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Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the 116 Days that Changed the World
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite History & Biography (2020)An Avid Reader Press book. Avid Reader Press has a great book for every reader.
9 pages, Audio CD
First published June 9, 2020
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13161 people want to read
About the author
Chris Wallace
39 books118 followersChristopher W. Wallace is an American television anchor and journalist who is the news anchor of the Fox News program Fox News Sunday. He worked for NBC as a White House correspondent and anchor for NBC Nightly News and host of Meet the Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,007 reviews
April 13, 2025
The first line of this book..........Harry Truman needed a drink........is the beginning of the many days that he would need a drink. Only 82 days in office as US Vice-President (April 12, 1945), he is informed that the President Franklin Roosevelt is dead and that he is now President. He is also made aware, for the first time, of the Manhattan Project, the program to develop the first atomic bomb. And thus begins the countdown of 116 days in 1945 until the bombing of Hiroshima, Japan.
This book covers every aspect of these days and goes beyond our history lessons. It tells moving and personal stories of Americans who played pivotal roles in one of the most deadly events in history. From the top scientists to the military to every day Americans and eventually to President Truman, this book gives the reader "inside information" which is fascinating and well documented. Especially poignant are the thoughts of President Truman as he struggles with the decision of using the bomb. We visit Los Alamos, NM where the bomb was tested; the Oak Ridge,TN plant where parts were made and the employees had no idea what they were making; and fly along on the Enola Gay, piloted by Paul Tibbetts on the way to the target of Hiroshima.
Although this is not a long book, it is packed with information which will keep you enthralled even if you disagree with the final decision.I highly recommend it.
This book covers every aspect of these days and goes beyond our history lessons. It tells moving and personal stories of Americans who played pivotal roles in one of the most deadly events in history. From the top scientists to the military to every day Americans and eventually to President Truman, this book gives the reader "inside information" which is fascinating and well documented. Especially poignant are the thoughts of President Truman as he struggles with the decision of using the bomb. We visit Los Alamos, NM where the bomb was tested; the Oak Ridge,TN plant where parts were made and the employees had no idea what they were making; and fly along on the Enola Gay, piloted by Paul Tibbetts on the way to the target of Hiroshima.
Although this is not a long book, it is packed with information which will keep you enthralled even if you disagree with the final decision.I highly recommend it.
December 31, 2020
The 116 days from Truman’s accidental presidency to the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
At the center of this story are the uncertainties faced by the scientists and military figures that were involved in the Manhattan Project. And the moral questions related to the use of the bomb in combat. Some had second thoughts already before the dropping of the bomb. Others questioned it afterwards, and still others thought it had always been the right decision. But ultimately it was one that had to be made by Truman, who hadn’t even known of the bomb’s existence, before FDR died and he took over as the President of the United States.
Some interesting figures are involved in this whole affair. But the book sometimes lacks a clear focus. Chapters are mostly short and only briefly introduce new protagonists. This however the book does frequently. You end up with a lot of personnel that you feel you don’t really know all that much about. There are however a few central figures, like Truman, Oppenheimer, Leslie Groves and Paul Tibbets. While you don’t get a particularly detailed backstory of those either, at least their thoughts and contributions during the whole project are clear. We also get the view of one of the Hiroshima survivors, which I appreciated.
The really interesting parts of the book are the developing and testing of the bomb, the secrecy of the whole project (or let’s say the attempted secrecy), the speculation about the consequences (by politicians, military and the scientists alike) and then these last few days when the decision had to be made, and ultimately the dropping of the bomb itself. It was eerie to be aboard the Enola Gay for her flight into history.
The book also includes, in less detail, the dropping of the second bomb on Nagasaki and Japan’s subsequent capitulation. And then, in more detail again, the aftermath, both on a political and very personal level.
Overall, 3.5 stars.
The last two chapters especially, but also the epilogue and postscript, as well as the chapter about the testing of the bomb make me round up to four stars. Those were hugely interesting and arresting chapters. I’m talking about roughly 20% of the book here. Another 20% are acknowledgements, notes, bibliography and so on. The other 60% were fine, but not a four star read for me, so I’m perhaps a little generous with my rating. But it is an interesting story.
At the center of this story are the uncertainties faced by the scientists and military figures that were involved in the Manhattan Project. And the moral questions related to the use of the bomb in combat. Some had second thoughts already before the dropping of the bomb. Others questioned it afterwards, and still others thought it had always been the right decision. But ultimately it was one that had to be made by Truman, who hadn’t even known of the bomb’s existence, before FDR died and he took over as the President of the United States.
Some interesting figures are involved in this whole affair. But the book sometimes lacks a clear focus. Chapters are mostly short and only briefly introduce new protagonists. This however the book does frequently. You end up with a lot of personnel that you feel you don’t really know all that much about. There are however a few central figures, like Truman, Oppenheimer, Leslie Groves and Paul Tibbets. While you don’t get a particularly detailed backstory of those either, at least their thoughts and contributions during the whole project are clear. We also get the view of one of the Hiroshima survivors, which I appreciated.
The really interesting parts of the book are the developing and testing of the bomb, the secrecy of the whole project (or let’s say the attempted secrecy), the speculation about the consequences (by politicians, military and the scientists alike) and then these last few days when the decision had to be made, and ultimately the dropping of the bomb itself. It was eerie to be aboard the Enola Gay for her flight into history.
The book also includes, in less detail, the dropping of the second bomb on Nagasaki and Japan’s subsequent capitulation. And then, in more detail again, the aftermath, both on a political and very personal level.
Overall, 3.5 stars.
The last two chapters especially, but also the epilogue and postscript, as well as the chapter about the testing of the bomb make me round up to four stars. Those were hugely interesting and arresting chapters. I’m talking about roughly 20% of the book here. Another 20% are acknowledgements, notes, bibliography and so on. The other 60% were fine, but not a four star read for me, so I’m perhaps a little generous with my rating. But it is an interesting story.
"War, the scourge of human race since time began, now held terrors beyond belief."
July 21, 2020
While there are more complete books about President Truman (David McCullough's biography), the atomic bomb (Richard Rhodes's Pulitzer Prize winning book) or World War II (too numerous to list), this book by Chris Wallace nicely sums up the days between the inauguration of Truman as President to the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.
In between, the book reads like a dramatic novel with brief but terrific portraits of many people who were important in the saga of the atomic bomb. Most important people in the Manhattan Project like Oppenheimer and Groves are included as well as others such as a New York Times reporter who after a long assignment of covering the war in Japan was on the plane that dropped the second bomb at Nagasaki. For a complete but fairly brief World War II book that provides sheer reading pleasure - if one can take pleasure in such a historic yet horrific event - this book is fantastic.
In between, the book reads like a dramatic novel with brief but terrific portraits of many people who were important in the saga of the atomic bomb. Most important people in the Manhattan Project like Oppenheimer and Groves are included as well as others such as a New York Times reporter who after a long assignment of covering the war in Japan was on the plane that dropped the second bomb at Nagasaki. For a complete but fairly brief World War II book that provides sheer reading pleasure - if one can take pleasure in such a historic yet horrific event - this book is fantastic.
August 22, 2023
«Нині на планеті Земля нагромадилося майже п’ятдесят тисяч ядерних бомб і боєголовок, кожна з яких своєю силою набагто переважає «Малюка» й «Товстуна».
Після фільма «Оппенгеймер» я прямо відчула, що треба братися за цю книгу і я не помилилася, адже частина дійових осіб тепер була добре знайома.
Фільм не давав відчуття, що було стільки роздумів, дискусій і вагань щодо застосування ядерної зброї. У мене під час перегляду складалося таке враження, наче рішення було прийняте ще до того, як розробка була готовою. «Були ті, хто навіть не вірив, що бомба вибухне. Суперечки про доцільність, якщо пуляти, то по ізольованому місцю, чи попередити японців, щоб вони здавалися, навіть звіти про вплив на екологію». Було цікаво дізнатися, що це було не так.
Ця книга як типовий американський героїчний фільм, де для усіпшного завершення місії, кожен робить свій внесок на своєму місці. І це цікаво. Але коли я змушена читати про те, які університети закінчували ті люди, з ким зустрічалися і ким їхні батьки бачили їх у майбутньому, то зрештою почала такі моменти пропускати, бо зайве.
«На квітень 1945 року над [Мангеттенським] проєктом працювало понад сто двадцять п’ять тисяч осіб на об’єктах, розміщених по всій території США».
Читати про те, як люди працювали над виготовленням атомної бомби і навіть не підозрювали, над чим саме працюють… Сидите ви за апаратом, якщо бачите такий колір лампочки, повертаєте правий важіль, якщо інший – лівий, а якщо випадає отака позначка на цьому табло, то негайно повідомляєте старшому на зміні (дуже-дуже умовно). Оце і є ваша робота і все, що ви знаєте, що своєю працею якось допомагаєте державі перемогти у війні. А перевезення контейнеру з ураном-235 крейсером «Ініданаполіс», матроси якого не знали, що везуть, окрім як те, що це надзвичайно важливий вантаж, який треба прикріпити до плота та пустити вплав, якщо корабель тонутиме? (цікаво, що через 4 дня після доставки урану за місцем призначення крейсер потопили японці) Божевільний рівень секретності, який точно не реальний у добу смартфонів та соцмереж.
