Brilliant. So little was previously reported of South Africa’s nuclear program. Thank you for the much needed upload and for your enduring insights. Regards from Croatia. Zoltán
It was a artillery nuclear round, developed by israel e rsa. Since israel could not test their secret arsenal, they used this island for the test, that was picked up by a us satelite only due to an opening of the cloud cover. The us decided to keep it secret due to its intelligence indicating that israel already had approx 80 nuclear bombs by 1980/82
The US knows they have nuclear weapons but the US has laws against providing military aid to entities that posses or develop nuclear weapons outside of the international agreement framework.
I think doing the Iraq Nuclear Program would be a good idea. But I would like to see other states as well cover Nuclear programs like Australia and South Vietnam
@@suleyman8696 Yes, yes they could. You just don't know history. Iraq used to be a powerhouse in the region before the gulf wars, and they hired the help of french experts for the expansion of their nuclear program back in the 1970s. Idk why you'd even deny this or claim its impossible. North Korea, an extremely poor and isolated country, can develop nuclear weapons, so why not an oil rich country at the peak of its economic power?
@@Jc-yu2ot , NO to Policy, but if you Fight width one way behind your back, it will lead to the South African Defence Force and later the South African National Defence Force (post 1994) to ideas.
@@michaelhowell2326very apparent that you are still sour about Apartheid South Africa's White Minority Rule was defeated. RSA drinks your sweat sweat tears lol
South Africa is using their highly enriched uranium to manufacture nuclear medicines. Especially Technitium and molybdenum. It is much more profitable than selling the uranium fuel.
It would be nice if you guys could make an episode about Yugoslav nuclear program. I believe it could be interesting, because it would probably include the story of the 1958 reactor incident at the Vinča Nuclear Institute, of the workers exposed to radiation receiving first ever bone marrow transplants in Europe, and of the last year's feature film "Guardians of the Formula" inspired by the events.
Hi David and the entire Cold War crew, can you please make a video on the history of Thailand during the Cold War. That way, all your viewers and subscribers will learn about the return of Phibun (who governed Thailand during WW2), the numerous on-and-off military governments that governed Thailand during the Cold War, as well as the stricter enforcement of lese-majeste laws during that same period. Please accept my request.
In the late 70's 80s, there were always 3 countries that were thought to have "hidden" nuclear weapons, Israel - covered, South Africa - covered - and Taiwan. I forget if you covered that country.
The Osiraq strike was a success since it stopped the Iraqi plans for building a nuclear weapon for a decade. Without the strike, the 1991 Golf war would have been very diffrent
Excellent episode. I am subscribing. I would definitely like to learn more about the Osirik strike. And more about Israel's nuclear weapons and deterrence policy. What about their submarines and rumors of nuclear armed cruise missiles aimed at Iran? Keep up the good work
Another thing that should have been mentioned is that South Africa had a bizarre strategy on how to utilize their bombs. The strategy, which was upheld during the entire time it possessed the bomb, was that South Africa won't actually use them if it found itself in conflict, but that if said conflict went south, South Africa would publicly reveal it's arsenal and threaten to use them. This would then rope in Western powers into the conflict. The underpinning of this strategy was that South Africa felt the Western countries would not militarily support South Africa in a conflict, even if it was conventionally losing. But they still viewed that they had enough lingering goodwill in those countries that the prospect of a nuclear armed state going down would spur an intervention on South Africa's behalf. However, South Africa's international isolation only grew and reached its peak in the late 80s. By that time, the US congress had intervened and enforced sanctions. It was now clear that international support was so far gone that not even nuclear sabre rattling could get it; thus rendering the entire strategy null and void.
The US and North Korea have never liked each other but they know they can use their nukes as leverage in negotiations with the Americans. I think even a modern South Africa post-apartheid with nukes would try the same thing on the international stage if it felt necessary.
@@Exxperiment626 they got rid of them because south Africa and the west did not want the communist sympathising ANC to have access to a nuclear weapon. Keep it out of non allied blocs
I'm very much looking forward to that video about the Vela Incident now. I didn't know South Africa actually got the bomb, either! Thank you for yet another excellent video. God be with you out there, everybody. ✝️ :)
For anyone wondering, the Israeli nuclear programme was headed by an institute (intelligence agency) called the Science Liaison Bureau, in Hebrew Lekem, headed by Rafi Eitan. Fascinating stuff if you want to read about it.
South Africa acquired the bomb to protect itself from enemies around it. South Africa then got rid of the bomb to protect itself from those that were taking over.
Yes! Definitely make videos on the Israeli strike and on Iraq's weapons programs. And a multi-part series on the Iran-Iraq war. In fact, make videos on all the things!
An independent Scotland says it would give up its extensive nuclear weapons program. The vast majority of nuclear weapons in the UK are either stationed in Faslane Scotland or sailing around the British isle at all time in Trident submarines
South Africa abandoned its nuclear programme as part of the talks with the African National Congress and to prevent it from having nuclear weapons upon coming to power as the African National Congress was a supporter of communism and the USSR etc. There was significant pressure applied by Western countries to prevent the anti-Western African National Congress to gain access to such weapons.
Can fans of this channel stop asking for a documentary on EVERYTHING? Cold War come out with one video a week, and obviously spend a good deal of time making sure they are releasing factual information. Pay them if you want a video made smh
it is honestly incredible that the first few countries to obtain nukes now feel that they have a divine right to be the exclusive holder of that power and feel justified in preventing others from enjoying the exact same feeling of security. Just what is it that makes a country unashamed of using their might to suppress others from gaining their own??
