Brian Klaas

He's remembering this trip with his wife 19 years earlier. He chooses to act. And so we don't know what would have happened differently if they had bombed Kyoto and Kokura instead of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But one thing that we do know is it would have changed the fate of science.

He's remembering this trip with his wife 19 years earlier. He chooses to act. And so we don't know what would have happened differently if they had bombed Kyoto and Kokura instead of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But one thing that we do know is it would have changed the fate of science.

He's remembering this trip with his wife 19 years earlier. He chooses to act. And so we don't know what would have happened differently if they had bombed Kyoto and Kokura instead of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But one thing that we do know is it would have changed the fate of science.

And I didn't put this in fluke, but it's an interesting aspect of it, is that if you've ever heard of, for example, the F scale for tornadoes, that's named after Ted Fujita. And he was in the bombing site that was supposed to be dropped yesterday. at the time, likely been incinerated. So, I mean, there's all these ripple effects, right?

And I didn't put this in fluke, but it's an interesting aspect of it, is that if you've ever heard of, for example, the F scale for tornadoes, that's named after Ted Fujita. And he was in the bombing site that was supposed to be dropped yesterday. at the time, likely been incinerated. So, I mean, there's all these ripple effects, right?

And I didn't put this in fluke, but it's an interesting aspect of it, is that if you've ever heard of, for example, the F scale for tornadoes, that's named after Ted Fujita. And he was in the bombing site that was supposed to be dropped yesterday. at the time, likely been incinerated. So, I mean, there's all these ripple effects, right?

The science of tornadoes and one of the main figures of modern meteorology probably would have been incinerated. Of course, we don't know who was incinerated in Hiroshima and Nagasaki that might have changed the course of the 20th century. And so that's the sort of great what ifs is that Japanese history would have been different. Of course, the U.S. probably would have won the war either way.

The science of tornadoes and one of the main figures of modern meteorology probably would have been incinerated. Of course, we don't know who was incinerated in Hiroshima and Nagasaki that might have changed the course of the 20th century. And so that's the sort of great what ifs is that Japanese history would have been different. Of course, the U.S. probably would have won the war either way.

The science of tornadoes and one of the main figures of modern meteorology probably would have been incinerated. Of course, we don't know who was incinerated in Hiroshima and Nagasaki that might have changed the course of the 20th century. And so that's the sort of great what ifs is that Japanese history would have been different. Of course, the U.S. probably would have won the war either way.

But the course of Japanese history and the ripple effects, when you swap 180,000 people out for a different 180,000 people, it changes the future. And all of it can be traced back to this one tourist couple's decision and a passing cloud on August 9th, 1945.

But the course of Japanese history and the ripple effects, when you swap 180,000 people out for a different 180,000 people, it changes the future. And all of it can be traced back to this one tourist couple's decision and a passing cloud on August 9th, 1945.

But the course of Japanese history and the ripple effects, when you swap 180,000 people out for a different 180,000 people, it changes the future. And all of it can be traced back to this one tourist couple's decision and a passing cloud on August 9th, 1945.

What's interesting is there are some potential references to the idea that this was viewed as an upside in the target committee's thinking because they knew that the scholars who survived and the sort of educated population would instantly know that this bomb was different and would convey it to the rest of the country and say, look, you know, you have to surrender.

What's interesting is there are some potential references to the idea that this was viewed as an upside in the target committee's thinking because they knew that the scholars who survived and the sort of educated population would instantly know that this bomb was different and would convey it to the rest of the country and say, look, you know, you have to surrender.

What's interesting is there are some potential references to the idea that this was viewed as an upside in the target committee's thinking because they knew that the scholars who survived and the sort of educated population would instantly know that this bomb was different and would convey it to the rest of the country and say, look, you know, you have to surrender.

So whether that was fanciful thinking or not, but all these little details, I mean, they're fascinating to ponder tragedies, of course, but they're ones where Just when you have such consequential moments, the little tiny aspects of human history are written in the margins.

So whether that was fanciful thinking or not, but all these little details, I mean, they're fascinating to ponder tragedies, of course, but they're ones where Just when you have such consequential moments, the little tiny aspects of human history are written in the margins.

So whether that was fanciful thinking or not, but all these little details, I mean, they're fascinating to ponder tragedies, of course, but they're ones where Just when you have such consequential moments, the little tiny aspects of human history are written in the margins.

Yeah. I mean, the people in Kokura didn't know that they were the target until it was declassified. I believe it was like two decades later. So, of course, you know, all of a sudden they declassify this thing. And all of a sudden the residents of Kokura have been told you very narrowly escaped being Nagasaki. I mean, just an incredible, incredible facet of history.

Yeah. I mean, the people in Kokura didn't know that they were the target until it was declassified. I believe it was like two decades later. So, of course, you know, all of a sudden they declassify this thing. And all of a sudden the residents of Kokura have been told you very narrowly escaped being Nagasaki. I mean, just an incredible, incredible facet of history.