Трумен. Той короткий епізод, який був показаний у фільмі, хоча і згадується у цій книзі, але насправді дуже мало говорить про президента Трумена. У цій книзі наводяться щоденникові записи, завдяки яким його історична постать стає об’ємнішою. Стільки думок про те, скільки американців загине при продовження сухопутної війни на японських островах, чи потрібно попереджати японців про нову зброю, чи потрібно робити пробний запуск по безлюдному острову дляя демонстрації, чи допоможе СРСР подолати японців, як і було обіцяно?
Ще один важливий момент, про який наприкінці не забули вказати автори книги, - це ретроспективне мислення. Люди часто судять про історичні події з висоти знання про те, як усе закінчилося і до якого результату та історія довела, але забувають, що на момент прийняття рішень у людей цих знань нема. Намагаюся завжди тримати це у пам’яті.
«Хіросіма» Джона Герсі наче абсолютно природний наступний вибір після цієї книги, адже тут згадується і історія її написання, і той резонанс, який ці репортажі, ще не маючи книжкового оформлення, викликали у світі і США зокрема. Тільки поки ще не зрозуміла, чи готова я до неї.
Після фільма «Оппенгеймер» я прямо відчула, що треба братися за цю книгу і я не помилилася, адже частина дійових осіб тепер була добре знайома.
Фільм не давав відчуття, що було стільки роздумів, дискусій і вагань щодо застосування ядерної зброї. У мене під час перегляду складалося таке враження, наче рішення було прийняте ще до того, як розробка була готовою. «Були ті, хто навіть не вірив, що бомба вибухне. Суперечки про доцільність, якщо пуляти, то по ізольованому місцю, чи попередити японців, щоб вони здавалися, навіть звіти про вплив на екологію». Було цікаво дізнатися, що це було не так.
Ця книга як типовий американський героїчний фільм, де для усіпшного завершення місії, кожен робить свій внесок на своєму місці. І це цікаво. Але коли я змушена читати про те, які університети закінчували ті люди, з ким зустрічалися і ким їхні батьки бачили їх у майбутньому, то зрештою почала такі моменти пропускати, бо зайве.
«На квітень 1945 року над [Мангеттенським] проєктом працювало понад сто двадцять п’ять тисяч осіб на об’єктах, розміщених по всій території США».
Читати про те, як люди працювали над виготовленням атомної бомби і навіть не підозрювали, над чим саме працюють… Сидите ви за апаратом, якщо бачите такий колір лампочки, повертаєте правий важіль, якщо інший – лівий, а якщо випадає отака позначка на цьому табло, то негайно повідомляєте старшому на зміні (дуже-дуже умовно). Оце і є ваша робота і все, що ви знаєте, що своєю працею якось допомагаєте державі перемогти у війні. А перевезення контейнеру з ураном-235 крейсером «Ініданаполіс», матроси якого не знали, що везуть, окрім як те, що це надзвичайно важливий вантаж, який треба прикріпити до плота та пустити вплав, якщо корабель тонутиме? (цікаво, що через 4 дня після доставки урану за місцем призначення крейсер потопили японці) Божевільний рівень секретності, який точно не реальний у добу смартфонів та соцмереж.
Трумен. Той короткий епізод, який був показаний у фільмі, хоча і згадується у цій книзі, але насправді дуже мало говорить про президента Трумена. У цій книзі наводяться щоденникові записи, завдяки яким його історична постать стає об’ємнішою. Стільки думок про те, скільки американців загине при продовження сухопутної війни на японських островах, чи потрібно попереджати японців про нову зброю, чи потрібно робити пробний запуск по безлюдному острову дляя демонстрації, чи допоможе СРСР подолати японців, як і було обіцяно?
Ще один важливий момент, про який наприкінці не забули вказати автори книги, - це ретроспективне мислення. Люди часто судять про історичні події з висоти знання про те, як усе закінчилося і до якого результату та історія довела, але забувають, що на момент прийняття рішень у людей цих знань нема. Намагаюся завжди тримати це у пам’яті.
«Хіросіма» Джона Герсі наче абсолютно природний наступний вибір після цієї книги, адже тут згадується і історія її написання, і той резонанс, який ці репортажі, ще не маючи книжкового оформлення, викликали у світі і США зокрема. Тільки поки ще не зрозуміла, чи готова я до неї.
November 14, 2020
This book was decent. I will say that I got a lot out of it. I learned a lot about the status at the end of WWII that really broadened by knowledge and understanding of the war.
I was weary because Chris Wallace works for Fox News. I read he's a democrat and often an opponent to Trump's rhetoric, which is more important, honestly, than his political party and place of employment. But the book only seemed to try and "convince" me (the reader) that the dropping of the atom bomb was the right decision (from Truman's perspective) in one short passage. Otherwise the book seemed very objective and only wanted to relay information rather than pitch an argument.
It was dry in some parts, but also really intriguing in others. I liked Wallace's inclusion of a wide cast of historic figures from scientists, important military figures, world leaders and ordinary citizens. It was a good source of new information for me of that time. Wallace likes to repeat himself, but it somewhat works as it can get confusing on who is who and a reminder on this person's belief/position. I plan on reading a more in depth novel by Paul Ham that is more specific to the bombings and the civilians affected and the morality of nuclear weapons, but I'm glad I read this first as a good preface.
Overall I give it a 3.5.
I was weary because Chris Wallace works for Fox News. I read he's a democrat and often an opponent to Trump's rhetoric, which is more important, honestly, than his political party and place of employment. But the book only seemed to try and "convince" me (the reader) that the dropping of the atom bomb was the right decision (from Truman's perspective) in one short passage. Otherwise the book seemed very objective and only wanted to relay information rather than pitch an argument.
It was dry in some parts, but also really intriguing in others. I liked Wallace's inclusion of a wide cast of historic figures from scientists, important military figures, world leaders and ordinary citizens. It was a good source of new information for me of that time. Wallace likes to repeat himself, but it somewhat works as it can get confusing on who is who and a reminder on this person's belief/position. I plan on reading a more in depth novel by Paul Ham that is more specific to the bombings and the civilians affected and the morality of nuclear weapons, but I'm glad I read this first as a good preface.
Overall I give it a 3.5.
April 18, 2025
Having enjoyed some previous works by Chris Wallace, I wanted more to sample. Wallace takes this most infamous year and event, turning it into a great tome to educate the reader. With a mix of fact and the flourishes of a great narrative, Wallace delivers an entertaining and highly educational piece about a time that America crossed the troubled Rubicon of nuclear armament!
America had been on edge throughout the Second World War, having made their mark in two, bloody theatres. When news came on April 12, 1945 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt was dead, the country appeared lost and in mourning. No one was sure what they would do, though there was little time to rest. The war was still ongoing and filling the leadership void was the newly-minted vice-president, Harry Truman, now the Commander-in-Chief. As the former senator from Missouri would soon learn, there was a great deal he had to learn about the job, including a secret project being prepared in the deserts of New Mexico.
Plans were being prepared to create a new weapon to be tested and potentially used on any enemy. As Truman was made aware, the weapon was a massive nuclear weapon that could devastate land and people in the blink of an eye. Heading up the scientific experiments was Robert “Oppie” Oppenheimer. The stakes were high and time was limited, which is the premise of this book, as the narrative counts down to the bomb's use. Wallace explores the fast-paced nature of development and the political pressures to get something done, while keeping it all under wraps. Truman was seeking to understand the depth of the weapon and its possibilities, while America's war shift turned to the Pacific and the Japanese. There was no time to lose and Oppenheimer was ready to work long hours to ensure he delivered his promised research.
Alongside these narratives comes the backstory and lives of those who would play a key role in delivery of the bomb. Pilots who had mastered the art of flying in precarious positions, while also making sure they were ready for whatever might be needed. As tensions mounted and the need to end the war approached, Truman had to make serious decisions for when he might want to pull the plug on fighting in the Pacific. All the while, Oppenheimer had to handle worries of Soviet spying on his secret research, forcing the scientist to hunt through those he trusted to see who might be rotten. The clock was ticking and no one could have expected what would come when the seconds ran out. It was only when the bombs were dropped and the fallout seen, that America realised what it had done and that there was no turning back.
As Chris Wallace has done effectively in past books of this nature, he delivers a stunning punch while paving the way for excitement. The ongoing countdown adds something exciting for the reader to predict, even as they know what awaits them behind the curtain. The narrative clips along and provides wonderful tension for the reader to enjoy. Each chapter is filled with stunning research and lays the groundwork for the historical events that have shaped America over the last decades. Wallace hands the reader something that will educate in nuanced ways, while wrapping things in a narrative that makes it seem almost fictional. There is so much within this book that is sure to impress or intrigue the reader. I will have to set my own countdown to when I might grab another Wallace book to teach myself something else.
Kudos, Mr. Wallace, for this stellar piece of work!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
America had been on edge throughout the Second World War, having made their mark in two, bloody theatres. When news came on April 12, 1945 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt was dead, the country appeared lost and in mourning. No one was sure what they would do, though there was little time to rest. The war was still ongoing and filling the leadership void was the newly-minted vice-president, Harry Truman, now the Commander-in-Chief. As the former senator from Missouri would soon learn, there was a great deal he had to learn about the job, including a secret project being prepared in the deserts of New Mexico.