The technology has been around for 70 years and currently a bomb design is quite acheivable. There's enough information on the surface web for a couple of physics undergrads to design a portable thermonuclear device. Its been done before..took the undergrads about 2years, i believe. The seperation of 235 is another matter of course.
Any diplomatic deal in the region that doesn't address this is doomed to failure. Really a shame that they can't all build a solar and nuclear grid that could desalinate sea water for cheap and make the entire region bloom - but that is the reality of oil money, backwards nationalism, and the arms trade. Building is hard work, tearing down is easy.
Would be interested in a deep dive into the Osirak attack. Seems the general consensus is bad move in long term strategic terms for Israel. Maybe in a different history you could have had an Israeli/Iraqi pact against Iran during the 80s?
I am confused, which Iraqi nuclear program was accelerated after Israeli bombing of the Iraqi reactor? We were told that there were no WMD's in Iraq and the invasion was for nothing?
There were no nuclear weapons in Iraq because Israel bombed their nuclear reactor. US invaded Iraq due to the invasion of Kuwait in the Gulf war and then again in 2003, where they didn't find chemical weapons
How can a nation have a self made arsenal of nuclear weapons if they never tested them? They would not know if they work. If they did test them, it would be detected or noticed, unless you can test nuclear weapons secretly?
Even as far back as the late 1960's in the aftermath of the NNPT, testing of nukes are done through simulation on supercomputers. Supercomputers then and now are made for nuke test simulations...
The US never tested its uranium bomb before dropping it on Japan. It was so simple and reliable and uranium so expensive that they decided not to test it. It is possible to do very low yield or subcritical tests that give a good idea if the weapon will work and what its yield will be. The israelis probably first acquired a uranium bomb and then used French designs fir their first plutonium bomb.
I think the prevailing hypothesis is that the Vela incident was Israel's nuclear test. Even then, with the Nuclear Test Ban treaty in place, most nuclear "tests" are done via computer simulation. A basic nuclear bomb is 80 year old science at this point and not that complicated relatively speaking. An actual physical test isn't as much a necessity as in prior decades
I haven't seen any timeline of development that didn't mean Israel had nukes by '67, which suggests the idea the nation was under threat of being wiped out leaving it no choice to initiate the conflict is inaccurate. The only reason to continue 'strategic ambiguity' is because US aid to defend the country doesn't seem necessary when nukes are part of the nations arsenal, now it manages to be both the strongest military in the region by some distance and afraid of being wiped out, this helps no one.
An interesting side note to that. In the NPT it is not stated which countries are nuclear powers but it is said very country which had nuclear weapons before 1967. This means that if Israel (hopefully at some point) will not need the 'strategic ambiguity' for deterrence, it can join the NPT without breaking it. It would have the same obligations to destroy nuclear weapons like USA, Russia, China, France and UK.
@@cuber5003 having a Nuclear reactor doesn’t automatically gives you nuclear weapons, you need highly qualified engineers and scientists , some of the worlds best to have access to it. Iran till today can’t have it, and ur telling me Iraq was anywhere close to have it ? Beside, only buying a nuclear reactor was proven difficult for Iraq, as israel went there and destroyed it. Iraq did not even reply at the time, even when israel invaded Lebanon the year later, while saddam wanted to promote himself as the « guardian of Arabs against Israel Iran etc etc »
@@suleyman8696 thanks for clarifying, I'm aware it was run foreign experts and difficult to maintain. I just had no idea to what extent they were able to harness nuclear energy.
Not to be too picky, but that wasn't South Africa's national flag at the time of South African-Israeli atomic cooperation. Edit: This comment I posted was made BEFORE The Cold War channel change the thumbnail to the correct flag.
@@UNOMations The Cold War channel changed the thumbnail. The original thumbnail showed today's post apartheid South African National flag, but the new thumbnail shows the correct apartheid era tri-color flag. You may have seen the thumbnail after they changed it.
I love your videos but I think you sadly let yourself down with your thumbnails lately by using AI images. I think you would convey your tone and garner more views by using just any images from the time you are discussing you can use an image of an Israeli leader or the IDF forces in history not AI!
Or even use an image of ex South Africans leaders or an image of cape town anything but AI it looks cheap and I think devalues the high quality content you make!
Fairly sure iraq provided numerous amounts of weapons, soldiers and support for multiple wars against israel you paint them like they are completely blameless and that a nuclear program suggests itself for self defence
and the US sold weapons to both sides in the Iran - Iraq war - all part of a 100 year old scheme to keep Eurasia divided in endless sectarian conflicts so the USA can have economic hegemony.
With how things are in the region now how long until they decide to use one of their nukes? I honestly feel like they’re currently trying to start a wider war, possibly even another world war.
They are beholden to the game theory: it is not in Israel's best interest diplomatically to use nukes at all. Even North Korea is not crazy enough to sling nukes at anyone. Regimes, regardless of their morals, would like to... You know, EXIST, with all the benefits their existence got them...
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 that is true, but you have to utterly blind to not see that Isreal is a state that is able to get away with alot more then others diplomaticly . Isreal performs strike in other countries and is currently invading its neighboor with 0 consequences internationaly, infact its getting aid while doing so, any other state would have been sactioned to hell and back. I would not be suprised if isreali leadership is under the assumption it can get away with a nuclear strike.
