honshu, ringing the Inland Sea at 04:40 on July 24. A total of 599 tons of bombs and 1,615 rockets were unleashed over Kure, resulting in the sinking or damaging of 22 warships, which totaled 258,000 tons. Among the affected vessels were the battleships Hyuga, Ise, and Haruna; fleet carriers Amagi and Katsuragi; the escort carrier Kaiyo; heavy cruisers Tone and Aoba; as well as light cruisers Oyodo and Kitakami. In addition, another 53 vessels amounting to 17,000 tons were sunk at various locations, including Hiroshima Bay, Niihama, Bungo Channel, and Kii Channel. At Kobe, the incomplete fleet carrier Aso was also attacked and damaged. American Hellcats and Corsairs effectively swept aside Japanese aerial opposition, shooting down 18 enemy planes while destroying 40 aircraft and damaging another 80 on the ground. Furthermore, around the Inland Sea, 16 locomotives were destroyed and five were damaged, while 20 hangars sustained damage. Three oil tanks were set ablaze at Kure and one at Tano. Additionally, four electric trains and a roundhouse were strafed at Hamamatsu, and various military installations, including barracks, warehouses, power plants, and factories around the airfields, received significant damage. Simultaneously, Rear-Admiral Rawlings' Task Force 37 conducted 257 sorties against targets in Japan and the surrounding offshore areas, sinking the escort carrier Shimane Maru in Shido Bay, along with a number of destroyers, small escorts, and coasters. Meanwhile, Jones' light cruisers swept through the Kii Channel before bombarding the Kushimoto seaplane base and airfields at Cape Shionomisaki during the night. Supporting these efforts, General LeMay dispatched 625 B-29s against seven targets in the Nagoya and Osaka areas, successfully inflicting heavy damage on all of them despite the spotty weather, marking this as the last major attack on the Japanese mainland during the war, as two weeks of cloudy weather ensued. In the early hours of July 25, McCain's aircraft carriers resumed launching strikes against airfields and shipping in the Inland Sea and the Nagoya-Osaka areas. During this operation, they executed a total of 655 sorties, expending 185 tons of bombs and 1,162 rockets, successfully sinking nine ships totaling 8,000 tons and damaging another 35 vessels. The strikes also resulted in the downing of 21 Japanese planes, with an additional 61 aircraft destroyed on the ground and 68 damaged. After refueling on July 27, Halsey's carrier forces moved to launch points located 96 nautical miles off Shikoku. At 04:43 on July 28, they resumed strikes over the Inland Sea, focusing on targets from northern Kyushu to Nagoya, as well as airfields across Honshu along the Sea of Japan. This resulted in McCain flying a total of 1,602 sorties, dropping 605 tons of bombs and expending 2,050 rockets. These attacks sank 27 ships, amounting to 43,000 tons, including the battleships Ise and Haruna, the fleet carrier Amagi, and the Combined Fleet flagship Oyodo. Additionally, 78 vessels totaling 216,000 tons were reported damaged, among them the fleet carrier Katsuragi, heavy cruiser Tone, and light cruiser Kitakami. American pilots reported the destruction of 21 Japanese aircraft in the air and claimed 115 destroyed on the ground across 30 area airfields. They also successfully destroyed 14 locomotives, four oil cars, two roundhouses, three oil tanks, three warehouses, one hangar, and a transformer station. In support of these efforts, Task Force 37 conducted 260 sorties against the eastern Inland Sea, targeting the dockyard at Harima and sinking or severely damaging four corvettes at Maizuru. Meanwhile, the 7th Air Force's 11th and 494th Bombardment Groups carried out a day-long raid on Kure, successfully sinking the heavy cruiser Aoba. By sunset that evening, the Imperial Japanese Navy had effectively ceased to exist, though the cost for the Americans was steep, with losses amounting to 101 planes and 88 men since July 24. As Halsey moved east to target the Osaka-Nagoya area, Shafroth's reinforced Bombardment Group was detached on July 29 to bombard Hamamatsu. During the night, they successfully unloaded 810 16-inch shells, 265 14-inch shells, and 1,035 8-inch shells, damaging the Imperial Government Railway locomotive works, igniting a blaze at the Japanese Musical Instrument Company, and wreaking havoc on infrastructure along the critical Tokaido