Plans were being prepared to create a new weapon to be tested and potentially used on any enemy. As Truman was made aware, the weapon was a massive nuclear weapon that could devastate land and people in the blink of an eye. Heading up the scientific experiments was Robert “Oppie” Oppenheimer. The stakes were high and time was limited, which is the premise of this book, as the narrative counts down to the bomb's use. Wallace explores the fast-paced nature of development and the political pressures to get something done, while keeping it all under wraps. Truman was seeking to understand the depth of the weapon and its possibilities, while America's war shift turned to the Pacific and the Japanese. There was no time to lose and Oppenheimer was ready to work long hours to ensure he delivered his promised research.
Alongside these narratives comes the backstory and lives of those who would play a key role in delivery of the bomb. Pilots who had mastered the art of flying in precarious positions, while also making sure they were ready for whatever might be needed. As tensions mounted and the need to end the war approached, Truman had to make serious decisions for when he might want to pull the plug on fighting in the Pacific. All the while, Oppenheimer had to handle worries of Soviet spying on his secret research, forcing the scientist to hunt through those he trusted to see who might be rotten. The clock was ticking and no one could have expected what would come when the seconds ran out. It was only when the bombs were dropped and the fallout seen, that America realised what it had done and that there was no turning back.
As Chris Wallace has done effectively in past books of this nature, he delivers a stunning punch while paving the way for excitement. The ongoing countdown adds something exciting for the reader to predict, even as they know what awaits them behind the curtain. The narrative clips along and provides wonderful tension for the reader to enjoy. Each chapter is filled with stunning research and lays the groundwork for the historical events that have shaped America over the last decades. Wallace hands the reader something that will educate in nuanced ways, while wrapping things in a narrative that makes it seem almost fictional. There is so much within this book that is sure to impress or intrigue the reader. I will have to set my own countdown to when I might grab another Wallace book to teach myself something else.
Kudos, Mr. Wallace, for this stellar piece of work!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
March 18, 2022
“Дебелакът” и “Малчуганът” не са симпатични участници в шоу, а съответно плутониева и уранова бомби или първите атомни бомби, поразили Нагасаки и Хирошима в началото на август 1945 г.
Според авторите, първоначалното одобрение на американците към използването им за съкращаване на тихоокеанския театър на втората световна война е било 85%. След като адските измерения на случилото се постепенно пробиват жестоката цензура на генерал Макартър след повече от година (и то пъвоначално извън САЩ), одобрението в САЩ спада докъм 50%, включително и днес. Това някак е лайтмотив на цялата книга, което никак не ми допадна.
Първата тенденция, набиваща се на очи, е прекомерното олекотяване и леко профанизиране на темата от страна на авторите.
Структурата с обратното хронологично отброяване по дни, дати, събития и участници е много добре замислена. Така читателят сменя гледните точки на политици (президентът Труман), военната ескадрила от пилоти по операцията, учените в проекта “Манхатън” (например Опенхаймер) и дори неосведомени за крайната цел участници. Сменят се събития, разиграли се в Лос Аламос, Вашингтон, Потсдам и островите край Япония. Снимките на участници и събития също са изключително удачни и допълват отлично.
Проблемът е опитът за “романизиране” и впускане в “изследване” (доста повърхностно и нескопосано) на емоциите и мислите на основните лица в тази атомна драма. Така поднесени, пилеят излишно читателско внимание. По-неприятен ми беше лекият сензационен привкус в изложението на събитията - явно заглавието е за онази публика, която да прочете някой ред вместо да гледа рекламите в почивката на мача, без да се затормозява. За сметка на това, твърде малко подробности “от кухнята” научих за самия проект и процеса на вземане на решения, които да не са широкоизвестни и общодостъпни в интернет.
Съвсем не симпатизирам на фанатизираната японска военна каста, управлявала Империята на слънцето от онези дни, извършила чудовищни зверства в Азия и отказваща да се извини и до днес. Но нашите щастливи автори не им обръщат почти никакво внимание, освен да споменат, че отказвали да се предадат безусловно и май са поубили доста народ.
С две думи - тезата на книгата, промъкваща се между редовете, е старата теза, че атомните бомби са били ефективен метод за съкращаване на войната и избягване на още американски жертви. В което има логика, но предвид патетиката на стила, пак ми оставя известно място за съмнение. Например книгата така и не даде ясно обяснение защо е хвърлена втората атомна бомба.
Малко смекчих мнението си за Труман - не е било лесно решение, и той не го е взел с леко сърце. Но все пак си е заслужил мястото в Ада. Както и Хирохито, впрочем. В цялата тази история невинни няма.
П. П. От превода има доста кскво да се желае. Преводачът не е успял да възпроизведе събитията в коректно сегашно време.
Според авторите, първоначалното одобрение на американците към използването им за съкращаване на тихоокеанския театър на втората световна война е било 85%. След като адските измерения на случилото се постепенно пробиват жестоката цензура на генерал Макартър след повече от година (и то пъвоначално извън САЩ), одобрението в САЩ спада докъм 50%, включително и днес. Това някак е лайтмотив на цялата книга, което никак не ми допадна.
Първата тенденция, набиваща се на очи, е прекомерното олекотяване и леко профанизиране на темата от страна на авторите.
Структурата с обратното хронологично отброяване по дни, дати, събития и участници е много добре замислена. Така читателят сменя гледните точки на политици (президентът Труман), военната ескадрила от пилоти по операцията, учените в проекта “Манхатън” (например Опенхаймер) и дори неосведомени за крайната цел участници. Сменят се събития, разиграли се в Лос Аламос, Вашингтон, Потсдам и островите край Япония. Снимките на участници и събития също са изключително удачни и допълват отлично.
Проблемът е опитът за “романизиране” и впускане в “изследване” (доста повърхностно и нескопосано) на емоциите и мислите на основните лица в тази атомна драма. Така поднесени, пилеят излишно читателско внимание. По-неприятен ми беше лекият сензационен привкус в изложението на събитията - явно заглавието е за онази публика, която да прочете някой ред вместо да гледа рекламите в почивката на мача, без да се затормозява. За сметка на това, твърде малко подробности “от кухнята” научих за самия проект и процеса на вземане на решения, които да не са широкоизвестни и общодостъпни в интернет.
Съвсем не симпатизирам на фанатизираната японска военна каста, управлявала Империята на слънцето от онези дни, извършила чудовищни зверства в Азия и отказваща да се извини и до днес. Но нашите щастливи автори не им обръщат почти никакво внимание, освен да споменат, че отказвали да се предадат безусловно и май са поубили доста народ.
С две думи - тезата на книгата, промъкваща се между редовете, е старата теза, че атомните бомби са били ефективен метод за съкращаване на войната и избягване на още американски жертви. В което има логика, но предвид патетиката на стила, пак ми оставя известно място за съмнение. Например книгата така и не даде ясно обяснение защо е хвърлена втората атомна бомба.
Малко смекчих мнението си за Труман - не е било лесно решение, и той не го е взел с леко сърце. Но все пак си е заслужил мястото в Ада. Както и Хирохито, впрочем. В цялата тази история невинни няма.
П. П. От превода има доста кскво да се желае. Преводачът не е успял да възпроизведе събитията в коректно сегашно време.
July 11, 2022
Обратното броене до Хирошима и Нагасаки: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/o...
Безспорно най-силно се отличава фокусът върху Труман, който ненадейно поема поста след смъртта на Рузвелт. Определено личи авторовата симпатия към него, описвайки го как попада внезапно на една маса с Чърчил и Сталин точно в началото на разпадането на големия съюз. Същият този човек трябва да вземе най-важното решение – дали да се използва бомбата, като се ориентира и в огромните научни спорове около нея, и от разнопосочните мнения на съветниците си. Например адмирал Лийхи, най-високопоставеният американски офицер, казва: “проклетото нещо никога няма да сработи” и го нарича “най-голямата измама в света”. Да, от наша гледна точка 1945 г. е краят на световната война, но от тяхна е предстояло кошмарно дебаркиране и воюване на основните японски острови срещу фанатична армия и население, готово да умре за своя император.
Издателство Труд
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/o...
Безспорно най-силно се отличава фокусът върху Труман, който ненадейно поема поста след смъртта на Рузвелт. Определено личи авторовата симпатия към него, описвайки го как попада внезапно на една маса с Чърчил и Сталин точно в началото на разпадането на големия съюз. Същият този човек трябва да вземе най-важното решение – дали да се използва бомбата, като се ориентира и в огромните научни спорове около нея, и от разнопосочните мнения на съветниците си. Например адмирал Лийхи, най-високопоставеният американски офицер, казва: “проклетото нещо никога няма да сработи” и го нарича “най-голямата измама в света”. Да, от наша гледна точка 1945 г. е краят на световната война, но от тяхна е предстояло кошмарно дебаркиране и воюване на основните японски острови срещу фанатична армия и население, готово да умре за своя император.
Издателство Труд
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/o...
May 24, 2021
From the Fox news host comes this new look at an old story, the development and use of the atomic bombs to end WW2. I found this book to be very readable and entertaining. The writing style is very direct and simple. There is almost no attempt at sugar-coating the story. Just straight on narrative that doesn't pull any punches. An essential entry in the historiography of WW2 and also an insightful look into our 33rd President Harry Truman.