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131I guess you could imagine a scenario in which using nukes is preferable. Say if you trully hate the other guy and want their complete elimination at any cost. The nazis would probably have gone nuclear even at the risk of getting wiped out. Since their ideology was built on survival of the fittest there was no argument to not use them.
I think you're wrong about the reasoning behind Opera. It wasn't to maintain nuclear dominance so much as the basic belief that Hussein would use the weapon.
@@lipingrahman6648Nuclear reactors for research and making weapons, yes. But not nuclear power plants, Israel does not have any of those. Their nuclear program is designed for death, not for improvement of lives.
The U.S. was never fooled by Israel. We knew all along about their development program and the Iraqi reactor was specifically designed for producing bomb-grade plutonium and France was well paid for their help. If Israel hadn't destroyed it, the first gulf war would have been a nuclear war.
If I may ask, how do you know that any of the things that you just declared with authority are true? Were you in US intelligence services during the 60s--80s?
@ 15:31 I think a more accurate statement would be that "a nation that developed nuclear weapons and then abandoned them" as Ukraine did have former Soviet nukes in the country. In hindsight, I'm quite certain that they wish that they'd taken control of that arsenal rather than leaving it in Russian hands. So now we have Terminator-quality drones... Yay?
@news26boom Yeah, though, from how it sounds, it may have originally had the modern SA flag in the original version of the thumbnail. I wasn't able to see it even in the notification, so I can't confirm
I am Algerian, and here we know from the leftover paperwork and remaining gear from the French nuclear tests that Israel also tested on our soil under the French umbrella.
Then again, Israel had to develop that weapon because Arabs wanted to destroy israel, so maybe the "remaining gear" is the Arabs chickens coming home to roost.
@@slimmdusty8809 It's no more alarming than any other country having nukes. But people pretend they don't exist, when they do exist and they will be one day the end of human role as the apex predator on Earth. All it takes is one idiot, one fascist, to press the button... And counting the countries who do have nukes, there are plenty of those people.
Suggestion: Countries at the nuclear threshold. Meaning countries with "civilian" nuclear programs, that can yield nuclear weapons within a matter of months: e.g. Germany, Japan, Australia, Sweden, Finland
I see what you did there...😂 did an AI prompt for the thumbnail and got the current flag of South Africa? Apartheid South African flag does look quite off there with the edit now
Great job with this video! For those interested in a great read about the Israeli weapons program, seek out the book “The Samson Option”. Among interesting anecdotes in the book was the involvement of then newspaper owner Robert Maxwell in the Vanunu incident. Maxwell of course being the father of Ghislaine Maxwell.
Israel has nuclear weapons. They’re not admitting it or denying it. They’re not denying that they have nuclear weapons, mostly to keep hostile Arab nations from doing anything irrational. They’re not admitting that they have nuclear weapons because the last thing they want is an arms race with the Arab nations, especially with Iran.
@@michaellynes3540 It’s beyond more than the Arab nations, the Samson Option makes that pretty clear and very scary for the whole world, could easily spiral into a worldwide nuclear catastrophe.
@@slimmdusty8809 Not a catastrophe as much as you think, nature would recover as it has done in Chernobyl, and there it's a haven for nature. Humans though, would be done for. Forever.
Talking about being an armchair historian... 🙄 The attack on the Iraqi weapons facility, which was specifically aimed to attack Israel with, was what made them 'realise Israel is a threat'??? What??? Just goes to show, a nice looking TH-cam background and a calm voice does not replace education. Iraq was one of the 5 countries that invaded Israel in 1948, the moment it was established in accordance to a UN resolution and international law. Iraq didn't need to see Israel as a threat, they were bent on destroying it from day one. Second - it was a failure? LOL. I wish this kind of 'failures' on all of my friends and none of my enemies. After that one pre-emptive strike, the only other time Israel had any threat from Iraq was during the Gulf War, a war that had nothing to do with Israel, but Saddam Hussain tried to pull Israel into it to fracture the Western-Arab alliance against him, by launching missiles at Israeli cities. The Israeli attack on the Iraqi facility was a huge tactical success. It effectively removed Iraq from the list of threats to the country pretty much to this day. That's the problem with these channels. You have 420k subscribers, and you use that to pass misinformation to the uneducated who do not know the facts.
@@oohhboy-funhouse Literal antisemite who think saying something is 'hasbara' is a counter argument. 😆 I love how you geniuses think you're smart for learning a Hebrew word that just means 'to explain'. 🤣
Kennedy tried to stop it but his efforts were doomed from the start. He named Meyer Feldman as his middle east advisor and was indebted to long time democrat fund raiser Abe Feinberg for campaign contributions. Feinberg was part of a group of wealthy donors that covertly put up about half the money for Israel’s nuclear program. LBJ and Nixon looked the other way on Israel’s nukes.
@@westrim I don’t have the answers, all I know is it shouldn’t been allowed. Look up the “Samson Option” and read about how terrifying that is if you don’t know.
@@westrim - The initial Israeli weapons were likely made from highly enriched uranium stolen from a plant in Pennsylvania around 1963-64. The US government suspected diversion because the material processing losses at the plant were so large. The plant was owned by a devout zionist so Israel was suspected. But the US dragged its feet on investigating the matter because of domestic political considerations. Note that the Dimona reactor used heavy water which allows the use of unenriched uranium. This was a deliberate decision because enrichment facilities are huge, require a lot of electricity and are easily detected. The Israeli program probably ran into financial or technical difficulties and a quick, reliable weapon could be made by stealing enriched uranium from the US.
