Beating The Bomb
A story about the biggest weapons of mass destruction ever created, the people who use them and, more importantly, the people who fight them. Beating the Bomb charts the history of the British peace movement against the backdrop of the atomic age. The film also frames the nuclear weapons issue within the wider context of global justice.
The narrative follows the now called nuclear deterrent, starting at the dawn of the nuclear age in WWII to present day. Nuclear weapons shaped the power structures that rose out of the rubble of WWII and underpin them to this day. It is widely argued that the pressing issues of the day, from poverty to climate change cannot be tackled without addressing the underlying economic system.
The film evidences the claim that the foundations of our economic system are straight power concepts. The most straightforward of these concepts being the bomb, both in its physical manifestation and also in the mindset it engenders and stems from.
The film charts the efforts of individuals and organizations to rid Britain of its nuclear weapons system from past to present. It also frames the nuclear weapons issue within the wider context of global justice.
Every day that nuclear weapons exist is another chance for nuclear war. Not only do we need to petition daily against nuclear weapons, we need to petition for more and more media to expose the nuclear war industry and force the public to think about the horrifying condition that we actually live in.
The greatest part of this great documentary was the amazing epilogue- required watching!
Absolutely great. Where do I sign up?
Why is the concern over nuclear war so conspicuously absent and the documentation over the weapons so rare? Every day that we live with these things is a day lived in peril. I'm amazed we've made it this long.
People from the site, what is the song they sing at 28:46?
A terrific documentary that should be posted on the main page of topdocumentaryfilms. Perhaps it would inspire others to take a philosophical look at what is most important in life, which is to get off our butts, and actually make a difference instead of debating over minutia that has no consequence towards improving humanity's future!
very nice!!!!
a bit slow and amateurish doco, and Pawel u must be a strange human being, stuck in another era
half-occupied communist states all over Africa, Asia and Middle East ? we lived in a same world?
Yet another hippie-gloryfying, soviet-sponsored (at least mentally) docummentary on war-mongers from US and Briain.
If it hadn't been for those guys who showed stamina and perseverance in the face of brutal soviet aggression there still would be divided and half-occupied Europe and communist states all over Africa, Asia and Middle East.
This documentary, or something similar, should be part of school curriculum. This would encourage some critical thinking by future leaders regarding the insanity to which our society is mired.
Sure nuclear weapons are dangerous, but what if there were none during the cold war? Why didin't the SU attack the U.S. and vice versa? Because they were afraid of complete mutual destruction, we have all seen (well I haven't since I wasn't even born during ww2) how easily wars can start, global wars and not just america invading a third-world country. Also thanks to nuclear weapons we now have nuclear power, which if done properly has got by far the best ratio of output of energy to output of pollution.
I hope that we can "beat the bomb' the bomb is new to us and we have not even began to deal with it, will there be humans in 200 or even 400 years? or will be be all gone due to the bomb.
When you consider ho small this planet is the development of the atom bomb under Roosevelt was absolute folly and many of the Physicists involved, on realizing the direction in which this type of warfare was heading formed a committee to warn the U.S Gov't of the consequences but were ignored and only the mad scientists as you could rightly name them forged ahead and in that there is a prime example of power given to those who lacked a balance of intelligence to match the use of force no antidote was considered and having spent some 3 billion dollars the U.S Gov't under Harry Truman wanted to show off its muscles to the rest of the World and it continues to do so but why? Well for one thing primarily each time a government is elected it inherits the faults of the earlier Party and it can never change or improve.Another factor is High Office is always an attraction to those who have a leaning towards destruction like Hitler,Stalin and many still in existence also existing fortunately is the the technology to detect and handle these suppressive elements without force other than in applying that little known subject called Ethics in which case everyone wins Times must change and the least and very effective measure that can be taken is see things from the other's viewpoint then apply real communication that results in understanding and co-operation .John
Very, very good.
We need to wake up..........................
The insanity is only getting worse.
Phil
Ok, I finally had enough when the guy said the only countries using depleted uranium are the U.S., the U.K. and Israel. Russia and China have had them for decades. I relate whole heartedly to the cause, don't get me wrong. Nuclear weapons are the worst scourge in the history of mankind. Just saying that guy is a tool. Also, that cartoon showing all the skulls that says "kuwait liberated" was bs. The whole world wanted to kick Saddam out of Kuwait in the first gulf war. And we did it fast and with minimal civilian casualties. They should have listened to Colin Powel again in the 2nd Iraq War.
As horrible as this may sound - the nuclear bomb did prevented WW3 from happening.
I am not saying world is generally safer with the bomb, but it did help keep the cold war, well... cold.
Let's hope future generations will be able to resist the temptation.
As the saying goes, history is written by the winners. My home country Brazil fought the WW2 alongside the allies, so basically my knowledge about this issue was the winners' side of story. Now that I'm living in Japan, I'm seeing the other side. And interesting facts you won't often hear in the west like that the US proposed Japan a joint-venture in the very lucrative Manchurian rail transport system in the late 30's. And suddenly I realize Japan was just a latecomer in the Imperialism race that was going on for half a millennium. But they didn't have a clue that the west would never allow a non-white country to join the club. Jawaharlal Nehru said "Japan was the only country in the world that kicked the white imperialist countries asses real hard." And I must add, paid real hard price for it.
Brilliant doco.
Well worth watching, even if you think you have heard it all before.
War=financial gain
If war costed money to the winning Governments, they would not happen.
There is a site that shows us how much money war cost but it is hidding the fact that the government is actually making that money.
Go: cost of war dot com / en /...it rolls
az
Brilliant.
I remember when I was little being utterly convinced that we would be nuked, so much so that I made a survival kit in a tobacco tin, needles, thread, a pen knife, string and a magnet. Obviously pointless but I was frightened. My grandad bought me a swiss army knife which made me feel better. There were still rumours that in the event of a war, my home town which had a forest of radio masts would be one of the first places to go. They even tested the warning siren. I made plans, what to do if it happened while I was in school, what if my parents died etc. Even made my little brother practice running to the airing cupboard to hide. Eventually decided after watching Blown Away that it would be best to go and meet the bomb, die quickly. What a miserable child. Don't remember why I stopped worrying about it, think it just faded away.
This brought back many memories of my times in the peace movement from the late 70s I am still a member and always will be I taught my children from a young age that war was not the answer to our problems and that weapons of mass destruction would only hasten our demise I marched in London against the was in Iraq not in my name Mr Blair much to my now grown up kid's who are a bit embarrassed by their activist mother now in her mid 50s I tell them I am doing this for your grandchildren and the grandchildren of everyone on this planet. Imagine my horror 10 years ago to find my 16yr old daughter had enlisted in the British Army as a medic as we live in Scotland I was not consulted her reason for joining you have to be 17and1/2 to be a nurse in the N.H.S. but the army take you at 16 it beggars believe more power to this movement we will need it even more in today's fragile world //..\
The USA has effectively ( in my opinion) morphed into the 'Stay Puffed Man' from 'Ghost Busters'. Goodnight xx
Is this for real?
Good doc....but I would like to know what is hyped-up propaganda and what is fact. One can be easily misled if all views are not disclosed. Please, people keep an open mind.
Leftwing Propaganda....
For starts, The Atomic Bombing of Japan saved MILLIONS of lives... Japan was in no way going to Surrender. They were training their civilians to fight to the death if the US invaded.
An Invasion Of Japan would of cost millions of Japanese and a hundred thousands American lives. The use of Atomic weapons on Japan was the right call.
The rest of the video is "blame the USA for everything"....