September 25, 2022
O carte foarte bine documentată și scrisă. Felul în care sunt puse într-o poveste atât de adevărată personalități ce au marcat istoria - Albert Einstein, FDR, Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, e nemaipomenit.
O ocazie nemaipomenită de a fi martor la istorie! O recomand din tot sufletul. 👍🖤
O ocazie nemaipomenită de a fi martor la istorie! O recomand din tot sufletul. 👍🖤
June 20, 2020
I expected Chris Wallace’s Countdown 1945 to be informative (it is); I assumed it would be comprehensively researched (it is); and I hoped it would be full of behind-the-scenes details, which it is. What surprised me is how compelling is Wallace’s storytelling; his book is a page turner. I say "surprised" because, like most people, I know the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and because I am generally familiar with the major characters who participated in this part of history. So Countdown 1945 is informative, comprehensively researched, and surprisingly compelling. It’s a good read.
More specifically, Wallace has made two good decisions. First, he starts not with atomic energy science or with the details of WWII. Instead, he begins with Harry Truman and the awesome, sudden responsibility Truman must assume at FDR’s death. Of course, that responsibility includes deciding whether to use the atomic bomb and its multiple questions—moral, military, and geopolitical. Even the uncertain future of our existence on planet Earth comes into the analysis. By starting with the gravity of Truman’s situation, Wallace took me immediately into the story.
And then there is the countdown framework, which can be a cliché, but here it works extraordinarily well. The countdown maintains a clear chronology while allowing Wallace to describe multiple characters in multiple situations in numerous places around the world. Using a countdown frame, Wallace creates a sense of drama even when the basics are well known because the structure holds the subject together so well.
Are there negatives? Nothing significant. The prose is direct and workmanlike, but there are no soaring passages, no paragraphs to savor. The drama comes, as I say, from the countdown structure and the focus on Truman (and many other key figures), not from Wallace’s way with words. But who needs an impressive way with words when the subject is one of the most important events of the 20th century and the author has handled that subject remarkably well? Not me. I’ll take Countdown 1945 just as is.
More specifically, Wallace has made two good decisions. First, he starts not with atomic energy science or with the details of WWII. Instead, he begins with Harry Truman and the awesome, sudden responsibility Truman must assume at FDR’s death. Of course, that responsibility includes deciding whether to use the atomic bomb and its multiple questions—moral, military, and geopolitical. Even the uncertain future of our existence on planet Earth comes into the analysis. By starting with the gravity of Truman’s situation, Wallace took me immediately into the story.
And then there is the countdown framework, which can be a cliché, but here it works extraordinarily well. The countdown maintains a clear chronology while allowing Wallace to describe multiple characters in multiple situations in numerous places around the world. Using a countdown frame, Wallace creates a sense of drama even when the basics are well known because the structure holds the subject together so well.
Are there negatives? Nothing significant. The prose is direct and workmanlike, but there are no soaring passages, no paragraphs to savor. The drama comes, as I say, from the countdown structure and the focus on Truman (and many other key figures), not from Wallace’s way with words. But who needs an impressive way with words when the subject is one of the most important events of the 20th century and the author has handled that subject remarkably well? Not me. I’ll take Countdown 1945 just as is.
August 10, 2020
The story had a chance to be intense and interesting. The writing... left me bored at times. Which is horrible considering how important the events were and how tragic the results impacted people.
For instance. Dr. Bla Bla came out in a white lab coat. He graduated from bla bla school in the year bla bla. He told the president... -who cares what year or what school he graduated from. Of course his lab coat would be white. There is no reason to specify the color unless it is a color other than white. I don’t know...it seemed like a lot of filler descriptions were added in. Every general’s or cop’s
Wife and children and neighborhood of where they live were mentioned that had absolutely no relevance to the story!!
“FDR, the man who led the nation over the past twelve years, through the Depression and Pearl Harbor and now to the verge of victory in Europe in the Second World War, had died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of sixty-three”
“Congress declared war on Japan after the Pearl Harbor attack. Four days later, Germany declared war on the United States. The nation mobilized. For many Americans, FDR was the only commander in chief they had ever known. He was elected president ‘four times’, and almost three and a half years into World War II, just as the Allies neared victory in Europe—and the war in the Pacific reached a bloody climax—Roosevelt had suddenly died.”
“it was Roosevelt who authorized the atomic bomb research and development project, bringing together the brightest scientific minds for an operation he hoped would one day end the war”
“Roosevelt was a great architect,” Oppenheimer said. “Perhaps Truman will be a good carpenter.”
It started as an interesting story ‘concept.’ Then it became a history book from the 1940’s. Even the pictures were redundant. I dnf at 50% . I don’t even know how I made it that far. I was so bored!!! The few moments where gunshots, explosions or attacks were mentioned...my mind’s shoulders shrugged like Meh... such a same.
Hear Chris’s Wallace talk about his book had me on the edge of my seat researching where to get the cheapest priced copy. And now I’m just confused.
For instance. Dr. Bla Bla came out in a white lab coat. He graduated from bla bla school in the year bla bla. He told the president... -who cares what year or what school he graduated from. Of course his lab coat would be white. There is no reason to specify the color unless it is a color other than white. I don’t know...it seemed like a lot of filler descriptions were added in. Every general’s or cop’s
Wife and children and neighborhood of where they live were mentioned that had absolutely no relevance to the story!!
“FDR, the man who led the nation over the past twelve years, through the Depression and Pearl Harbor and now to the verge of victory in Europe in the Second World War, had died of a cerebral hemorrhage at the age of sixty-three”
“Congress declared war on Japan after the Pearl Harbor attack. Four days later, Germany declared war on the United States. The nation mobilized. For many Americans, FDR was the only commander in chief they had ever known. He was elected president ‘four times’, and almost three and a half years into World War II, just as the Allies neared victory in Europe—and the war in the Pacific reached a bloody climax—Roosevelt had suddenly died.”
“it was Roosevelt who authorized the atomic bomb research and development project, bringing together the brightest scientific minds for an operation he hoped would one day end the war”
“Roosevelt was a great architect,” Oppenheimer said. “Perhaps Truman will be a good carpenter.”
It started as an interesting story ‘concept.’ Then it became a history book from the 1940’s. Even the pictures were redundant. I dnf at 50% . I don’t even know how I made it that far. I was so bored!!! The few moments where gunshots, explosions or attacks were mentioned...my mind’s shoulders shrugged like Meh... such a same.
Hear Chris’s Wallace talk about his book had me on the edge of my seat researching where to get the cheapest priced copy. And now I’m just confused.
June 11, 2020
Everyone has heard about these events before but this book delves into the behind the scenes and deeper issues from Pearl Harbor to the release of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. I loved the beginning chapters started with a lot of conflict with FDR dying and a reluctant but ready Harry S Truman becoming the 33rd President of the United States. He wanted to follow through with FDR's plans during war against Germany and Japan exactly as it was laid out. Truman obviously had big shoes to full and a lot of quick learning to do.
The details and narrative in this book was exceptional. Any seasoned nonfiction reader can tell many hours of careful research and passion went into writing this book. The result is something that is easier and more interesting to understand about a sensitive period in American history. Definitely a new to me favorite nonfiction writer. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in WWII history, American history events, etc. A must read and definitely one I will add to be library as a hardcover.
Thanks to Netgalley, Chris Wallace and Avid Reader Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 6/9/20
The details and narrative in this book was exceptional. Any seasoned nonfiction reader can tell many hours of careful research and passion went into writing this book. The result is something that is easier and more interesting to understand about a sensitive period in American history. Definitely a new to me favorite nonfiction writer. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in WWII history, American history events, etc. A must read and definitely one I will add to be library as a hardcover.
Thanks to Netgalley, Chris Wallace and Avid Reader Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Available: 6/9/20
August 24, 2020
"Countdown 1945" explores the timetable of the 116 days leading up to the testing of, and the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan which finally ended the 2nd world war in 1945. How the "Manhattan Project"remained top secret without leaks, or as they are called today..."Whistleblowers", is mind blowing to me. Would never happen in today's United States. "Countdown 1945" also includes several pictures of the bombs, "Little Boy" and "Fat Man", and the men who made it all possible.
Agree or disagree with the horrific outcome, this is the fascinating true story of how it all happened. My favorite non fiction book so far this year. Chris Wallace and collaborator Mitch Weiss did a fantastic job fact finding. Recommended.
Agree or disagree with the horrific outcome, this is the fascinating true story of how it all happened. My favorite non fiction book so far this year. Chris Wallace and collaborator Mitch Weiss did a fantastic job fact finding. Recommended.
July 20, 2020
Rated: C+
Loved the "countdown" aspect of the book. Not much new. Timely publication given that we commemorate the 75 year of the first atomic bomb. Praise God that the USA is the only country that has used atomic energy as a weapon. It helped end a war that would have cost more loss of life than through conventional means of warfare.
"It's really hard to talk about morality and war in the same sentence." (Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk, navigator on the Enola Gay)
"Humane warfare is an oxymoran. War by definition is barbaric. To try and distinguish between an acceptable method of killing and an unacceptable method is ludicrous". (Jason Beser, radar specialist on the Enola Gay)
Loved the "countdown" aspect of the book. Not much new. Timely publication given that we commemorate the 75 year of the first atomic bomb. Praise God that the USA is the only country that has used atomic energy as a weapon. It helped end a war that would have cost more loss of life than through conventional means of warfare.