The more I learn about the Israeli government, the more I recognize that fascism is alive and thriving the Middle East. May Netanyahu enjoy all that he wishes upon his neighors.
Unfortunately you are quite correct with their expulsion of anyone not Jewish and countless Africans under Netanyahu let alone the 20+ UN Contraventions outstanding are the least of their fascism when we consider just a single contravention by Iraq caused a self righteous global response speaks volumes..
This creates a very strange impression. 1. The current ANC who is leading government was actually aligned and funded by the soviet union, by using the new South African flag it creates the impression that those in the current government were aligned with Isreal during the cold war. Which is not the case. 2. The aparthied government was supported by the west until it was no longer cool (as an example ammunition manifactured in South Africa is in line with NATO standards). Otherwise greate videos as always
@@Semper_Iratus this is pretty new. Between 1994 and round about 2012 things were very optimistic. Even then, things are looking up again now since the last election
@@Semper_IratusSouth Africa is actually doing much better now, a lot of the problems had to do with our previous president Jacob Zuma. There hasn’t been any loadshedding in 200 days.
Brilliant. So little was previously reported of South Africa’s nuclear program. Thank you for the much needed upload and for your enduring insights. Regards from Croatia. Zoltán
It wouldn’t surprise me if that “Unknown” nuclear test in the Southwest Indian ocean was a South African-Israeli nuclear test.
That’s what a lot of people suspected.
I think it's near 100% confirmed that was what the Vela Incident was.
It was a artillery nuclear round, developed by israel e rsa. Since israel could not test their secret arsenal, they used this island for the test, that was picked up by a us satelite only due to an opening of the cloud cover. The us decided to keep it secret due to its intelligence indicating that israel already had approx 80 nuclear bombs by 1980/82
Jimmy Carter thought so, and surely he would know info we don't.
What are you talking about some interference satellite coincidentally looked like a nuclear blast, nothing to see here
The way they deny without denying always reminds me of Yes minister
"Never believe anything until it's been officially denied."
The US knows they have nuclear weapons but the US has laws against providing military aid to entities that posses or develop nuclear weapons outside of the international agreement framework.
I think doing the Iraq Nuclear Program would be a good idea. But I would like to see other states as well cover Nuclear programs like Australia and South Vietnam
Recently I've watched the episode of Asianometry about the Yugoslav one. Seems like in the fifties everybody wanted a nuclear program and then some.
South Vietnam? Like the American occupied one? Does thus guy just love apartheid?
Iraq ? 😂 Iraq could never get any close to any nuclear sort ….
@@suleyman8696 Yes, yes they could. You just don't know history. Iraq used to be a powerhouse in the region before the gulf wars, and they hired the help of french experts for the expansion of their nuclear program back in the 1970s.
Idk why you'd even deny this or claim its impossible. North Korea, an extremely poor and isolated country, can develop nuclear weapons, so why not an oil rich country at the peak of its economic power?
@@Jc-yu2ot , NO to Policy, but if you Fight width one way behind your back, it will lead to the South African Defence Force and later the South African National Defence Force (post 1994) to ideas.
Interesting is that SA still possesses its weapons-grade uranium despite dismantling the devices.
I'm surprised they haven't tried selling it.
@@michaelhowell2326very apparent that you are still sour about Apartheid South Africa's White Minority Rule was defeated. RSA drinks your sweat sweat tears lol
South Africa is using their highly enriched uranium to manufacture nuclear medicines. Especially Technitium and molybdenum.
It is much more profitable than selling the uranium fuel.
And they just pass it to Israel even the so called "Apartheid" 😅😅😅😅
South Africa also shared some material with Taiwan, who attempted to make a bomb themselves…
I've never heard that tale before reading the comments section.
Was it abandoned? I wonder what China's posture would be today if they had even a very limited stockpile of like 5-10.
Please cite the source !
It would be nice if you guys could make an episode about Yugoslav nuclear program. I believe it could be interesting, because it would probably include the story of the 1958 reactor incident at the Vinča Nuclear Institute, of the workers exposed to radiation receiving first ever bone marrow transplants in Europe, and of the last year's feature film "Guardians of the Formula" inspired by the events.
A TH-cam channel Asianometry just did a presentation on the Yugoslavian nuclear program.
@@KevinBalch-dt8otI was about to comment that I was just going watching that video the other day and that I bet this guy was too 😆
Entertaining! I was wondering if there was going to be a presentation on the Negev Textile Factory....and here it is!
😂
Hi David and the entire Cold War crew, can you please make a video on the history of Thailand during the Cold War. That way, all your viewers and subscribers will learn about the return of Phibun (who governed Thailand during WW2), the numerous on-and-off military governments that governed Thailand during the Cold War, as well as the stricter enforcement of lese-majeste laws during that same period. Please accept my request.
I second this.
Me too,From Southern Thailand Neighbour,Malaysia
10.15 of course Babe
In the late 70's 80s, there were always 3 countries that were thought to have "hidden" nuclear weapons, Israel - covered, South Africa - covered - and Taiwan. I forget if you covered that country.
The Osiraq strike was a success since it stopped the Iraqi plans for building a nuclear weapon for a decade. Without the strike, the 1991 Golf war would have been very diffrent
Great episode. I love that you only deal in facts
Nice job here, sir. Lots I didn't know even though I lived through it.