main line. The following day, McCain's carriers conducted 1,224 sorties against airfields in Osaka, Kobe, Maizuru, and Nagoya, expending 397 tons of bombs and 2,532 rockets. These strikes resulted in the sinking of 20 vessels totaling 6,000 tons and damaging another 56 ships. The pilots also claimed destruction of 115 enemy aircraft on the ground, while inflicting severe damage on numerous industrial targets, including aircraft factories and naval docks in Maizuru. In Miyazu Bay, the destroyer Hatsushino struck an air-dropped naval mine, marking the final loss of 129 Japanese destroyers sunk during the war. That night, seven destroyers advanced deep into Suruga Bay, unleashing 1,100 5-inch shells on Shimizu within seven minutes, successfully destroying or damaging 118 industrial buildings. Typhoon weather would impede the operations of the 3rd Fleet for the next two weeks, as Admiral Nimitz ordered Halsey to steer clear of southern Japan, which was set to become the target of a new and deadly weapon: the atomic bomb. The U.S. Army had begun its project to develop an atomic bomb on August 16, 1942, under the auspices of the Manhattan Project. The project was directed by Major-General Leslie Groves and involved renowned scientists such as Robert Oppenheimer, Enrico Fermi, Niels Bohr, Richard Feynman, and Albert Einstein. Over time, it expanded to include a design center at Los Alamos and two production facilities at Hanford and Clinton. By August 1945, the teams at Los Alamos had successfully designed, developed, and built a gun-type atomic bomb capable of forcing five pounds of uranium-235 against another 17 pounds at high speed, thereby achieving critical mass and releasing immense heat, light, blast, and radiation. The team was also experimenting with an even more powerful device: the plutonium bomb, which utilized an implosion method whereby a sphere of plutonium was compressed by conventional explosives to reach criticality. By early August, scientists had managed to produce enough nuclear material to create only one uranium device, known as Little Boy, and one plutonium bomb, referred to as Fat Man. Each weapon had the potential to annihilate an entire city, and American leaders were prepared to use them if it could compel the Japanese Empire to surrender without necessitating an invasion of Japan. A Targeting Committee led by Groves, consisting of Manhattan Project and Air Force personnel, recommended Hiroshima, Niigata, Kokura, and Nagasaki as primary targets.  Groves' Targeting Committee employed several criteria to select sites for atomic bomb targets. The chosen targets had to possess strategic value to the Japanese and be situated between Tokyo and Nagasaki. Additionally, the target needed to feature a large urban area with a minimum diameter of three miles and must be relatively untouched by previous bombings, ironically spared for potential atomic destruction at a later stage. A crucial condition was that, to the best of their knowledge, these areas should harbor no concentrations of Allied prisoners of war. However, this requirement was challenging to ascertain accurately due to a lack of reliable information about the locations of prisoners. Initially, the committee considered 17 candidates and selected five primary targets: Hiroshima, Yokohama, Kokura, Niigata, and Kyoto. On May 28, they narrowed the list to three: Kyoto, Niigata, and Hiroshima. Hiroshima was significant as it housed Hata's 2nd General Army headquarters and featured a large shipyard, while Niigata was a major industrial city with an important port. Moreover, Kyoto held considerable cultural and religious significance for the Japanese. Secretary of War Stimson, having previously cautioned General Arnold about the humanitarian consequences of targeting cities with incendiary bombings, insisted on removing Kyoto from the list after intense discussions with Groves. On July 21, President Truman concurred with Stimson during their meetings in Potsdam, deciding that Kyoto should be spared. Subsequently, Kokura, known for its large arsenal and ordnance works, replaced Kyoto. Additionally, LeMay's staff reportedly included Nagasaki as an alternate target due to potential weather issues, as it was home to Mitsubishi's arms factories, electric production facilities, ordnance works, and extensive dockyards, making it a valuable target. Meanwhile, a high-level civilian Interim