"It's really hard to talk about morality and war in the same sentence." (Theodore "Dutch" Van Kirk, navigator on the Enola Gay)
"Humane warfare is an oxymoran. War by definition is barbaric. To try and distinguish between an acceptable method of killing and an unacceptable method is ludicrous". (Jason Beser, radar specialist on the Enola Gay)
May 31, 2020
This is an insightful and interesting look into the days leading up to the use of the Atomic Bomb in Japan. It is interesting to see all of the small details and decisions that lead up to an event that changed warfare forever.
I really enjoyed learning more about this truly historic event. It wasn't a decision that came lightly, but it was a decisive end to a war that had lasted for far too long. I'm glad I read this, I learned a lot and I've always been interested in WWII so I'm looking forward to seeing what else I can learn from behind the scenes books like this.
Very well done.
I really enjoyed learning more about this truly historic event. It wasn't a decision that came lightly, but it was a decisive end to a war that had lasted for far too long. I'm glad I read this, I learned a lot and I've always been interested in WWII so I'm looking forward to seeing what else I can learn from behind the scenes books like this.
Very well done.
February 13, 2022
I liked this close look at the few months after Truman became President and the day the atomic bombs were dropped. Wallace made this sound like a thriller while also making the listener think of all the implications associated with wmds.
July 9, 2020
This is a short (275 pages of text with lots of photos) book that attempts to provide an examination of the development, planning, decision-making, and the key individuals involved in the dropping of the two atomic bombs that ended World War II. While the book provides some interesting details and stories, in attempting to do so much, it ends up doing nothing particularly well. And it really glosses over some of the more controversial parts of the story. The format of the book is reflected in its title "Countdown," as it takes the reader through the time leading up to August 6, 1945, i.e. 116 days away, 91 days away, 7 days away, etc. The book's strength is providing a look at the key individuals: the Big Three at Potsdam and the members of the crew of the Enola Gay. It provides a little bit of explanation of the science (and the technology) behind the bomb, but not much; it teases the idea that the use of the bomb might have been aimed at the USSR, but doesn't really explore it very thoroughly, and its description of the impact on Hiroshima is illustrated by the story of one girl (who ended up moving to the U.S. and marrying an American- not exactly a random sample). For me, the most interesting story was about the mission's bomb technician, who decided that taking off with the bomb fully armed was too dangerous and thus figured out (in 24 hours) how to arm the bomb in midair, dangling over the bomb bay door. But I was disappointed that the book's analysis of the decision did not delve more deeply in the refusal to offer the Japanese the right to keep the emperor on his throne. The author recounts that we announced many times that we would accept nothing less than unconditional surrender, but in the end we DID offer the Japanese the opportunity to keep the emperor. Why could Harry Truman have justified this action in the fall of 1945, but not in the summer? The book does not say. And it does not even raise the question of why the second bomb was used so quickly after the first bomb. The Japanese announced their surrender five days after the Nagasaki bomb, but we only gave them two days to act after the Hiroshima bomb. There is a contention that the second bomb was used so quickly because the Soviets had entered the war two days after Hiroshima and we did not want them to contribute so much to the war effort that they could demand big territorial concessions in Asia. Or that we used the second bomb so quickly to see if the plutonium bomb worked as well as the uranium bomb. But the book completely avoids these issues. In short, the book is a quick read and it has some interesting sections. But I would recommend that as soon as one finishes this book, John Hersey's book "Hiroshima," which follows six people who were in that city on August 6, 1945, should be read immediately. Chris Wallace's book mentions Hersey's book, but its analysis of the morality basically relies on the traditional notion that the use of the bombs saved lives. For my money, Peter Wyden's book "Day One" is a more complete analysis of the event.
October 23, 2021
This is a gripping book, well researched (maybe a little lean on the Japanese perspective from people "there") and well done. I can't recommend this highly enough. The view of the decision to drop two atomic bombs within a few days is pretty well supported by Chris Wallace, although some of the advice at the time from Senior military people (Eisenhower and another four-star general) were not supportive. President Truman comes across as a man who was up to the job, an almost impossible task as he was handed the presidency upon the surprise heart attack death of FDR only a short time into Roosevelt's fourth team. Truman grabbed the reins and was terse and direct, seeking advice but at no time giving any indication he was not ready for the job.
The sections of the book about the Potsdam Conference in Post-WW2 Germany, while an invasion of Japan was being planned and coordinated, is riveting. Truman's ability to "accept the leadership position" accorded to the US President, while Stalin and Churchill were veterans in that triumvirate, was fascinating. He appears, not for a minute, to not be up to the job.
Details of the planning of the mission itself are incredible. Seven planes in all took part, with some checking on weather, one a backup, and two with duties of radar and photography. All this was in addition to Tibbets' Enola Gay with the payload- "the gadget." The stories of the massive multi-faceted secret development programs are incredible. The mission itself, including the actual take-off, which required every inch of the runway on Tinian Island, and nearly resulted in the plane splashing into the ocean with a payload heavier than any previous, is covered in hair-raising detail. The decision selecting the actual "X" site, a central bridge, for the bomb delivery over Hiroshima is described in gruesomely dispassionate fashion. Perhaps most of this information would be available if one were to spend his/her life seeking it from all various sources, but Wallace and his team did a first class job and it is laid out for the reader. This book brings real life history to life, in terms of people and searing details, in a brilliant and shocking way.
The sections of the book about the Potsdam Conference in Post-WW2 Germany, while an invasion of Japan was being planned and coordinated, is riveting. Truman's ability to "accept the leadership position" accorded to the US President, while Stalin and Churchill were veterans in that triumvirate, was fascinating. He appears, not for a minute, to not be up to the job.
Details of the planning of the mission itself are incredible. Seven planes in all took part, with some checking on weather, one a backup, and two with duties of radar and photography. All this was in addition to Tibbets' Enola Gay with the payload- "the gadget." The stories of the massive multi-faceted secret development programs are incredible. The mission itself, including the actual take-off, which required every inch of the runway on Tinian Island, and nearly resulted in the plane splashing into the ocean with a payload heavier than any previous, is covered in hair-raising detail. The decision selecting the actual "X" site, a central bridge, for the bomb delivery over Hiroshima is described in gruesomely dispassionate fashion. Perhaps most of this information would be available if one were to spend his/her life seeking it from all various sources, but Wallace and his team did a first class job and it is laid out for the reader. This book brings real life history to life, in terms of people and searing details, in a brilliant and shocking way.
June 19, 2020
I've read much on Truman's role as president and his decisive action, criticized by many, in dropping the atomic bombs in Japan. I believe Truman was in the right place at the right time. His acumen in discarding persuasive political rhetoric and thus enabling pertinent facts revealed to support his decisions in keeping with his own morality. Was he perfect? No, like all of us imperfect, but he was the man for the decisions that needed to be made in 1945. I also had many questions about decisions made that laid the foundation of the Cold Was which were explained to my understanding. A good book. Good history and fairly told.
July 24, 2020
Interesting story told with lots of good detail
December 19, 2021
Ο Chris Wallace μας αφηγείται σε ένα είδος ιστορικού θρίλερ καρέ-καρέ το χρονικό των 116 ημερών που άλλαξαν για πάντα την εικόνα του κόσμου μας και οδήγησαν σε αυτό που αποκαλούμε σήμερα “πυρηνική εποχή”.
Το βιβλίο αυτό δεν είναι μυθιστόρημα, ούτε, σαφώς και ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα, αλλά ούτε και αμιγώς ιστορικό βιβλίο. Ίσως ο καλύτερος χαρακτηρισμός να ήταν πολιτικό και ιστορικό θρίλερ με μυθιστορηματικά, αλλά και ιστορικά στοιχεία.
ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ
8 Eπιλογές Bιβλίων για τα Χριστούγεννα και όχι μόνο, επιμέλεια Τέσυ Μπάιλα
Χριστουγεννιάτικες σελίδες για τους μικρούς μας φίλους από τις Εκδόσεις Μεταίχμιο
Ο Wallace παραθέτει όλο το χρονικό ρίψης της ατομικής βόμβας στη Χιροσίμα, της πρώτης στον κόσμο, από την στιγμή ανάληψης της Προεδρίας από τον Χάρυ Τρούμαν, έως και την τελική στιγμή της ρίψης.
Σε αντίθεση με την άποψη πολλών ιστορικών που καταδικάζουν την απόφαση του Τρούμαν θεωρώντας ότι ο πόλεμος θα μπορούσε να λήξει και χωρίς τη ρίψη της βόμβας, ο συγγραφέας υποστηρίζει ότι ο Χάρυ Τρούμαν δεν μετάνιωσε ποτέ για την καταστροφική απόφαση που έλαβε, αλλά συνάμα και ότι ίσως πράγματι τελικά δεν μπορούσε να κάνει διαφορετικά, προκειμένου να γλιτώσει άσκοπες απώλειες του αμερικανικού λαού που είχε κουραστεί να πολεμά. Είναι κοινώς παραδεκτό ότι, αν δεν είχε πέσει τελικά η βόμβα και γινόταν απόβαση στα ιαπωνικά νησιά, αυτή θα είχε κοστίσει χιλιάδες ζωές στους Αμερικανούς στρατιώτες, αλλά και στους Ιάπωνες στρατιώτες και αμάχους, καθώς ήταν γνωστή η λυσσαλέα αντίσταση που προέβαλαν έναντι των Αμερικανών.
