An atomic bomb nearly detonated over North Carolina in 1961, according to a newly declassified document published by the Guardian newspaper. The explosive was 260 times more powerful than the device that hit Hiroshima.
US nearly detonated atomic bomb on own soil by accident in 1961 | News | DW.DE | 21.09.2013
Kinda makes you wonder how tenuous the bridge between our being secure and our illusion of safety really is...
It sure does.
I wonder just how many other near misses there have been?
US nearly detonated atomic bomb on own soil by accident in 1961 | News | DW.DE | 21.09.2013
Kinda makes you wonder how tenuous the bridge between our being secure and our illusion of safety really is...
I wonder if they'd have owned up to it?
McNamara learned during the investigation that the crash of the bomber had been only one of scores of such accidents involving nuclear weapons since the start of the atomic age. Two of those prior mishaps had involved the inadvertent launching of short-range American missiles carrying nuclear warheads. The North Carolina incident, by far the most serious nuclear accident to date prompted McNamara to order new fail-safe interlocks installed on the weapons in the nuclear arsenal. The close call, he admitted, had also profoundly impressed him with the danger of accidental nuclear war.
Only a short time after the B-52 crash, there occurred what McNamara later characterized as 'a massive false alarm' at the Northern American Air Defense Command of a Soviet missile attack on the United States. The false alarm underscored to McNamara the fact that not even new safety switches on the bombs would remove the threat of an accidental nuclear war. What he termed 'that great danger' was one of the factors which caused him to decide there was no circumstance under which he as defense secretary would recommend a retaliatory nuclear strike on the evidence of warning alone.
Probably not, or we would have heard about them.
Probably not, or we would have heard about them.
Well, what I mean is would we have false flagged it?
We've heard of plenty, including this one. The problem is remembering who published what, when, and who was interviewed.
I don't even know that you could really bother at that point. After a detonation, you have little time to react. Should the United States have been involved in a nuclear weapons accident, any intentions damn near go out the window.
good show old chap, wonder whether this was a faux pas or the past people had loose lips?
1. This incident and other mishaps involving nuclear weapons are recounted in "U.S. Nuclear Weapons Accidents: Danger in Our Midst," The Defense Monitor, v. 10, no.5 , Center for Defense Information, Washington, D.C.
I suppose, but there'd be an awful lot of 'splainin to do...
Well, what I mean is would we have false flagged it?
I'm not sure just what you mean by that. Would the people involved have denied an actual nuclear accident? That would be pretty hard, not like trying to deny who set off the firecracker. Would they have attributed it to an act of war? Wow, that's a really chilling idea. Would they risk a nuclear war in order to avoid taking blame for a nuclear accident? I don't know.
I'm not sure just what you mean by that. Would the people involved have denied an actual nuclear accident? That would be pretty hard, not like trying to deny who set off the firecracker. Would they have attributed it to an act of war? Wow, that's a really chilling idea. Would they risk a nuclear war in order to avoid taking blame for a nuclear accident? I don't know.
The latter is what I meant and while 62 was the Cuban Missle Crisis, the event's leading up to it would have given an easy scapegoat...
That's some pretty crazy ****.US nearly detonated atomic bomb on own soil by accident in 1961 | News | DW.DE | 21.09.2013
Kinda makes you wonder how tenuous the bridge between our being secure and our illusion of safety really is...
I'm not sure just what you mean by that. Would the people involved have denied an actual nuclear accident? That would be pretty hard, not like trying to deny who set off the firecracker. Would they have attributed it to an act of war? Wow, that's a really chilling idea. Would they risk a nuclear war in order to avoid taking blame for a nuclear accident? I don't know.
And by the article the only thing that stopped it from happening of a glitch in one component. It should have gone off. 268 Hiroshima-bombs all at the same time.
It sure does.
I wonder just how many other near misses there have been?
and such a thing could still happen. It would be more difficult, as the Soviet Union no longer exists, but then, there is China.
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