Chinese nuke test pics

The declassified video (from which the following pictures were taken) was obtained by "Trinity and Beyond" documentary director Peter Kuran from the Chinese government archives. It chronicles the first Chinese nuclear test in 1962.

It is perhaps one of the most compelling parts of the documentary and comes at the movie's end. The Chinese soldiers and scientists involved in the test detonation are jubilant when the bomb explodes and show little regard for the hazards of nuclear fallout (which were widely known at the time). It's a bit scary to see how excited the Chinese were upon becoming a nuclear power.

Do you think they'll ever use it?

Note: I captured these images with Roxio from the original source video this afternoon. Some are a bit grainy but they get the point across. They are as interesting as they are disturbing.




Pre-detonation dancing ceremony for the Chinese troops and scientists:

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/4254/preblastdancingoz7.png (http://imageshack.us)



Chinese scientists set up the nuke:

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6046/chinesenukesetupun9.png (http://imageshack.us)



Firemen prepare to rush the blast site and extiguish objects in flames:

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/3765/gasmaskfiremengx4.png (http://imageshack.us)



Horse (and rider) fitted with gas mask during pre-detonation phase:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/3498/horsefittedwithgasmaskia9.png (http://imageshack.us)



Chinese "nuclear button" is unveiled and pushed:

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/8236/chesenukedetonatorbb8.png (http://imageshack.us)



The first nuclear test detonation of a nuclear weapon by the People's Republic of China:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/7352/chinesenikeblast2kl0.png (http://imageshack.us)



Jubilant troops and scientists celebrate their having become a nuclear power:

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/1860/jubilantchinesewz9.png (http://imageshack.us)



Chinese soldier rush the site of the explosion with machine guns:

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1608/nuclearsoldierrushwi7.png (http://imageshack.us)



Chinese cavalry rush the blast area with machine guns blazing:

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/893/nuclearhorsegallopfz5.png (http://imageshack.us)



Chinese cavalry charge the blast site with swords drawn:

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/1259/nuclearswordgallopzj9.png (http://imageshack.us)



The nuclear mushroom cloud continues upward as Chinese infantry and cavalry train for war on the nuclear battlefield:

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/6559/chinesenukeblastcn6.png (http://imageshack.us)

Ignorance is bliss. No better than what the US did just not as theatrical

Awwww ... a tiny little tactical nuke, how cute. Wonder how long those idiots rushing in will live???:eatme:

Considering it was over 40 years ago im guessing not that good ;)

Considering it was over 40 years ago im guessing not that good ;)

That calls for a bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!