This is Summer of Trinity - a daily description of events in the summer of 1945,  This episode has daily events for the week ending Saturday August 25, 1945.

I've endeavored to have new episodes out every Monday, the same day (80 years later) as the last day of the weeks described in each. This week is the latest one yet, going out Saturday instead. My initial thought was that "it wasn't a very interesting week" but quickly realized how interesting it really was. The Daghlian criticality incident, happening so soon after all three of  the first atomic detonations, so often is treated as simply an industrial accident, but it's right in the middle of this very busy month. Ho Chi Minh is consolidating his authority over Vietnam,  in direct response to the power vacuum caused by Japan's surrender, and at breakneck speed. The Chinese Civil War has resumed, the Soviet Union continues to pursue a war that is barely two weeks old,  colonial powers are returning to their former areas of power - yet before this, I'd hardly realized how much was happening in there. 

I daresay one could put together an intensive college-level semester course on "The End of World War II, August 15-September 2," and spend a week on each day, looking at all of the machinery of war, diplomacy, science, and politics being upended in that time, and how it affected the next century. That may be the reason that it's rarely covered: So much is happening that a manageable storyline can't be concocted that ties it all together.  And because of that, every single day of it needs intensive research to discuss intelligently.  Which is the real answer to how it ended up short.

 

In any case, here is the next episode. Since the surrender ceremony is on Sunday, I'm currently planning on including that in the next episode (so 8 days instead of 7, ending on Sunday instead of Saturday).

 

 

Sunday, August 19,1945 - 34 Days After Trinity

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Yongjiazhen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anhui

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_assault_on_Maoka

 

Monday, August 20,1945 - 35 Days After Trinity

When I was younger, I remember references to "quisling" as a traitor. It stopped being used, though, and it now takes some research to remember who he was and why he, so quickly, became that noun of choice. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vidkun_Quisling

 

U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union Harriman informs Truman of the gift of “A framed photograph of a portrait of Stalin” presumably a response to the picture received three weeks earlier.

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/node/349075

Tuesday, August 21,1945 - 36 Days After Trinity

Daghlian Criticality accident (Demon Core) - he would die 25 days later, in mid September

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Daghlian

https://members.tripod.com/~Arnold_Dion/Daghlian/accident.html

An estimate of radiation doses for Hiroshima survivors. Reading through other stories, though - specifically the New Yorker's Hiroshima - it's clear that many people received lethal doses  without being signficantly injured otherwise. 

https://www.hiroshimapeacemedia.jp/?p=146517

This notes that the 100% lethal doses is 400 rem - one-tenth or even one percent of what Daghlian received.

https://www.cdc.gov/radiation-emergencies/causes/radiation-thermometer.html

 

Wednesday, August 22,1945 - 37 Days After Trinity

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proposed_Soviet_invasion_of_Hokkaido

 

 

Thursday, August 23,1945 - 38 Days After Trinity

Battle of Shumshu ends - Soviet victory over Japan, but Soviets had more casualties. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Shumshu

 

Friday, August 24,1945 - 39 Days After Trinity

 

https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/b/bullhead-i.html

 https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/us-navy-ships/alphabetical-listing/b/uss-bullhead--ss-332-0.html

The Matsue incident - a group of young Japanese riot in opposition to the end of the war.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matsue_incident

 

Saturday, August 25,1945 - 40 Days After Trinity

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdication_of_Bảo_Đại

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_invasion_of_South_Sakhalin

https://www.nytimes.com/1945/08/25/archives/submarine-bullhead-lost-java-sea-patrol-her-last.html

Summer of Trinity is a part of Mapping History here on The Latest Generation.