Great presentation of very disconcerting facts. Thank you.
Excellent episode. I am subscribing. I would definitely like to learn more about the Osirik strike. And more about Israel's nuclear weapons and deterrence policy. What about their submarines and rumors of nuclear armed cruise missiles aimed at Iran? Keep up the good work
Yes, please take a deeper look into the Iraqi program 10:16
Yes so the fools who think Saddam didn’t have WMDs can correct their ignorance
Intriguing.
Please cover the Vela Incident, and the Iraq Program.
Thank you once again for your excellent content.
Another thing that should have been mentioned is that South Africa had a bizarre strategy on how to utilize their bombs.
The strategy, which was upheld during the entire time it possessed the bomb, was that South Africa won't actually use them if it found itself in conflict, but that if said conflict went south, South Africa would publicly reveal it's arsenal and threaten to use them. This would then rope in Western powers into the conflict. The underpinning of this strategy was that South Africa felt the Western countries would not militarily support South Africa in a conflict, even if it was conventionally losing. But they still viewed that they had enough lingering goodwill in those countries that the prospect of a nuclear armed state going down would spur an intervention on South Africa's behalf.
However, South Africa's international isolation only grew and reached its peak in the late 80s. By that time, the US congress had intervened and enforced sanctions. It was now clear that international support was so far gone that not even nuclear sabre rattling could get it; thus rendering the entire strategy null and void.
And they get rid of them bc they knew the incoming government had no business with such devises.
The US and North Korea have never liked each other but they know they can use their nukes as leverage in negotiations with the Americans. I think even a modern South Africa post-apartheid with nukes would try the same thing on the international stage if it felt necessary.
@@michaelhowell2326They got rid of them because the US wouldn't allow a Black African nation to be nuclear armed.
@@Exxperiment626 they got rid of them because the boers didn't want a nuclear weapon in the black mans hand
@@Exxperiment626 they got rid of them because south Africa and the west did not want the communist sympathising ANC to have access to a nuclear weapon. Keep it out of non allied blocs
Cant wait for the Vella episode!
I wish you guys would have talked about the NUMEC affair here! Would love to hear your thoughts on it. Thanks for the great content!
He's be labeled antisemitic
Thanks!
Comment for engagement on great content! Love this channel!
I'm very much looking forward to that video about the Vela Incident now. I didn't know South Africa actually got the bomb, either! Thank you for yet another excellent video.
God be with you out there, everybody. ✝️ :)
For anyone wondering, the Israeli nuclear programme was headed by an institute (intelligence agency) called the Science Liaison Bureau, in Hebrew Lekem, headed by Rafi Eitan. Fascinating stuff if you want to read about it.
i don't like reading about it because of israelis stealing from the west
Nothing about the Apollo/NUMEC Affair?
great stuff!
You haven't spoken about Yugoslavia in a while. Maybe it's a good opportunity to talk about its nuclear program and Vinča disaster
South Africa acquired the bomb to protect itself from enemies around it. South Africa then got rid of the bomb to protect itself from those that were taking over.
Yes! Definitely make videos on the Israeli strike and on Iraq's weapons programs. And a multi-part series on the Iran-Iraq war. In fact, make videos on all the things!
Defund Ukraine
Definitely looking forward to an episode on the Vela incident
I would like to hear an in-depth episode on that raid by Israel.
can you guys make a video about canada's cold war nuclear program?? that would be a super neat video!
You got me with the joke at the end. 😁
Ok, got coffee, I'll wait for the Vela episode.
An independent Scotland says it would give up its extensive nuclear weapons program. The vast majority of nuclear weapons in the UK are either stationed in Faslane Scotland or sailing around the British isle at all time in Trident submarines
RAF Molesworth
Do an episode on The Yom Kippur War please
Yes please, a video on Osiraq would be great.
Yes; a deeper look into the Iraqi nuclear programme
I was wondering if you guys will cover the Taiwanese nuclear program?
David, have you completed your PhD dissertation on the Nike system?
South Africa abandoned its nuclear programme as part of the talks with the African National Congress and to prevent it from having nuclear weapons upon coming to power as the African National Congress was a supporter of communism and the USSR etc. There was significant pressure applied by Western countries to prevent the anti-Western African National Congress to gain access to such weapons.
ANC clowns destroyed the infrastructure, just imagine if they still had nukes
Suggestion can you talk about the Iranian revolution?
Can fans of this channel stop asking for a documentary on EVERYTHING? Cold War come out with one video a week, and obviously spend a good deal of time making sure they are releasing factual information.
Pay them if you want a video made smh
it is honestly incredible that the first few countries to obtain nukes now feel that they have a divine right to be the exclusive holder of that power and feel justified in preventing others from enjoying the exact same feeling of security. Just what is it that makes a country unashamed of using their might to suppress others from gaining their own??
The technology has been around for 70 years and currently a bomb design is quite acheivable. There's enough information on the surface web for a couple of physics undergrads to design a portable thermonuclear device. Its been done before..took the undergrads about 2years, i believe. The seperation of 235 is another matter of course.
Any diplomatic deal in the region that doesn't address this is doomed to failure. Really a shame that they can't all build a solar and nuclear grid that could desalinate sea water for cheap and make the entire region bloom - but that is the reality of oil money, backwards nationalism, and the arms trade. Building is hard work, tearing down is easy.
Stop making sense.🫡
You said alot of words without mentioning islam.