Committee, under Secretary of War Henry Stimson, ultimately advised President Truman on the use of nuclear weapons, reasoning that their deployment would be no worse than the current incendiary bombing campaigns against Japan. The committee also recommended that an atomic bomb be deployed as soon as possible, without warning, to maximize shock value and target a "war plant… surrounded by workers' houses." Following a successful operational test of the experimental plutonium bomb conducted at Trinity on July 16, President Truman authorized General Spaatz to prepare for the bomb drops before August 3. Colonel Paul Tibbets' 509th Composite Group had been specially organized in secret since September 1944 to deliver nuclear weapons, and by June, it had arrived at Tinian under the command of LeMay's 21st Bomber Command. General Twinning replaced LeMay as commander of the 21st on August 1, and he would ultimately issue the direct orders for Tibbets to drop the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb mission had a convoluted command structure. The Joint Chiefs of Staff were largely left out of the chain of command. LeMay was Tibbet's nominal commander; however, Groves still had extensive control over the operation through his deputy Brigadier General Thomas Farrell on Tinian. The 21st Bomber Command would determine when the atomic bomb mission was launched, based on suitable weather conditions. Even at this stage, General of the Air Force Henry "Hap" Arnold and LeMay were still skeptical about the Manhattan Project; they thought B-29 incendiary and high-explosive bombing operations would suffice to end the war soon. LeMay even questioned the 509th CG pilots' ability to conduct the mission; he wanted seasoned Pacific B-29 veteran crews to drop the nuclear cargo. While the Imperial Japanese Army (IJA) and Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) prepared for an impending invasion, the U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) continued its bombing campaign against Japan. The crews of the 509th Composite Group needed to acclimate to the navigational challenges, varied weather conditions, extensive distances, and the geography of the region, all while becoming accustomed to combat situations. Training commenced at Tinian on June 30, with conventional operational missions over Japan beginning on July 20. To prepare for their atomic missions, the crews trained with "pumpkins," which were specially constructed bombs designed to mimic the appearance and weight of nuclear weapons. This allowed them to practice handling and releasing the bombs. They also rehearsed navigational procedures, visual bomb release techniques, and dropping the weapon at an altitude of approximately 30,000 feet. Following the drop, the crew conducted high-speed, radical turns to evade the nuclear effects after detonation. During their first mission, a B-29 from the 509th sought an alternative target in Tokyo. The crew aimed to drop their 10,000-pound "pumpkin" on the Imperial Palace, but unfortunately, they missed their target. Had they succeeded in killing the emperor, it could have significantly impacted Japan's decision-making process, potentially fortifying the Japanese people's resolve to continue the war. Military leaders might have seized control in the aftermath, pushing their forces to keep fighting. Throughout their training, the units of the 21st Bomber Command intentionally avoided targeting Hiroshima, Niigata, Kokura, and Nagasaki during these practice runs. In total, Tibbets directed his crews on numerous combat missions that targeted 28 cities and involved the dropping of 49 "pumpkins." Remarkably, the 509th lost no aircraft during these operations. While Tibbets focused on perfecting the delivery method, the weapons Little Boy and Fat Man were being transported to Tinian. Some weapon assemblies were delivered by C-54 and B-29 aircraft from Kirtland Field near Albuquerque, while the cruiser Indianapolis delivered the fissionable material for Little Boy from San Francisco on July 26. Four days later, the submarine I-58 unexpectedly attacked the Indianapolis with six torpedoes while the cruiser was en route to Guam, successfully sinking it. Of the crew, 850 Americans survived the sinking, and another 316 were belatedly rescued by August 8. By July 31, most of the assembly of Little Boy had been completed. However, a detonation expert