Nuclear Bombs In Vietnam Essay, Research Paper

What could happen if we used nuclear bombs in Vietnam during the War

Nuclear warfare is an issue that I don t fully agree with or am in favor of. I think there is

no need for nuclear weapons due to there mass destruction and world threatening affects. If these

weapons are incorrectly handled or fell into the wrong hands, the world as we know it could start

deteriorating.

Before I can explain to you, what could happen if we used nuclear bombs during the

Vietnam War, you must know the effects of their everlasting damage. There are few people that

have seen and survived a detonation of a single nuclear bomb. This goes to show that it doesn t

take a large number of these bombs to cause mass destruction.

When a nuclear bomb detonates there is an intense burst of light, just as fast a lightning

bolt, but a thousand times brighter. That light can cause temporary or permanent blindness if you

were looking that way. An enormous pulse of heat radiation follows, causing combustible material

to burst at a distance of 14 km. Paint and wood would go up in flames if they were as far away as

7 km. There is also an powerful pulse of deadly X-Rays that travels 3 km. If you were within the

3 km from the blast the X-Rays would of been a small factor in your death, because you would of

been killed by the blast itself. After the flash of bright light, a fireball arises from point of impact,

and rises for a couple of seconds. On a clear day, or night, people up to 80 km away, facing

towards the bomb, could also be temporarily or permanently blinded.

The last thing you should know about the detonation is the extremely powerful shockwave

that follows. The shockwave is so brutal it can destroy reinforced concrete buildings up to 2 km

away. While most houses made of wood and brick would be demolished if they were within 8 km.

There would be major damage to houses within 14 km, and a lot of broken windows as far out as

30 km. At 8 km about 50% of the people would of perished due to the blast.

I don t think the U.S. could of afford to use the nuclear bombs. If we chose to use the

nuclear bombs, the countries exporting to the U.S. would completely stopped or slowed trade.

The U.S. cannot survive on its own. We need other countries to replenish the wants and needs the

U.S. cannot provide.

Also the aftermath effects of the bomb could cause a worldwide increase in cancer, and

death. The radiation would contaminate once useful land, into land we may never use again. The

explosion would reek habit on hospitals, households, and government agencies. People would be

in chaos, they would not know what to do. Clean up after an explosion this enormous could take

years even decades. The destruction would be gigantic compared to what hurricanes and

earthquakes do in the U.S.

I think that if we chose to use nuclear bombs during that time, it would of make the U.S.

seem irresponsible. There would be many alternate solutions, than using the nuclear bombs. Why

jeopardize the world s noncurable health over one war. I feel that war leads to more war, riots,

chaos, and most important hatred. In the present day U.S., our country is overcoming racism,

sexism, and disrespecting each other. We should acknowledge and apply those same concepts the

U.S. takes to overcome its differences when trying to prevent war and hatred by making peace

with another nation.