Part II - Never bring a knife to a gunfight...

            Before we continue to move along with the history of the development and use of these weapons, it is appropriate to understand the basics of how a nuclear weapons differ from their conventional weapons counterparts. In part 2, we answer some of these questions in very rudimentary fashion. (Again, it should be remembered this review is for the social science minded folks that are not amongst the mathematicians, chemists and physicist out there that may desire greater detail.)
            What makes nuclear weapons so different from conventional weapons? That question can be likened to explaining the difference between night and day. Basically, the process leading up to detonation is very different, as is the degree of damage inflicted after detonation. Basically, the difference between nuclear and conventional weapons is like that of bringing a knife to a gunfight.
            A nuclear detonation employs a process of implosion caused when atoms of atomic matter (Uranium-235 or Plutonium-239) are either forced to combine (a fusion bomb) or split apart (a fission bomb). In either case, approximately 90% of the energy of a nuclear blast is expended in the first 1/1000000 of a second (one millionth of a second) and it occurs in the form of a silent heat pulse of searing light.
            Today, nuclear weapons implode by Gun Method which was the method employed by the Hiroshima bomb, "Little Boy" in 1945. It basically consists of firing, at tremendous velocity, a bullet of weapons grade atomic matter into a ring of weapons grade atomic matter. When the component pieces of atomic matter collide, they instantly reach a point called critical mass. Critical mass is attained at the point when the atomic materials can collapse no further back into itself. When that occurs, it sets off a neutron based chain reaction and solid matter begins to unravel. The result of this process is the generation of immense heat, blast pressure (measured in Kilotons & Megatons of TNT), and multiple types of radiation or fallout - which is measured by ½ life and can be measured in some cases by tens of thousands of years.

             Contrasted against a nuclear detonation, a traditional or conventional bomb depends upon HE (high explosives) and explodes, radiating outward from the source material. Blast pressure and heat are generated – but nothing compared to a nuclear detonation. Let us take a closer look and compare the two.
            Traditional bombs are measured in the amount of TNT (dynamite) it would take to get the same blast pressure/‘bang’. In 1945, the British “Block Buster” was the largest conventional explosive bomb used at that time. It was employed against Nazi Germany and it was said that one “Block Buster” could destroy a city block. The blast formula follows: 1 Block Buster = 10 tons (2000 lbs are in a ton) of TNT or 20,000 lbs of TNT to get the same explosive yield or ‘bang’. So, if you could detonate 20,000 lbs of dynamite at the same moment, that would generate the same blast pressure as one “Block Buster” bomb.
             With the development of the Atomic bomb, we found new language had to be employed to measure the blast force. The simple employment of tons of TNT was dwarfed and not useable to measure the blast force of an atomic weapon. With the development of the A-bomb, the term kiloton had to be employed to measure the blast pressure yield. That’s a reference to how many thousands of tons of TNT or dynamite it would take to get the same ‘bang’. Today they are measured in Megatons – of TNT to get the same blast effect.
             The formula for blast pressure measurement for the Hiroshima Bomb (nicknamed Little Boy) was equal to 12.5 Kilotons of TNT or 12.5 x 1000 (Kilo) x 2000 lbs (ton) of TNT or 25,000,000 lbs. (THAT”S 25 MILLION POUNDS of TNT to get the same bang.) The Nagasaki bomb (Fat Man) was equal to 22.5 Kilotons of TNT.
             Today’s tactical (battlefield) nuclear weapons have more power than the Little Boy & Fat Man bombs, and there are several thousand in existence. Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) and Submarine Launched ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) are capable of carrying the Megaton warheads… there are thousands in existence.
            For the record, the Soviet Union’s “King Bomb” (Царь-бомба) was a 50 Megaton warhead and has the distinction of being the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated. It was detonated on 30 October 1961; and, it would equal 50 x mega/million (1,000,000) x ton (2000 lbs) of TNT – or – 100,000,000,000 lbs. (That’s 100 Billion pounds of TNT to get the same explosive yield. The explosion was hot enough to induce third degree burns over 60 miles away.

           "The basic rules to a gun fight are as follows: (1) Never bring a knife to a gunfight; bring a gun… preferably, bring at least two guns. (2) Bring all of your friends who have guns. (3) Life is expensive; ammo is cheap… anything worth shooting is worth shooting twice. (4) Only hits count; the only thing worse than a miss is a slow miss. (5) If you can choose what to bring to a gunfight, bring a long gun and a friend with a long gun. (6) If you are not shooting, you should be communicating, reloading, and moving. (7) Always cheat, the only unfair fight is the one you lose. (8) Have a plan! (9) Have a backup plan because the first one won’t work. (10) The faster you finish the fight, the less shot you will get."   Adapted from United States Special Forces List Team House, http://teamhouse.tni.net/Misc/gunfight/rules.htm 



(Above: Tested by the Soviet Union, Tsar Bomba was the largest nuclear detonation in history. Narrated by Charlton Heston.)