would need to emplace the cordite charges to fire the uranium "bullet" through the gun device to the uranium core after take-off, minimizing the risk of an inadvertent nuclear explosion in the event of a B-29 crash. Additionally, the crew carrying the atomic bomb had to exercise caution when descending once Little Boy was armed because the primary radar or a backup barometric fuse could potentially trigger an explosion if the aircraft descended too rapidly with the fuses in place. On August 2, B-29 crews arrived at Tinian with the assemblies for Fat Man. On that same day, General Twinning and President Truman approved the plan to bomb Hiroshima. Two days later, Colonel Tibbets briefed the crews about the mission, confirming that he would pilot the aircraft carrying the atomic bomb. Tibbets' B-29 No. 82, later named Enola Gay, was supported by three weather reconnaissance aircraft that reported conditions at Hiroshima, Kokura, and Nagasaki, as well as two additional B-29s assigned to conduct scientific and photographic missions. At 02:45 on August 6, Enola Gay took off from Tinian, with diversionary attacks by 604 B-29s throughout Japan also scheduled for that day, as coordinated by Twinning. After passing through Iwo Jima at approximately 05:55, Captain William Parsons and Second-Lieutenant Morris Jeppson armed the bomb at 07:30. Throughout the journey, the B-29s ascended slowly, reaching an altitude of over 30,000 feet as they crossed Shikoku and Honshu, finally reaching Hiroshima at 31,060 feet. At 09:12, Tibbets executed his final approach from the 'initial point', flying east-west over the city towards the intersection of the Ota and Motoyasu Rivers. Approximately at 09:15, Little Boy was released, and Enola Gay immediately began its turn away to escape the impending explosion. However, the bomb mistakenly descended towards the Shima Surgical Hospital rather than the intended target, the Aioi Bridge. At 09:16, Little Boy detonated at an altitude of 1,890 feet, just as Tibbets was about six miles away from the blast point. As a result of the atomic blast, the immediate area around the epicenter was heated to an astonishing 1 million degrees Celsius, instantly incinerating or vaporizing all people, animals, buildings, and other items within that zone. Hiroshima police officials estimated that immediate casualties amounted to 71,379 individuals who were either killed or reported missing. In the surrounding areas, the blast effects crushed unreinforced structures before igniting them, resulting in an additional 68,023 wounded, with 19,691 of those injuries classified as serious. Subsequent assessments, potentially incorporating the impacts of radiation sickness or more precise accounting, recorded 30,524 individuals as seriously wounded and 48,606 as slightly wounded. Just two minutes after detonation, a growing mushroom cloud of highly radioactive dust and debris soared to a height of 20,000 feet. Within eight minutes, Tibbets' crew could observe the mushroom cloud from 390 miles away. Ultimately, the dust cloud peaked at approximately 60,000 feet in altitude. Soon after, a thick, black, radioactive rain fell upon the areas beneath the cloud. The center of the city was utterly devastated; over four square miles of the urban center, which encompassed seven square miles in total, were completely flattened, resulting in about 60% of the city's area being destroyed. An additional 0.6 square miles suffered damage, while more than 75% of the city's 90,000 buildings were obliterated. The ensuing fires compounded the devastation, contributing to countless deaths and injuries. Tragically, some American prisoners of war were present in Hiroshima and lost their lives in the explosion. Meanwhile, Enola Gay safely returned to Tinian at 14:58, where Tibbets was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, while the rest of the crew received Distinguished Flying Crosses for their participation in the mission. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Japan was broken. To be perfectly honest she had been broken long ago. Her leadership had been spending months trying to figure out the best possible way to surrender, while the civilians and troops were suffering horribly. Aerial mining strangled her of food, high explosive and incendiary bombs, killed untold scores of people, and then the Atomic weapons were let loose upon her. It was over.