@@donny5302 I didn't say anything about the Blackstone Memorial either
Would be interested in a deep dive into the Osirak attack. Seems the general consensus is bad move in long term strategic terms for Israel.
Maybe in a different history you could have had an Israeli/Iraqi pact against Iran during the 80s?
I am confused, which Iraqi nuclear program was accelerated after Israeli bombing of the Iraqi reactor? We were told that there were no WMD's in Iraq and the invasion was for nothing?
There were no nuclear weapons in Iraq because Israel bombed their nuclear reactor. US invaded Iraq due to the invasion of Kuwait in the Gulf war and then again in 2003, where they didn't find chemical weapons
Come on guys it’s a textile factory👀
I don't know if I can ever recall having heard something about SAs nuclear program. Thank you for the information.
The Cold War team are not suicidal
I heard they've developed a habit of precariously leaning out of windows at least several storeys up
@@emrecanarduc4378 that's why they didn't talk about the NUMEC Affair
Do a video on Cuba exporting revolution to other parts of the World.
How can a nation have a self made arsenal of nuclear weapons if they never tested them? They would not know if they work. If they did test them, it would be detected or noticed, unless you can test nuclear weapons secretly?
Even as far back as the late 1960's in the aftermath of the NNPT, testing of nukes are done through simulation on supercomputers. Supercomputers then and now are made for nuke test simulations...
The US never tested its uranium bomb before dropping it on Japan. It was so simple and reliable and uranium so expensive that they decided not to test it. It is possible to do very low yield or subcritical tests that give a good idea if the weapon will work and what its yield will be. The israelis probably first acquired a uranium bomb and then used French designs fir their first plutonium bomb.
I think the prevailing hypothesis is that the Vela incident was Israel's nuclear test. Even then, with the Nuclear Test Ban treaty in place, most nuclear "tests" are done via computer simulation. A basic nuclear bomb is 80 year old science at this point and not that complicated relatively speaking. An actual physical test isn't as much a necessity as in prior decades
Israel most certainly tested it somewhere else
@@KevinBalch-dt8otThe US did test the atomic bomb before Hiroshima though? Specifically because they were unsure if it would work or not.
Is it just me, or does the thumbnail look AI?
I haven't seen any timeline of development that didn't mean Israel had nukes by '67, which suggests the idea the nation was under threat of being wiped out leaving it no choice to initiate the conflict is inaccurate. The only reason to continue 'strategic ambiguity' is because US aid to defend the country doesn't seem necessary when nukes are part of the nations arsenal, now it manages to be both the strongest military in the region by some distance and afraid of being wiped out, this helps no one.
An interesting side note to that. In the NPT it is not stated which countries are nuclear powers but it is said very country which had nuclear weapons before 1967. This means that if Israel (hopefully at some point) will not need the 'strategic ambiguity' for deterrence, it can join the NPT without breaking it. It would have the same obligations to destroy nuclear weapons like USA, Russia, China, France and UK.
@@jevgenijdan7328 it never needed strategic ambiguity apart from to still get support from US.
Please do the Iraqi nuclear program.
The one that never was… 😂 let’s be honest, Iraq could’ve never get any close to having any sort of nuclear program
@@suleyman8696Osirak plant didn't exist?
@@cuber5003 having a Nuclear reactor doesn’t automatically gives you nuclear weapons, you need highly qualified engineers and scientists , some of the worlds best to have access to it. Iran till today can’t have it, and ur telling me Iraq was anywhere close to have it ? Beside, only buying a nuclear reactor was proven difficult for Iraq, as israel went there and destroyed it. Iraq did not even reply at the time, even when israel invaded Lebanon the year later, while saddam wanted to promote himself as the « guardian of Arabs against Israel Iran etc etc »
US gave pluto Iraq.
@@suleyman8696 thanks for clarifying, I'm aware it was run foreign experts and difficult to maintain. I just had no idea to what extent they were able to harness nuclear energy.
The US needed this to bring our nukes up to date as the nukes we have are increasingly ancient Minuutemen nukes ie 70yr old weapons.
Not to be too picky, but that wasn't South Africa's national flag at the time of South African-Israeli atomic cooperation.
Edit: This comment I posted was made BEFORE The Cold War channel change the thumbnail to the correct flag.
What was the flag then, not really finding anything else?
@@UNOMations
The Cold War channel changed the thumbnail. The original thumbnail showed today's post apartheid South African National flag, but the new thumbnail shows the correct apartheid era tri-color flag. You may have seen the thumbnail after they changed it.
@@arrow1414 That's what I was noticing in some other comments, I didn't see the original thumbnail and was confused initially
I love your videos but I think you sadly let yourself down with your thumbnails lately by using AI images. I think you would convey your tone and garner more views by using just any images from the time you are discussing you can use an image of an Israeli leader or the IDF forces in history not AI!
Or even use an image of ex South Africans leaders or an image of cape town anything but AI it looks cheap and I think devalues the high quality content you make!
I didn't have a "button". I had a key. Crew S021.
Fairly sure iraq provided numerous amounts of weapons, soldiers and support for multiple wars against israel you paint them like they are completely blameless and that a nuclear program suggests itself for self defence
and the US sold weapons to both sides in the Iran - Iraq war - all part of a 100 year old scheme to keep Eurasia divided in endless sectarian conflicts so the USA can have economic hegemony.
With how things are in the region now how long until they decide to use one of their nukes? I honestly feel like they’re currently trying to start a wider war, possibly even another world war.