Εκ των υστέρων, όταν όλοι γνωρίζουμε τι έχει συμβεί, έχουμε την τάση να κρίνουμε αρνητικά τα πεπραγμένα των ηγετών και των ιθυνόντων της κάθε εποχής, η αλήθεια είναι όμως πως αλλιώς έβλεπαν τα πράγματα εκείνοι που έζησαν σε κάθε εποχή, χωρίς να διαθέτουν την παντοδυναμία της “εκ των υστέρων” γνώσης που διαθέτουμε εμείς.
Ο Τρούμαν πάντως, αν και δεν μετανόησε ποτέ του-επισήμως τουλάχιστον- για τη Χιροσίμα, εντούτοις αυτό δεν σημαίνει ότι δεν είχε και τους ενδοιασμούς του για την ενέργεια αυτή ή ότι έδωσε την έγκρισή του προκειμένου να συνεχιστεί το Πρόγραμμα Μανχάταν ελαφριά τη καρδία. Είναι χαρακτηριστικό μάλιστα ότι υπέφερε από αϋπνίες και έντονους πονοκεφάλους εκείνη την περίοδο.
Αναμφισβήτητα λοιπόν, τόσο ο Πρόεδρος των ΗΠΑ, όσο και οι υψηλά ιστάμενοι στρατιωτικοί, όσο και οι ίδιοι οι επιστήμονες που εργάζονταν στο Πρόγραμμα, είχαν ακριβή επίγνωση των συνεπειών της εφεύρεσής τους, γνώριζαν ότι εισήγαγαν τον κόσμο τους σε μία νέα επικίνδυνη εποχή, αλλά και είχαν πολλές ηθικές ενστάσεις για το όλο ζήτημα.
Η ακριβής έκταση της ζημιάς που προκάλεσαν οι ατομικές βόμβες στη Χιροσίμα και το Ναγκασάκι δεν έγιναν εκείνη την εποχή ευρέως γνωστές στο αμερικανικό κοινό, ωστόσο, σύμφωνα με δημοσκόπηση της εποχής, το 85% των Αμερικανών επιδοκίμαζε τη χρήση του νέου υπερόπλου, παρά τις πρωτοφανείς συνέπειες που θα είχε η χρήση του στον άμαχο πληθυσμό της Ιαπωνίας, αφού μονάχα με αυτόν τον τρόπο θα εξοικονομούνταν ζωές Αμερικανών και θα τελείωνε ο πόλεμος γρηγορότερα.
O Wallace εξετάζει στο βιβλίο του το πλήρες παρασκήνιο σχετικά με την κατασκευή της βόμβας: το επιστημονικό με όλες τις λεπτομέρειες της κατασκευής, την πρώτη δοκιμή της βόμβας σε μία έρημο στο Νέο Μεξικό, τους ανθρώπους που εμπλέκονταν στην κατασκευή της, το απόρρητο της όλης υπόθεσης και τους ενδοιασμούς που αυτοί είχαν, το στρατιωτικό, με τους αξιωματικούς που σχετίζονταν με το Σχέδιο Μανχάταν, τον στρατηγικό σχεδιασμό της όλης επιχείρησης και την εκπαίδευση των πληρωμάτων των αεροσκαφών, το πολιτικό με τις διαφωνίες και τη δράση του Τρούμαν στις ΗΠΑ, αλλά και στη Διάσκεψη του Πότσνταμ, η οποία ήταν σε εξέλιξη τις ημέρες των δοκιμών και είχε ολοκληρωθεί λίγο πριν από την έναρξη της επιχείρησης, αλλά και το διπλωματικό, με τις σχέσεις ΗΠΑ και ΕΣΣΔ να ακροβατούν σε τεντωμένο σκοινί και τον Στάλιν να γνωρίζει την ύπαρξη της βόμβας χάρη σε ένα κατάσκοπό του στην καρδιά του Σχεδίου Μανχάταν.
Ιδιαίτερα εντυπωσιάζουν τον αναγνώστη οι λεπτομέρειες της κατασκευής της βόμβας και οι καθηλωτικές περιγραφές τόσο της πρώτης πυρηνικής δοκιμής, όσο και της ίδιας της πτήσης του Enola Gay προς τη Χιροσίμα. Στα θετικά του βιβλίου συγκαταλέγεται επίσης η ύπαρξη πολλών αποσπασμάτων από ημερολόγια και επιστολές των πρωταγωνιστών σχετικά με το επίμαχο ζήτημα.
Ξεκινώντας την αφήγηση 116 ολόκληρες μέρες πριν, ο Wallace ακολουθεί πορεία αντίστροφης μέτρησης μέχρι το σημείο 0, την ώρα δηλαδή της ρίψης της βόμβας στις 6 Αυγούστου του 1945. Η μέθοδος αυτή της αφήγησης καθηλώνει τον αναγνώστη και καταφέρνει να διατηρήσει στα ύψη την αγωνία του, σαν να μη γνωρίζει τι επρόκειτο να συμβεί. Παράλληλα, μέσω της ανάγνωσης του βιβλίου, ο αναγνώστης θα σχηματίσει μία πολύ καλή εικόνα για τις απαρχές του Ψυχρού Πολέμου και την έναρξη της εποχής του “πυρηνικού τρόμου”, μιας εποχής που δεν έχει τελειώσει μέχρι σήμερα.
Αναδημοσίευση από το Literature
Το βιβλίο αυτό δεν είναι μυθιστόρημα, ούτε, σαφώς και ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα, αλλά ούτε και αμιγώς ιστορικό βιβλίο. Ίσως ο καλύτερος χαρακτηρισμός να ήταν πολιτικό και ιστορικό θρίλερ με μυθιστορηματικά, αλλά και ιστορικά στοιχεία.
ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ
8 Eπιλογές Bιβλίων για τα Χριστούγεννα και όχι μόνο, επιμέλεια Τέσυ Μπάιλα
Χριστουγεννιάτικες σελίδες για τους μικρούς μας φίλους από τις Εκδόσεις Μεταίχμιο
Ο Wallace παραθέτει όλο το χρονικό ρίψης της ατομικής βόμβας στη Χιροσίμα, της πρώτης στον κόσμο, από την στιγμή ανάληψης της Προεδρίας από τον Χάρυ Τρούμαν, έως και την τελική στιγμή της ρίψης.
Σε αντίθεση με την άποψη πολλών ιστορικών που καταδικάζουν την απόφαση του Τρούμαν θεωρώντας ότι ο πόλεμος θα μπορούσε να λήξει και χωρίς τη ρίψη της βόμβας, ο συγγραφέας υποστηρίζει ότι ο Χάρυ Τρούμαν δεν μετάνιωσε ποτέ για την καταστροφική απόφαση που έλαβε, αλλά συνάμα και ότι ίσως πράγματι τελικά δεν μπορούσε να κάνει διαφορετικά, προκειμένου να γλιτώσει άσκοπες απώλειες του αμερικανικού λαού που είχε κουραστεί να πολεμά. Είναι κοινώς παραδεκτό ότι, αν δεν είχε πέσει τελικά η βόμβα και γινόταν απόβαση στα ιαπωνικά νησιά, αυτή θα είχε κοστίσει χιλιάδες ζωές στους Αμερικανούς στρατιώτες, αλλά και στους Ιάπωνες στρατιώτες και αμάχους, καθώς ήταν γνωστή η λυσσαλέα αντίσταση που προέβαλαν έναντι των Αμερικανών.
Εκ των υστέρων, όταν όλοι γνωρίζουμε τι έχει συμβεί, έχουμε την τάση να κρίνουμε αρνητικά τα πεπραγμένα των ηγετών και των ιθυνόντων της κάθε εποχής, η αλήθεια είναι όμως πως αλλιώς έβλεπαν τα πράγματα εκείνοι που έζησαν σε κάθε εποχή, χωρίς να διαθέτουν την παντοδυναμία της “εκ των υστέρων” γνώσης που διαθέτουμε εμείς.
Ο Τρούμαν πάντως, αν και δεν μετανόησε ποτέ του-επισήμως τουλάχιστον- για τη Χιροσίμα, εντούτοις αυτό δεν σημαίνει ότι δεν είχε και τους ενδοιασμούς του για την ενέργεια αυτή ή ότι έδωσε την έγκρισή του προκειμένου να συνεχιστεί το Πρόγραμμα Μανχάταν ελαφριά τη καρδία. Είναι χαρακτηριστικό μάλιστα ότι υπέφερε από αϋπνίες και έντονους πονοκεφάλους εκείνη την περίοδο.
Αναμφισβήτητα λοιπόν, τόσο ο Πρόεδρος των ΗΠΑ, όσο και οι υψηλά ιστάμενοι στρατιωτικοί, όσο και οι ίδιοι οι επιστήμονες που εργάζονταν στο Πρόγραμμα, είχαν ακριβή επίγνωση των συνεπειών της εφεύρεσής τους, γνώριζαν ότι εισήγαγαν τον κόσμο τους σε μία νέα επικίνδυνη εποχή, αλλά και είχαν πολλές ηθικές ενστάσεις για το όλο ζήτημα.