In August of 2022, 10-year-old Jameson Reeder Jr. was attacked by an aggressive, 9-foot bull shark while snorkeling in the Florida Keys. The shark tore apart Jameson Jr.'s lower right leg which, after four surgeries in three weeks, needed to be amputated. Through courage, his family and his strong faith, Jameson Jr. faced his situation and now inspires others to do the same in a book about his ordeal. Fox's Tonya J. Powers speaks with Jameson Reeder Sr. and Jameson 'JJ' Reeder Jr. who share the harrowing story behind the book, 'Rescue at the Reef: The Miraculous True Story of a Little Boy with Big Faith', which is out now. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In August of 2022, 10-year-old Jameson Reeder Jr. was attacked by an aggressive, 9-foot bull shark while snorkeling in the Florida Keys. The shark tore apart Jameson Jr.'s lower right leg which, after four surgeries in three weeks, needed to be amputated. Through courage, his family and his strong faith, Jameson Jr. faced his situation and now inspires others to do the same in a book about his ordeal. Fox's Tonya J. Powers speaks with Jameson Reeder Sr. and Jameson 'JJ' Reeder Jr. who share the harrowing story behind the book, 'Rescue at the Reef: The Miraculous True Story of a Little Boy with Big Faith', which is out now. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In August of 2022, 10-year-old Jameson Reeder Jr. was attacked by an aggressive, 9-foot bull shark while snorkeling in the Florida Keys. The shark tore apart Jameson Jr.'s lower right leg which, after four surgeries in three weeks, needed to be amputated. Through courage, his family and his strong faith, Jameson Jr. faced his situation and now inspires others to do the same in a book about his ordeal. Fox's Tonya J. Powers speaks with Jameson Reeder Sr. and Jameson 'JJ' Reeder Jr. who share the harrowing story behind the book, 'Rescue at the Reef: The Miraculous True Story of a Little Boy with Big Faith', which is out now. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Guests: Jameson Reeder & son, Jameson, Jr. (J.J.)Book: Rescue at the Reef : The Miraculous True Story of a Little Boy with Big Faith (written by Jameson & his wife, Mary Catherine Reeder)Topic: the dramatic rescue of a 10-year old boy from a shark attack and expressions of God's faithfulnessWebsite: rescueatthereef.com

Guests: Jameson Reeder & son, Jameson, Jr. (J.J.)Book: Rescue at the Reef : The Miraculous True Story of a Little Boy with Big Faith (written by Jameson & his wife, Mary Catherine Reeder)Topic: the dramatic rescue of a 10-year old boy from a shark attack and expressions of God's faithfulnessWebsite: rescueatthereef.com

Turns out October is baby-making season because it's everyone's birthday this June/July! Marlie-Mae celebrates her 6th birthday, and her father is sent into a tailspin trying to find a hitting stick for the piñata. It's also Matty J's birthday, and Ash has got him a present that will last a lifetime! We also get into your Par-Rants for this week, where you air out your parenting grievances. This week's rant hit a nerve and our pockets! Brought to you by ALDI Just low prices every day. ALDI. Good Different. Link: https://www.aldi.com.au/ We also answer your questions: Things you shouldn't say to a parent. How many days can I repack a sandwich? BUY OUR SMELLY T SHIRTS HERE https://www.twodotingdads.com/category/all-products Buy our book, which is now available in-store! https://www.penguin.com.au/books/two-doting-dads-9781761346552 If you need a shoulder to cry on: Two Doting Dads Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/639833491568735/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheTwoDotingDads Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twodotingdads/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@twodotingdads See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael unpacks a vivid dream that stirred up old wounds, leading to a raw conversation about how he's really processed his grief. He and Louie dive into what “showing emotion” actually means—especially for