A North Korean Nuclear Weapons Test in the Pacific Ocean: An Act of War?

[DemolitionMan]

Dave Majumdar

If North Korea decided to launch a nuclear test in the Pacific, would that be an act of war?

Reporters posed the question to U.S. Secretary of Defense, retired U.S. Marine Corps. Gen. Jim Mattis, but his staff intervened before he could answer. However, Mattis did suggest that such an atmospheric blast would be a grossly irresponsible act.

http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/north-korean-nuclear-weapons-test-the-pacific-ocean-act-war-22484

[Cyber Liberty]

Good article!  You've been posting a lot of great articles, @DemolitionMan....

[DemolitionMan]

Good article!  You've been posting a lot of great articles, @DemolitionMan....

Thank You very much. I am trying to find articles that people would like to read.The North Koreans need to remember that they are playing fire.Operation Fishbowl was a series of high-altitude nuclear tests in 1962 that were carried out by the United States as a part of the larger Operation Dominic nuclear test program. Flight-test vehicles were designed and manufactured by Avco Corporation. In the first of the series, there were a number of accidents.Starfish Prime caused an electromagnetic pulse which was far larger than expected, so much larger that it drove much of the instrumentation off scale, causing great difficulty in getting accurate measurements. The Starfish Prime electromagnetic pulse also made those effects known to the public by causing electrical damage in Hawaii, about 1,445 kilometres (900 mi) away from the detonation point, knocking out about 300 streetlights, setting off numerous burglar alarms and damaging a telephone company microwave lines. In Bluegill Prime,Thor suffered a stuck valve preventing the flow of  to the combustion chamber. The engine lost thrust and unburned RP-1 spilled down into the hot thrust chamber, igniting and starting a fire around the base of the missile. With the Thor engulfed in flames, the Range Safety Officer sent the destruct command, which split the rocket and ruptured both fuel tanks, completely destroying the missile and badly damaging the launch pad. The warhead charges also exploded asymmetrically and sprayed the area with the moderately radioactive core materials.. They had to stop the Fishbowl series because of accidents and clean up the radioactivity on Johnston Island.

[Cyber Liberty]

Ever seen any of the "Trinity" movies?  They cleaned up a lot of the old test footage.

[DemolitionMan]

Ever seen any of the "Trinity" movies?  They cleaned up a lot of the old test footage.

Yes. I think that they are great. I have also bought other DVDs that Amazon covers on different nuclear shot. My favorite is that we used nuclear bombs for fracking oil and gas. But how can you the oil and gas if the end product is too radioactive?

[Cyber Liberty]

Yes. I think that they are great. I have also bought other DVDs that Amazon covers on different nuclear shot. My favorite is that we used nuclear bombs for fracking oil and gas. But how can you the oil and gas if the end product is too radioactive?

I think there was a lot of underestimation of the hazards in the early days.  Plowshare seems a little scary when you look back at it.

[DemolitionMan]

I think there was a lot of underestimation of the hazards in the early days.  Plowshare seems a little scary when you look back at it.

Using PNEs was a pretty stupid idea.What would they had to gain from a product they could not use.They called the radiation sickness after Hiroshima "Atomic Bomb Disease". Just imagine after a full exchange of weapons between Russia and the United States. There would at least be 100 million people dead or dying from radiation sickness within the first couple of weeks.

[DemolitionMan]

Using PNEs was a pretty stupid idea.What would they had to gain from a product they could not use.They called the radiation sickness after Hiroshima "Atomic Bomb Disease". Just imagine after a full exchange of weapons between Russia and the United States. There would at least be 100 million people dead or dying from radiation sickness within the first couple of weeks.

WW3 will be fought with nuclear weapons.
WW4 will be fought with sticks and stones.

[Cyber Liberty]

You'd think that after Crossroads/Baker they'd have developed a sense of respect.

(Bunch of YouTubes from user "atomcentral.")

[DemolitionMan]

You'd think that after Crossroads/Baker they'd have developed a sense of respect.

(Bunch of YouTubes from user "atomcentral.")

No, Scientists has always thought they were "God". So they push it to the limit. I hate to be cynical, maybe there is a "doomsday" weapon that can end everything on this planet. Like in "Beneath the Planet of The Apes"

[Cyber Liberty]

I think somebody figured out after Tsar there was a practical upper limit, and after that they concentrated their efforts on the smaller MIRV devices.  The ultimate "cluster bomb." 

Think fat boy has a Hydro bomb?  Doesn't seem likely to me....

[DemolitionMan]

I think somebody figured out after Tsar there was a practical upper limit, and after that they concentrated their efforts on the smaller MIRV devices.  The ultimate "cluster bomb." 

Think fat boy has a Hydro bomb?  Doesn't seem likely to me....

Its probably a colbalt bomb.A cobalt bomb is a type of "salted bomb": a nuclear weapon designed to produce enhanced amounts of radioactive fallout, intended to contaminate a large area with radioactive material. The concept of a cobalt bomb was originally described in a radio program by physicist Leó Szilárd on February 26, 1950. His intent was not to propose that such a weapon be built, but to show that nuclear weapon technology would soon reach the point where it could end human life on Earth, a doomsday device, Whether there one in existence who knows. The Russians have something called a "dead hand". This means if all the leadership is gone the missiles will still take off to their targets. in the United States, the POTUS in his plane, has in constant communication of all forces in the world. This includes nuclear ones. If the missile silo officers are unable to "turn the keys" they can do it from the POTUS plane.

[rangerrebew]

At one time the crossbow was considered the weapon to end all wars.

[DemolitionMan]

At one time the crossbow was considered the weapon to end all wars.

Clearly the in built aggression of our species has been a tremendous driving force in our development and rapid rise to the dominate species on the planet, although countless millions have died in warfare since history began it is also clear that much of our technological and sociological development has come from war. As we enter the 21st century it is also clear that despite what would like to think of as morale and ethical development war is still a key human interaction. Despite the vast technological advances in warfare all armies tend to have 3 elements, Infantry, Shock, and Fire Support. Infantry as the name suggests are normally ground troops who fight on foot even if they may ride into battle, their role has always been to do the bulk of the fighting and to take and hold ground. Shock elements began as chariots and evolved into cavalry the pinnacle of which was the mounted knight and into modern warfare with armoured vehicles and now in the 21st century the air mobile and air cavalry forces. The Fire Support element has gradually grown in importance and technology has allowed it to become more accurate, more mobile and longer ranged, this element has included catapults and ballistae to cannons and guided weapon launch systems such as the modern MLRS.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generations_of_warfare