Η ακριβής έκταση της ζημιάς που προκάλεσαν οι ατομικές βόμβες στη Χιροσίμα και το Ναγκασάκι δεν έγιναν εκείνη την εποχή ευρέως γνωστές στο αμερικανικό κοινό, ωστόσο, σύμφωνα με δημοσκόπηση της εποχής, το 85% των Αμερικανών επιδοκίμαζε τη χρήση του νέου υπερόπλου, παρά τις πρωτοφανείς συνέπειες που θα είχε η χρήση του στον άμαχο πληθυσμό της Ιαπωνίας, αφού μονάχα με αυτόν τον τρόπο θα εξοικονομούνταν ζωές Αμερικανών και θα τελείωνε ο πόλεμος γρηγορότερα.
O Wallace εξετάζει στο βιβλίο του το πλήρες παρασκήνιο σχετικά με την κατασκευή της βόμβας: το επιστημονικό με όλες τις λεπτομέρειες της κατασκευής, την πρώτη δοκιμή της βόμβας σε μία έρημο στο Νέο Μεξικό, τους ανθρώπους που εμπλέκονταν στην κατασκευή της, το απόρρητο της όλης υπόθεσης και τους ενδοιασμούς που αυτοί είχαν, το στρατιωτικό, με τους αξιωματικούς που σχετίζονταν με το Σχέδιο Μανχάταν, τον στρατηγικό σχεδιασμό της όλης επιχείρησης και την εκπαίδευση των πληρωμάτων των αεροσκαφών, το πολιτικό με τις διαφωνίες και τη δράση του Τρούμαν στις ΗΠΑ, αλλά και στη Διάσκεψη του Πότσνταμ, η οποία ήταν σε εξέλιξη τις ημέρες των δοκιμών και είχε ολοκληρωθεί λίγο πριν από την έναρξη της επιχείρησης, αλλά και το διπλωματικό, με τις σχέσεις ΗΠΑ και ΕΣΣΔ να ακροβατούν σε τεντωμένο σκοινί και τον Στάλιν να γνωρίζει την ύπαρξη της βόμβας χάρη σε ένα κατάσκοπό του στην καρδιά του Σχεδίου Μανχάταν.
Ιδιαίτερα εντυπωσιάζουν τον αναγνώστη οι λεπτομέρειες της κατασκευής της βόμβας και οι καθηλωτικές περιγραφές τόσο της πρώτης πυρηνικής δοκιμής, όσο και της ίδιας της πτήσης του Enola Gay προς τη Χιροσίμα. Στα θετικά του βιβλίου συγκαταλέγεται επίσης η ύπαρξη πολλών αποσπασμάτων από ημερολόγια και επιστολές των πρωταγωνιστών σχετικά με το επίμαχο ζήτημα.
Ξεκινώντας την αφήγηση 116 ολόκληρες μέρες πριν, ο Wallace ακολουθεί πορεία αντίστροφης μέτρησης μέχρι το σημείο 0, την ώρα δηλαδή της ρίψης της βόμβας στις 6 Αυγούστου του 1945. Η μέθοδος αυτή της αφήγησης καθηλώνει τον αναγνώστη και καταφέρνει να διατηρήσει στα ύψη την αγωνία του, σαν να μη γνωρίζει τι επρόκειτο να συμβεί. Παράλληλα, μέσω της ανάγνωσης του βιβλίου, ο αναγνώστης θα σχηματίσει μία πολύ καλή εικόνα για τις απαρχές του Ψυχρού Πολέμου και την έναρξη της εποχής του “πυρηνικού τρόμου”, μιας εποχής που δεν έχει τελειώσει μέχρι σήμερα.
Αναδημοσίευση από το Literature
February 10, 2024
I typically find historical non-fiction books to be a bore as if I’m stuck in a boring history class. Countdown 1945 was anything but a bore! It read like a narrative and had me at the edge of my seat at times even though I knew the outcome. Chris Wallace does an excellent job at telling the story of the days leading up to the Atomic Bomb being dropped to the days after. My favorite part of this book is how the chapters are broken down by the countdown to the bomb being dropped. Highly recommend!
August 19, 2020
A few weeks ago, I saw a special on TV, about the development of the bomb and its being used against Japan, based on this book which was just being released. So at my first opportunity, I picked up a copy and have now read it. The book concentrates on the period between April and August 1945, but gives the perspectives of the scientists and military people who developed the bomb in the Manhattan Project authorized by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1942, their backgrounds, and how they came to be involved. It likewise gives portraits of the pilots and aircrewmen who were assigned to fly the bombing missions over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This well-written book reads like a thriller - even though we know what is going to happen, there is a progression telling what the scientists were doing, what decisions the bureaucrats and politicians were making, what the people at the bottom rungs were doing and thinking. Throughout there was complete secrecy maintained. Except that there was one communist spy - Klaus Fuchs, a physicist working at the Los Alamos site, who was passing stuff to the Soviets (which only came out later). It was so secret that even Vice President Harry S Truman was unaware of it - he only learned about it after President Roosevelt's death in April 1945. After consulting with various advisors, Truman gave the go ahead to use the bomb. Basically, the choice was nuking the Japanese with the resultant deaths, or having to invade Japan with the result that there would be thousands of casualties on both sides. The bomb was the means to end the war and it worked. Japan surrendered unconditionally a few days later.
August 15, 2021
I really enjoyed how this book showed so many different perspectives, including ones I hadn't previously thought about. It certainly makes you think about how difficult the decision was, and all the people it affected afterward. Even though you already know what happens at the end of the story, it's still very engaging. The book was very informational as well.
September 3, 2022
Читала в українському перекладі. В Україні.
Виявилось, що про війну під час війни читати найлегше.
Хороша історія, про те, як всі прагнули завершення одного, а це виявилось початком іншого... Багато деталей, як і дозволяють собі все вповні уявити.
Виявилось, що про війну під час війни читати найлегше.
Хороша історія, про те, як всі прагнули завершення одного, а це виявилось початком іншого... Багато деталей, як і дозволяють собі все вповні уявити.
April 16, 2024
not sure why i added this to my TBR in 2021 or why i actually read it now or why i thought a book by a fox news anchor would be more nuanced and thoughtful but here we are.
February 2, 2022
Výborný historický doku-príbeh o tých, ktorí zostrojili atómovú bombu, tých, ktorí ju použili/zhodili, aj o tých, ktorí ju prežili.
116 dní do zhodenia prvej atómovej bomby - prezident Roosvelt zomiera a na jeho miesto nastupuje viceprezident a teraz tak trochu "náhodný" prezident Harry Truman. Už na dvanásty deň po prevzatí funkcie sa dozvedá o projekte, ktorý zmenil jeho život a životy celého sveta. Projekt Manhattan bol prísne utajovaný, mnohí o ňom čiastočne vedeli, no až teraz sa Truman dozvedel, v akej fáze je vývoj bomby...a že ju bude možno použiť už o pár mesiacov.
V priebehu krátkych 116 dní urobil nový, nevyskúšaný vodca jedno z najzávažnejších rozhodnutí v histórii. Ohlásil jadrový vek a vytvoril svet, v ktorom budúcnosť ľudstva visí na vlásku. Na našej planéte je v súčasnosti arzenál takmer päťdesiattisíc jadrových bômb a hlavíc – a každá je oveľa silnejšia než „malý chlapec“ či „tučko“. Spolu majú silu niekoľkých miliónov explózií v Hirošime.
Sledujeme tých 116 dní, politické zákulisie, intrigy, stretnutie Truman-Churchill-Stalin.
Sledujeme tých, čo pracujú na projekte, od "iniciátora" Alberta Einsteina, až po Oppenheimera.
Sledujeme letcov, ktorí sa chystajú sadnúť do lietadiel, najmä do lietadla Enola Gay, ich pocity, dojmy pred i po zhodení bomby. Ako to vnímali?
A sledujeme bežných Japoncov pred výbuchom, počas aj po ňom. Hideko Tamurová, dievčatko, ktoré prežilo takmer v epicentre výbuchu.
Videla ľudí, ktorí ešte žili, ale koža im odpadávala z tiel. Na ďalšej ulici kvílili slepé obete, ktorým horúci prúd vzduchu vysal oči z jamôk. Ďalší, starí aj mladí, sa plazili po zemi a prosili o pomoc. Hideko myslela na mamu – mohla byť jedna z tých groteskných bytostí ona?
Odpočítavanie 1945 je výborným zhrnutím, pohľadom na danú dobu. Pútavý a čítavý historický doku-román, ktorý sa miestami číta ako historický triler o jednom z najosudnejších rozhodnutí v americkej (i svetovej) histórii.
Wallace je skúsený žurnalista, bývalý korešpondent Bieleho domu a svojím štýlom písania zaujme, chytí vás, poľudšťuje udalosti a dáva im ešte plastickejší obraz.
Nebojí sa poukázať na kontroverzné postoje, polemiky, na morálne otázky, ktoré hlodali v každom z nich - v prezidentovi Trumanovi, v pilotoch lietadiel, u tých, čo pracovali na projekte.
Odpočítavanie 1945 je silný príbeh, skvele napísaný, dramatický a svižný. Výborná kombinácia historických faktov a udalostí, ktoré si Wallace poctivo a detailne naštudoval...a jeho svieži a živý štýl, ktorým oživil postavy a celé rozprávanie.