men—and why crying in front of people feels impossible. Louie opens up about a therapy exercise that triggered a full-blown panic attack, and the episode takes a deeper turn as they both reflect on their childhoods and how it shaped them. Support the pod: http://patreon.com/secondhandtherapypod http://secondhandtherapypod.com Follow us here:  http://instagram.com/secondhandtherapypod http://tiktok.com/@secondhandtherapypod http://instagram.com/itsloubear http://instagram.com/malonecomedy Contact us: secondhandtherapypod@gmail.com 818-850-2448 PO BOX 230595, Las Vegas, NV 89105Support the pod: PATREON - Join Patreon for Exclusives MERCH - Shop Merch Follow us here:  http://instagram.com/secondhandtherapypod http://tiktok.com/@secondhandtherapypod http://instagram.com/itsloubear http://instagram.com/malonecomedy Contact us: secondhandtherapypod@gmail.com 818-850-2448 PO BOX 230595, Las Vegas, NV 89105 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. BUSINESS INQUIRIES: business@secondhandtherapypod.com Support the pod: PATREON - http://patreon.com/secondhandtherapypod MERCH - http://secondhandtherapypod.com Follow us here: http://instagram.com/secondhandtherapypod http://tiktok.com/@secondhandtherapypod Contact us: secondhandtherapypod@gmail.com 818-850-2448 PO BOX 230595, Las Vegas, NV 89105

Locked doors, phantom footsteps, and a button-up little boy who never ages—this suburban tract house should be boring, but its hallways host a decades-long tug-of-war between a mischievous child spirit and the towering shadow that stalks him. From chain locks snapping shut on their own to a midnight face-off that left a hardened Marine trembling, the family's quiet life turned into a crash course in spectral survival. If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show or call 1-855-853-4802! If you like the show, please help keep us on the air and support the show by becoming a Premium Subscriber.  Subscribe here: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118 or at or at http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories Watch more at: http://www.realghoststoriesonline.com/ Follow Tony: Instagram: HTTP://www.instagram.com/tonybrueski TikToc: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonybrueski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tony.brueski 

Vadym talks with Lee about his sweet little boy Andrew, who passed away after being born at 37 weeks due to hydrocephalus caused by an immature teratoma tumor on his brain stem in the cranial cavity. Vadym talks about how he and his wife Nataliia met while dancing and fell in love after being friends for a while. Vadym talks about how they were so excited to welcome their son into the world and how it was a wonderful pregnancy, until a simple check up late in the pregnancy.    DONATE $5 (aka "buy us a coffee/hot cocoa") to support the continued production of these stories. We appreciate all the help toward production and hosting costs.    Or if you want to purchase an "Always a Part of Us" Legacy Gift for $20, you'll be providing to one of these families that shares their story, full transcriptions, mp3s, and mp4s of the recordings of their baby's birth story and advice episodes for their family history records. You will also get a shout-out on an upcoming episode. Thank you! Donate: https://ko-fi.com/stillapartofus    SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube channel for more birth stories from families who have experienced a stillbirth or infant loss. We're grateful that you're part of our community! https://www.youtube.com/stillapartofus   SUBSCRIBE to our podcast Still A Part of Us, wherever you find podcasts.   Links (some of these links are affiliate links, which means we may get a small commission off your purchase, at no extra cost to you): Website: http://stillapartofus.com/ Grief Support Groups: https://nationalshare.org/   Dad Music: "She Dreams in Blue" by Josh Woodward. Free download: http://joshwoodward.com/​​   #stillbirthstory #stillborn #stillbornstory #birthstory #infantloss #infantdeath #babydeath #stillmychild #podcast  #birthstories #babyloss #mybabydied #bereavedmother #bereavedfather #infantlossawareness #dadsgrievetoo #mamasgrief #pals #childloss #lifeafterloss #saytheirnames #babylossawareness #breakingthesilence #grievingmom #grievingdad #bereavedparents #pregnancyandinfantlossawarenessmonth