They are beholden to the game theory: it is not in Israel's best interest diplomatically to use nukes at all. Even North Korea is not crazy enough to sling nukes at anyone. Regimes, regardless of their morals, would like to... You know, EXIST, with all the benefits their existence got them...
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 that is true, but you have to utterly blind to not see that Isreal is a state that is able to get away with alot more then others diplomaticly . Isreal performs strike in other countries and is currently invading its neighboor with 0 consequences internationaly, infact its getting aid while doing so, any other state would have been sactioned to hell and back.
I would not be suprised if isreali leadership is under the assumption it can get away with a nuclear strike.
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 Read about the Samson Option. That’s the real concern with it.
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131 You should really look into the Samson Option.
@@theotherohlourdespadua1131I guess you could imagine a scenario in which using nukes is preferable. Say if you trully hate the other guy and want their complete elimination at any cost. The nazis would probably have gone nuclear even at the risk of getting wiped out. Since their ideology was built on survival of the fittest there was no argument to not use them.
Please don’t use AI for your thumbnails 😢
I think you're wrong about the reasoning behind Opera. It wasn't to maintain nuclear dominance so much as the basic belief that Hussein would use the weapon.
0:40 Im sorry. Did you say Sweden?
Sweden chose neutrality as a kindness.
Israel post cold war is still a Nuclear power country. Everybody knows it is and now Iran and Saudi arabia want to join the party
Yes, along with the multiple UN Contraventions
Who today gives a flying f___ about that test!!!!!???? It happened 50 years ago!!!!!
Does Israel have any working nuclear reactors? I’m curious if they at least put nuclear power to some practical use.
Of course yes, haven’t you watched this. Demona in the Negev Desert
@@DaveSCameron oh yes, excellent.
@@lipingrahman6648Nuclear reactors for research and making weapons, yes.
But not nuclear power plants, Israel does not have any of those.
Their nuclear program is designed for death, not for improvement of lives.
Survival is not considered practical to you?
zis this what inspired prffser griffs comments on jews in 89 90 and alan dershwits when asked by bibi did oj did it he said does iseral have nukes.
The U.S. was never fooled by Israel. We knew all along about their development program and the Iraqi reactor was specifically designed for producing bomb-grade plutonium and France was well paid for their help. If Israel hadn't destroyed it, the first gulf war would have been a nuclear war.
U.S IS ON A LEAD ISRAEL.
from my cold dead hands - everyone is sovereign or no one is
@@howilearned2stopworrying508 Lots lobbyis created own facial Empire like London Citys Wall Street etc.
If I may ask, how do you know that any of the things that you just declared with authority are true? Were you in US intelligence services during the 60s--80s?
@Uncle_Torgo What a stupid question! I wasn't alive during the Civil War, yet I understand the events that took place.
Informative historical coverage video about Israelian nuclear Arsenals.
@ 15:31 I think a more accurate statement would be that "a nation that developed nuclear weapons and then abandoned them" as Ukraine did have former Soviet nukes in the country. In hindsight, I'm quite certain that they wish that they'd taken control of that arsenal rather than leaving it in Russian hands.
So now we have Terminator-quality drones...
Yay?
Israel, and Iran; fixed the title for you.
It seems like the author and many viewers are very sad that Isrsel had promised it's survival by it nuclear plan.
My condolences.
No people more honest than the chosen ones.
This seems very apropos given the winner of the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, announced yesterday
I was like what is subs cribe? Ohhhhhhhh 😂
Wrong Republic of South Africa flag in the thumbnail.
It is the correct one - the orange, blue and white with the dutch and english flags.
@news26boom Yeah, though, from how it sounds, it may have originally had the modern SA flag in the original version of the thumbnail. I wasn't able to see it even in the notification, so I can't confirm
@@UNOMations Several comments have said they used the modern one initially, so my bad.
@@news26boom I was initially confused by these comments too
It’s best not to use the current one to avoid misinformation as it was our old government that developed it
APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA WAS ISRAEL'S ONLY FRIEND IN AFRICA. SINCE THE COLLAPSE OF APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA AND ISRAEL HAVE POOR RELATIONS
Other African stats were bought by Gaddafi. After years of Israel agronomical aid.
I am Algerian, and here we know from the leftover paperwork and remaining gear from the French nuclear tests that Israel also tested on our soil under the French umbrella.
More details and sources? I never thought of that possibility.
Then again, Israel had to develop that weapon because Arabs wanted to destroy israel, so maybe the "remaining gear" is the Arabs chickens coming home to roost.
Then again, the Arabs tried to wipe out Israel (multiple times), so....
No, it didn't
arrete de montire ton nom prouve que t es pas algerien
Brought this topic up in one of the recent live streams. Now I see why you ignored me.
Google the Samson Option
@@dannyearlreal Yeah it’s pretty alarming, but people will still try to justify it.
@@slimmdusty8809 It's no more alarming than any other country having nukes. But people pretend they don't exist, when they do exist and they will be one day the end of human role as the apex predator on Earth. All it takes is one idiot, one fascist, to press the button... And counting the countries who do have nukes, there are plenty of those people.
is crazy how ungrateful they are after europeans support them
Suggestion: Countries at the nuclear threshold. Meaning countries with "civilian" nuclear programs, that can yield nuclear weapons within a matter of months: e.g. Germany, Japan, Australia, Sweden, Finland
Pakistan?