Stalin robil Trumanovi a Churchillovi, a potom aj Attleemu, prieky takmer na každom kroku. Mal v úmysle udržať si všetko, čo Červená armáda získala pri prechode východnou Európou do Nemecka. Autoritárske vlády, ktoré v týchto krajinách ustanovili, mali zostať. Nemecko malo byť rozdelené, pričom hlavné mesto Berlín sa nachádzalo hlboko v sovietskom sektore.
O niekoľko rokov neskôr sa prezident vyjadril, že v Postupime bol „nevinným idealistom“ a Stalina nazval „nespravodlivým ruským diktátorom“. A ešte dodal: „A ten sukin syn sa mi pozdával.“
Náčelník Trumanovho štábu admirál Leahy prenikavo zhodnotil novú rovnováhu moci. „Sovietsky zväz v tomto čase očividne prejavil všemocný vplyv v Európe... Jedným z faktorov, ktoré tomu nahrávali, bol úpadok moci Britského kráľovstva...
Ako jediné dve veľmoci na svete sa tak ukázali Sovietsky zväz a Spojené štáty americké.“
A vzápätí dodal: „Postupim upriamil pozornosť sveta na zápas dvoch veľkých ideí – anglosaských demokratických princípov vládnutia a agresívnych, rozpínavých taktík policajného štátu, ako bolo stalinistické Rusko. Bol to začiatok studenej vojny.“
116 dní do zhodenia prvej atómovej bomby - prezident Roosvelt zomiera a na jeho miesto nastupuje viceprezident a teraz tak trochu "náhodný" prezident Harry Truman. Už na dvanásty deň po prevzatí funkcie sa dozvedá o projekte, ktorý zmenil jeho život a životy celého sveta. Projekt Manhattan bol prísne utajovaný, mnohí o ňom čiastočne vedeli, no až teraz sa Truman dozvedel, v akej fáze je vývoj bomby...a že ju bude možno použiť už o pár mesiacov.
V priebehu krátkych 116 dní urobil nový, nevyskúšaný vodca jedno z najzávažnejších rozhodnutí v histórii. Ohlásil jadrový vek a vytvoril svet, v ktorom budúcnosť ľudstva visí na vlásku. Na našej planéte je v súčasnosti arzenál takmer päťdesiattisíc jadrových bômb a hlavíc – a každá je oveľa silnejšia než „malý chlapec“ či „tučko“. Spolu majú silu niekoľkých miliónov explózií v Hirošime.
Sledujeme tých 116 dní, politické zákulisie, intrigy, stretnutie Truman-Churchill-Stalin.
Sledujeme tých, čo pracujú na projekte, od "iniciátora" Alberta Einsteina, až po Oppenheimera.
Sledujeme letcov, ktorí sa chystajú sadnúť do lietadiel, najmä do lietadla Enola Gay, ich pocity, dojmy pred i po zhodení bomby. Ako to vnímali?
A sledujeme bežných Japoncov pred výbuchom, počas aj po ňom. Hideko Tamurová, dievčatko, ktoré prežilo takmer v epicentre výbuchu.
Videla ľudí, ktorí ešte žili, ale koža im odpadávala z tiel. Na ďalšej ulici kvílili slepé obete, ktorým horúci prúd vzduchu vysal oči z jamôk. Ďalší, starí aj mladí, sa plazili po zemi a prosili o pomoc. Hideko myslela na mamu – mohla byť jedna z tých groteskných bytostí ona?
Odpočítavanie 1945 je výborným zhrnutím, pohľadom na danú dobu. Pútavý a čítavý historický doku-román, ktorý sa miestami číta ako historický triler o jednom z najosudnejších rozhodnutí v americkej (i svetovej) histórii.
Wallace je skúsený žurnalista, bývalý korešpondent Bieleho domu a svojím štýlom písania zaujme, chytí vás, poľudšťuje udalosti a dáva im ešte plastickejší obraz.
Nebojí sa poukázať na kontroverzné postoje, polemiky, na morálne otázky, ktoré hlodali v každom z nich - v prezidentovi Trumanovi, v pilotoch lietadiel, u tých, čo pracovali na projekte.
Odpočítavanie 1945 je silný príbeh, skvele napísaný, dramatický a svižný. Výborná kombinácia historických faktov a udalostí, ktoré si Wallace poctivo a detailne naštudoval...a jeho svieži a živý štýl, ktorým oživil postavy a celé rozprávanie.
Stalin robil Trumanovi a Churchillovi, a potom aj Attleemu, prieky takmer na každom kroku. Mal v úmysle udržať si všetko, čo Červená armáda získala pri prechode východnou Európou do Nemecka. Autoritárske vlády, ktoré v týchto krajinách ustanovili, mali zostať. Nemecko malo byť rozdelené, pričom hlavné mesto Berlín sa nachádzalo hlboko v sovietskom sektore.
O niekoľko rokov neskôr sa prezident vyjadril, že v Postupime bol „nevinným idealistom“ a Stalina nazval „nespravodlivým ruským diktátorom“. A ešte dodal: „A ten sukin syn sa mi pozdával.“
Náčelník Trumanovho štábu admirál Leahy prenikavo zhodnotil novú rovnováhu moci. „Sovietsky zväz v tomto čase očividne prejavil všemocný vplyv v Európe... Jedným z faktorov, ktoré tomu nahrávali, bol úpadok moci Britského kráľovstva...
Ako jediné dve veľmoci na svete sa tak ukázali Sovietsky zväz a Spojené štáty americké.“
A vzápätí dodal: „Postupim upriamil pozornosť sveta na zápas dvoch veľkých ideí – anglosaských demokratických princípov vládnutia a agresívnych, rozpínavých taktík policajného štátu, ako bolo stalinistické Rusko. Bol to začiatok studenej vojny.“
October 3, 2022
Μια δυνατή ιστορική καταγραφή των 116 ημερών που προηγήθηκαν της ρίψης της πρώτης ατομικής βόμβας στη Χιροσίμα. Παρακολουθούμε τις εξελίξεις, σχεδόν αποκλειστικά από την πλευρά του προέδρου των ΗΠΑ, των επιστημόνων και όσων εργάστηκαν για την κατασκευή της βόμβας, και των στρατιωτικών που ενεπλάκησαν άμεσα με το βομβαρδισμό. Παράλληλα γίνεται και μια μικρή αναφορά, αλλά αντιστρόφως μεγάλη σε αντίκτυπο για την ιστορία, σε μια επιζώσα του βομβαρδισμού.
Το όλο βιβλίο δεν μπαίνει σε ιδιαίτερες λεπτομέρειες για το επιστημονικό κομμάτι (χωρίς να το παραμελεί) και αυτό βέβαια το κάνει πιο εύκολα προσβάσιμο σε περισσότερους αναγνώστες. Ιδανικό για όσους θέλουν να έχουν μια γενική γνώση για τα ηθικά διλήματα, τις πολιτικές και στρατιωτικές αποφάσεις που έλαβαν τότε χώρα.
Θα επιθυμούσα λίγο εκτενέστερη αναφορά στις συνέπειες των βομβαρδισμών και των αντιδράσεων που αυτή προκάλεσε αλλά οκ, μπορεί και να μην ήταν ο σκοπός του συγγραφέα να επεκταθεί περαιτέρω.
Αξίζει την ανάγνωση και ειδικά σήμερα με τον πόλεμο στην Ουκρανία σε εξέλιξη, δίνει άπλετη τροφή για σκέψη.
7,4/10
Το όλο βιβλίο δεν μπαίνει σε ιδιαίτερες λεπτομέρειες για το επιστημονικό κομμάτι (χωρίς να το παραμελεί) και αυτό βέβαια το κάνει πιο εύκολα προσβάσιμο σε περισσότερους αναγνώστες. Ιδανικό για όσους θέλουν να έχουν μια γενική γνώση για τα ηθικά διλήματα, τις πολιτικές και στρατιωτικές αποφάσεις που έλαβαν τότε χώρα.
Θα επιθυμούσα λίγο εκτενέστερη αναφορά στις συνέπειες των βομβαρδισμών και των αντιδράσεων που αυτή προκάλεσε αλλά οκ, μπορεί και να μην ήταν ο σκοπός του συγγραφέα να επεκταθεί περαιτέρω.
Αξίζει την ανάγνωση και ειδικά σήμερα με τον πόλεμο στην Ουκρανία σε εξέλιξη, δίνει άπλετη τροφή για σκέψη.
7,4/10
October 11, 2025
Book Review: Countdown 1945
Countdown 1945 is a fast and engaging read that brings to life the tense days leading up to the first use of nuclear weapons. The writing is polished and accessible, drawing the reader quickly into the story. Rather than focusing solely on political or military strategy, the book takes a more human approach—telling the story through the eyes of the people who helped make this momentous decision possible, as well as those who were directly affected by it.
The result is a fascinating and well-paced insight into the background of one of history’s most significant and haunting events.
Countdown 1945 is a fast and engaging read that brings to life the tense days leading up to the first use of nuclear weapons. The writing is polished and accessible, drawing the reader quickly into the story. Rather than focusing solely on political or military strategy, the book takes a more human approach—telling the story through the eyes of the people who helped make this momentous decision possible, as well as those who were directly affected by it.
The result is a fascinating and well-paced insight into the background of one of history’s most significant and haunting events.
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