The AMPire Diaries Episode 116: The Vampire Diaries - “Let Her Go” (feat. Michael Chasin) AMPies… It's been 84 years. Alright, maybe not that long. But it's definitely been quite some time since our last main feed episode, and we've experienced some, well, changes. So, this week, your favorite Vampire Diaries rewatch-slash-first-time watch (and still mostly spoiler-free) combination podcast is FINALLY discussing The Vampire Diaries' “Let Her Go” (Season 6, Episode 15). Which means we're talking: - First things first: Jll IS alive. - Second things second: We ARE normal. - Third things third: BOY CORNER RETURNS. - Fourth things fourth: Okay, enough of this bit. - This being “the little boy, big boy” episode. - Damon Salvatore: purveyor of GREAT advice. - Matty Blue's #1 fan says goodbye. - Mystic Grill: never open, somehow still in business. - The Marky Mark of TVD. - TVDU (and AMPie Queen) personal news. - Oh, we're still getting horny, BABY! “EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JULIE PLEC MAKES HER DIRECTORIAL DEBUT” (“Let Her Go”) Whether you're a Vampire Diaries obsessive or newcomer, join along with hosts LaToya Ferguson (@lafergs—AMPie Queen, Vampire Diaries obsessive) and Morgan Lutich (@LorganMutich—AMPie Queen, Vampire Diaries obsessive) on their continuing podcast journey.* Most importantly, get AMPED (and horny) along with them on this journey. Ya gotta get AMPED. * And sometimes Jill Defiel (@jiilbobaggins—AMPie Queen, Vampire Diaries newcomer, now former host) and Michael Chasin (@mchasin—AMPie Boy, Vampire Diaries obsessive, sort of host). Become a patron! https://www.patreon.com/ampdiariespod/ Email us! theampirediariespod@gmail.com and fatherkieran1@gmail.com Tweet at us! @AMPDiariesPod Skeet at us! ampdiariespod.bsky.social Instagram... at us! @AMPireDiariesPod Go to our website! http://theampirediariespod.com/ The Official CW Promo for “Let Her Go”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmnUOf_Idjo The Mystic Falls Event of the Week for “Let Her Go”: Liz Forbes' funeral / Bonnie escapes the prison world / Caroline turns off her humanity / LITTLE BOY, BIG BOY The AMPire Diaries is now available to stream on Apple Podcasts and Amazon Podcasts, as well as wherever you get your podcasts (except for Spotify). Don't forget to rate (5 STARS, please) and review the podcast. And most importantly, don't forget to get AMPED.

When lifelong ghost-magnet Vanessa from the misty woods of Maine tucks in for the night, the veil doesn't close—it cracks wide open. First comes The Little Boy—a wide-eyed spirit who appears only as she drifts between sleep and waking, unchanged by time and seemingly bound to her soul rather than any place. Next, she meets “the ghost of her dad”… while her father is still very much alive, proving that comfort can arrive in impossible shapes. But the terror truly peaks in a lonely dorm room, when a faceless stranger with oily, shoulder-length hair materializes just hours before tragedy strikes her family.  If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show or call 1-855-853-4802! If you like the show, please help keep us on the air and support the show by becoming a Premium Subscriber.  Subscribe here: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118 or at or at http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories Watch more at: http://www.realghoststoriesonline.com/ Follow Tony: Instagram: HTTP://www.instagram.com/tonybrueski TikToc: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonybrueski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tony.brueski 

Trump threatens California funding over transgender high school athlete. Air taxis to ferry fans and VIPs to venues at 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. DMV Mural Must Come Down. Little Boy is the New “Rizzler”.

