Hiroshima - Sovjetunion

[Franz Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 08:59 09.08.2000 -0500, you wrote:
>To clarify the previous url:
>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Captives of Their Fantasies: The German Atomic Bomb Scientists 
> Irving M. Klotz Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston,
>IL 60208-3113 
>
> When the Nazi government collapsed in May, 1945, an Allied intelligence
>mission took into custody nine of the German scientists who played key roles
>in the German atomic bomb project. Under great secrecy these men were
confined
>in a large country house, Farm Hall, near Cambridge (England), and their
>conversations were recorded surreptitiously by hidden microphones in every
>room. The transcripts were kept TOP SECRET for 47 years and were finally
>released recently. They give fascinating insights into the personalities of
>the guests and invaluable information on what the Germans really understood
>about the physics and chemistry of a nuclear reactor and an atomic bomb. 
>
> The Farm Hall transcripts clearly establish that (a) the Germans on
August 6,
>1945 did not believe that the Allies had exploded an atomic bomb over
>Hiroshima that day; (b) they never succeeded in constructing a
self-sustaining
>nuclear reactor; (c) they were confused about the differences between an
>atomic bomb and a reactor; (d) they did not know how to correctly calculate
>the critical mass of a bomb; (e) they thought that "plutonium" was probably
>element 91. The Farm Hall transcripts contradict the self-serving and
>sensationalist writings about German efforts that have appeared during the
>past fifty years. 


Jim,

I am very greatful that you posted this message - most people will rather
believe you than me.....

This is btw a technical question, but one political has not come up yet
much to my surprise: I read in different books that the Japanese had
contacted the Sovjetunion, which was then allied to the USA, but not at war
(yet) with Japan in order to be a mediator between them and the USA for
possible peace or surrender negotiations. The Sovjetunion and Japan had
signed a treaty on mutual neutrality in April 1941. It was written, that
the Sovjetunion did not inform the USA about these contacts, because they
had since long planned to declare war to Japan and to occupy as much
territory as possible. The bomb on Hiroshima was dropped on 6. August 1945,
the Sovjetunion declared war on 8. August 1945!!! and invaded Mandschuria,
Korea, the Kuril Islands and Sachalin. It seems that the Americans did the
dirty work for the Sovjetunion - and if the USA would have had to invade
Japan (which had nothing to withstand such an invasion), then they would
most probably had declared war after this invasion. I met once an elderly
Japanese gentleman on a flight to Japan, who had been in Mandschuria, when
the Sovjetunion invaded. He did not defend anything done by Japanese
soldiers and condemned it, but he said that the Russians behaved even
worse, especially in their attitude to women and even all girls above the
age of 12. I do not want to give details. 

May I draw the conclusion that the big winner from the two atomic bombs
exploded in Japan was the Sovjetunion? 


I have always advocated that moral and social questions of our work should
be discussed at RADSAFE. Isn't the history of the atomic bomb a very good
example, how finally all decisions for the use of it were influenced by
political considerations and the ones who had contributed had no vote in
the decisions. We should be careful, that our work is not used by other
groups merely as a tool to push through pro-nuclear or anti-nuclear ideas,
that they should not be distorted and - most important - that no false
prophets ("experts") distribute false prayers (expertises).


Best regards,

Franz


Franz Schoenhofer
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Vienna
Austria
Tel.: +43-1-495 53 08
Fax.: same number
mobile phone: +43-664-338 0 333
e-mail: schoenho@via.at


Please note my new telephone number at my office!

Office:
Ministerialrat Dr. Franz Schoenhofer
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management
Radiation Protection Department (BMLFUW I/8 U)
Radetzkystr. 2
A-1031 Vienna
AUSTRIA

phone: -43-1-71100-4458
fax: -43-1-7122331

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