Hog Wild-1945: The True Story of How the Soviets Stole and Reverse-Engineered the American B-29 Bomber
I first became interested in Japan's World War II era atomic bomb program when stationed with the U.S. Air Force in the Republic of Korea in the mid-1980s. It was there that I read Robert Wilcox's book, Japan's Secret War: Japan's Race against Time to build its Own Atomic Bomb. Published in 1985 and available in the Kunsan Air Base Stars and Stripes Book Store, the book shed light on a shadowy bit of long-since forgotten Japanese military history dating into WWII. At the time, as a targeting intelligence specialist, the Wilcox work created in me an interest in possible origins of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula. Robert Wilcox's research was based largely upon an article written by David Snell (28 Mar 1921-Jul 1987) and published in the Atlanta Constitution in October 1945. Snell's article was front page news. Its headline shouted at readers; "Japan Developed Atom Bomb; Russia Grabbed Scientists." The article then, as now remains the subject of intense review, myth and legend. Hog Wild-1945: The True Story of How the Soviets Stole and Reverse-Engineered the American B-29 Bomber explores but one portion of the multi-element account of Japan's atomic bomb program as written by David Snell in 1946. On the surface the story that Snell wrote appears to be a largely correct accounting of what was then known about Japan's wartime atomic research project, reportedly located in in northern Korea during the war. Examined in detail decades later, parts of the story continue to appear to be correct while other parts of the story cannot withstand exhaustive inquiry. Some of the errors contained within the original story are likely the result of incomplete information; information that Snell did not have at the time the story was written. These errors only become apparent decades after the story was written as more information was released into the public through the US National Archives. Other parts of the story remain to be proved or disproved. The parts that remain to be proven mostly relate to the existence of the facilities required to build a uranium-based bomb in the area of Konan during the period 1940-1945. Other than the event itself, as this book will show, there was little to connect the loss of the bomber in 1945, to the existence of the Japanese program in Konan. The two issues, the bomber and the bomb, are largely unrelated. Oddly enough however, when David Snell included comments about the B-29 lost over northern Korea he was on to something - but it is doubtful that he ever knew what it was. What led to the story of 1946 also remains in question. The motivations that led to the publishing of the story in 1946 have never been fully examined, and with the passing of David Snell in 1987, are likely to be lost forever. Why the story was written, what it said about the US in 1946 may eventually be more important that what it revealed about Japan. There is also a possibility that the story published by David Snell was not written by David Snell. Future researchers would be wise to keep these ideas in mind. This book reveals secrets long-since held but largely forgotten.
1114166106
Hog Wild-1945: The True Story of How the Soviets Stole and Reverse-Engineered the American B-29 Bomber
I first became interested in Japan's World War II era atomic bomb program when stationed with the U.S. Air Force in the Republic of Korea in the mid-1980s. It was there that I read Robert Wilcox's book, Japan's Secret War: Japan's Race against Time to build its Own Atomic Bomb. Published in 1985 and available in the Kunsan Air Base Stars and Stripes Book Store, the book shed light on a shadowy bit of long-since forgotten Japanese military history dating into WWII. At the time, as a targeting intelligence specialist, the Wilcox work created in me an interest in possible origins of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula. Robert Wilcox's research was based largely upon an article written by David Snell (28 Mar 1921-Jul 1987) and published in the Atlanta Constitution in October 1945. Snell's article was front page news. Its headline shouted at readers; "Japan Developed Atom Bomb; Russia Grabbed Scientists." The article then, as now remains the subject of intense review, myth and legend. Hog Wild-1945: The True Story of How the Soviets Stole and Reverse-Engineered the American B-29 Bomber explores but one portion of the multi-element account of Japan's atomic bomb program as written by David Snell in 1946. On the surface the story that Snell wrote appears to be a largely correct accounting of what was then known about Japan's wartime atomic research project, reportedly located in in northern Korea during the war. Examined in detail decades later, parts of the story continue to appear to be correct while other parts of the story cannot withstand exhaustive inquiry. Some of the errors contained within the original story are likely the result of incomplete information; information that Snell did not have at the time the story was written. These errors only become apparent decades after the story was written as more information was released into the public through the US National Archives. Other parts of the story remain to be proved or disproved. The parts that remain to be proven mostly relate to the existence of the facilities required to build a uranium-based bomb in the area of Konan during the period 1940-1945. Other than the event itself, as this book will show, there was little to connect the loss of the bomber in 1945, to the existence of the Japanese program in Konan. The two issues, the bomber and the bomb, are largely unrelated. Oddly enough however, when David Snell included comments about the B-29 lost over northern Korea he was on to something - but it is doubtful that he ever knew what it was. What led to the story of 1946 also remains in question. The motivations that led to the publishing of the story in 1946 have never been fully examined, and with the passing of David Snell in 1987, are likely to be lost forever. Why the story was written, what it said about the US in 1946 may eventually be more important that what it revealed about Japan. There is also a possibility that the story published by David Snell was not written by David Snell. Future researchers would be wise to keep these ideas in mind. This book reveals secrets long-since held but largely forgotten.
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Product Details
| BN ID: | 2940016316581 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Bookstand Publishing |
| Publication date: | 02/22/2013 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 369 |
| File size: | 3 MB |
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