För exakt 80 år sedan höll den flygflottilj som skulle bära de ökända bomberna Little Boy och Fat Man på att förflyttas till Stillahavsön Tinian. Man kan förvisso tycka att det är mer rimligt att släppa det här dagen i augusti. 80-årsdagen av andra världskrigets vedervärdiga crescendo. Men då har vi semester. Det fanns en lucka i vårt schema för att hinna göra det här avsnittet noggrant och bra under våren: därför kommer här vårt stora avsnitt om bomberna.Läslista:DeGroot, Gerard J., Bomben: ett liv, Natur och Kultur, Stockholm, 2006Glas, Peter, Först blir det alldeles vitt: en bok om atombomben, Novapress, Lund, 2016Englund, Peter, Brev från nollpunkten: historiska essäer, Atlantis, Stockholm, 1996Wall, Gunnar, Andra världskriget och myten om det goda kriget, Bokförlaget Semic, [Sundbyberg], 2021Hersey, John, Hiroshima, New ed., with a new chapter, Penguin, London, 1986 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wonder what happens when a ghost boy goes door‑to‑door asking for playmates, or when your beloved pup leaves you a parting gift from the grave? In this episode, we meet Raymond—the mischievous spirit of a child who tap‑tap‑taps on windows and even sends a suitcase full of toys after unsuspecting guests—and learn how one family found an “XOXO” bracelet on a quiet bike trail, just in time to feel their dog's final wink. It's a rollercoaster of spectral pranks and wet‑nose nostalgia—perfect for anyone who loves their chills with a side of heart. If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show or call 1-855-853-4802! If you like the show, please help keep us on the air and support the show by becoming a Premium Subscriber.  Subscribe here: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118 or at or at http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories Watch more at: http://www.realghoststoriesonline.com/ Follow Tony: Instagram: HTTP://www.instagram.com/tonybrueski TikToc: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonybrueski Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tony.brueski 

April 14, 2025Paranormal Mysteries PodcastRed Balloon, Whispering Phantasm & Ghost of a Little BoyEpisode 428CONTACTWebsite: https://paranormalmysteriespodcast.comTell Your Story: https://bit.ly/46IC6QvSocial Media: https://tinyurl.com/mr36jseePodcast Source: https://bit.ly/3YywlTDSUPPORTPatreon: https://bit.ly/46BQc6nBuyMeACoffee: https://bit.ly/3yk2ROIPayPal: https://bit.ly/3AhFzcMMy Wife's Sleep and Relaxation PodcastYouTube: https://bit.ly/3LZw0SwApple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3aOsZoySpotify: https://spoti.fi/3zwS29T

Dan's first story today is the retelling of the moments that led to one young woman becoming a firm believer in the paranormal. She sees something… experiences something… that she just can't deny.  Then, we'll explore the lore behind a curse associated with New Hampshire and Maine's Saco River. Lynze brings three fan stories. The first is an intense reminder to steer clear of ouija boards. Then, a creepy but not too creepy telling of ghost that has seemed to linger in the same machine shop for thirty or so years. Then, to finish out the show, a really bothersome story about a possessed stuffy! Thank you for continuing to send in your stories, Creeps and Peepers!Please keep doing so!!Send them to mystory@scaredtodeathpodcast.comSend everything else to info@scaredtodeathpodcast.comWant to be a Patron? Get episodes AD-FREE, listen and watch before they are released to anyone else, bonus episodes, a 20% merch discount, additional content, and more! Learn more by visiting: https://www.patreon.com/scaredtodeathpodcast.Please rate, review, and subscribe anywhere you listen.Thank you for listening!Follow the show on social media: @scaredtodeathpodcast on Facebook and IG and TTWebsite: https://www.badmagicproductions.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scaredtodeathpodcastInstagram: https://bit.ly/2miPLf5Mailing Address:Scared to Deathc/o Timesuck PodcastPO Box 3891Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816Opening Sumerian protection spell (adapted):"Whether thou art a ghost that hath come from the earth, or a phantom of night that hath no home… or one that lieth dead in the desert… or a ghost unburied… or a demon or a ghoul… Whatever thou be until thou art removed… thou shalt find here no water to drink… Thou shalt not stretch forth thy hand to our own… Into our house enter thou not. Through our fence, breakthrough thou not… we are protected though we may be frightened. Our life you may not steal, though we may feel SCARED TO DEATH."