Worth mentioning Pakistan being the only muslim country that has nuclear weapon(s).
1990 was a bad year for South Africa.
I see what you did there...😂 did an AI prompt for the thumbnail and got the current flag of South Africa?
Apartheid South African flag does look quite off there with the edit now
Great job with this video! For those interested in a great read about the Israeli weapons program, seek out the book “The Samson Option”. Among interesting anecdotes in the book was the involvement of then newspaper owner Robert Maxwell in the Vanunu incident. Maxwell of course being the father of Ghislaine Maxwell.
Israel has nuclear weapons. They’re not admitting it or denying it. They’re not denying that they have nuclear weapons, mostly to keep hostile Arab nations from doing anything irrational. They’re not admitting that they have nuclear weapons because the last thing they want is an arms race with the Arab nations, especially with Iran.
@@michaellynes3540 It’s beyond more than the Arab nations, the Samson Option makes that pretty clear and very scary for the whole world, could easily spiral into a worldwide nuclear catastrophe.
@@slimmdusty8809 Not a catastrophe as much as you think, nature would recover as it has done in Chernobyl, and there it's a haven for nature. Humans though, would be done for. Forever.
Take this comment as a tribute to the almighty Bell Button jokes.
heheheh , dual key
Talking about being an armchair historian... 🙄
The attack on the Iraqi weapons facility, which was specifically aimed to attack Israel with, was what made them 'realise Israel is a threat'??? What???
Just goes to show, a nice looking TH-cam background and a calm voice does not replace education.
Iraq was one of the 5 countries that invaded Israel in 1948, the moment it was established in accordance to a UN resolution and international law.
Iraq didn't need to see Israel as a threat, they were bent on destroying it from day one.
Second - it was a failure? LOL.
I wish this kind of 'failures' on all of my friends and none of my enemies.
After that one pre-emptive strike, the only other time Israel had any threat from Iraq was during the Gulf War, a war that had nothing to do with Israel, but Saddam Hussain tried to pull Israel into it to fracture the Western-Arab alliance against him, by launching missiles at Israeli cities.
The Israeli attack on the Iraqi facility was a huge tactical success. It effectively removed Iraq from the list of threats to the country pretty much to this day.
That's the problem with these channels. You have 420k subscribers, and you use that to pass misinformation to the uneducated who do not know the facts.
Literal Hasbara
@@oohhboy-funhouse Literal antisemite who think saying something is 'hasbara' is a counter argument. 😆
I love how you geniuses think you're smart for learning a Hebrew word that just means 'to explain'. 🤣
Hilarious to think that Israel was ever worried about it’s relationship with the US.
Why? We refused to allow them entry during the Second World War and then embargoed arms sales at the founding of Israel.
?
@@DaveSCameronyou are dumb
In 1956 it, along with Britain and France, was publicly rebuked by the US for staging a crisis for the Suez Canal...
That thumbnail is a real match made in hell
One of the biggest mistakes of all time was allowing them to have nuclear weapons.
How do you believe preventing it would have gone down?
Not really.
Kennedy tried to stop it but his efforts were doomed from the start. He named Meyer Feldman as his middle east advisor and was indebted to long time democrat fund raiser Abe Feinberg for campaign contributions. Feinberg was part of a group of wealthy donors that covertly put up about half the money for Israel’s nuclear program. LBJ and Nixon looked the other way on Israel’s nukes.
@@westrim I don’t have the answers, all I know is it shouldn’t been allowed. Look up the “Samson Option” and read about how terrifying that is if you don’t know.
@@westrim - The initial Israeli weapons were likely made from highly enriched uranium stolen from a plant in Pennsylvania around 1963-64. The US government suspected diversion because the material processing losses at the plant were so large. The plant was owned by a devout zionist so Israel was suspected. But the US dragged its feet on investigating the matter because of domestic political considerations.
Note that the Dimona reactor used heavy water which allows the use of unenriched uranium. This was a deliberate decision because enrichment facilities are huge, require a lot of electricity and are easily detected. The Israeli program probably ran into financial or technical difficulties and a quick, reliable weapon could be made by stealing enriched uranium from the US.
The more I learn about the Israeli government, the more I recognize that fascism is alive and thriving the Middle East. May Netanyahu enjoy all that he wishes upon his neighors.
Unfortunately you are quite correct with their expulsion of anyone not Jewish and countless Africans under Netanyahu let alone the 20+ UN Contraventions outstanding are the least of their fascism when we consider just a single contravention by Iraq caused a self righteous global response speaks volumes..
This creates a very strange impression.
1. The current ANC who is leading government was actually aligned and funded by the soviet union, by using the new South African flag it creates the impression that those in the current government were aligned with Isreal during the cold war. Which is not the case.
2. The aparthied government was supported by the west until it was no longer cool (as an example ammunition manifactured in South Africa is in line with NATO standards).
Otherwise greate videos as always
And now south africa isn’t doing so well under its new leadership.
@@Semper_Iratus this is pretty new. Between 1994 and round about 2012 things were very optimistic. Even then, things are looking up again now since the last election
@@Semper_IratusSouth Africa is actually doing much better now, a lot of the problems had to do with our previous president Jacob Zuma. There hasn’t been any loadshedding in 200 days.
For the fools who think Saddam didn’t have WMD, look up his nuclear program as it was mentioned here.
It's terrifying how USA never ceases to accommodate Israel, regardless of what they do.
Agreed!!