Reviews
Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the 116 Days that Changed the World by Chris Wallace
reinventing_mrs's review against another edition
5.0
Thought-provoking
Written like a novel, “Countdown 1945” provides readers with a type of back-stage access to the development and subsequent use of the atomic bomb and, more importantly, in-depth insight into the thoughts and feelings of those connected with the project. Wallace writes mostly from the American perspective, sprinkled with Japanese correspondence and survivor stories. He uses first-hand accounts based on interviews and diary entries. Chronicled with neither condemnation nor overt celebration, the result is a very human representation of the events leading to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the effects on those directly involved. The question as to the morality of said events is not directly addressed, as it is not the purpose of this book. The question, however, is addressed separately by each of the book’s players and, ultimately, left to the reader to ponder. Overall, I found “Countdown 1945” riveting, as if I had no clue regarding the outcome, and thought-provoking in a way I had not expected. Well done, Mr. Wallace.
Written like a novel, “Countdown 1945” provides readers with a type of back-stage access to the development and subsequent use of the atomic bomb and, more importantly, in-depth insight into the thoughts and feelings of those connected with the project. Wallace writes mostly from the American perspective, sprinkled with Japanese correspondence and survivor stories. He uses first-hand accounts based on interviews and diary entries. Chronicled with neither condemnation nor overt celebration, the result is a very human representation of the events leading to the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the effects on those directly involved. The question as to the morality of said events is not directly addressed, as it is not the purpose of this book. The question, however, is addressed separately by each of the book’s players and, ultimately, left to the reader to ponder. Overall, I found “Countdown 1945” riveting, as if I had no clue regarding the outcome, and thought-provoking in a way I had not expected. Well done, Mr. Wallace.
milo10000's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
1.5
Apologia for the American military industrial complex. Writing is mediocre.
cumami1999's review against another edition
emotional
informative
reflective
fast-paced
2.75
It’s a well written book by any means, but the bias this book is dripping with is hard to ignore.
aditireads_14's review against another edition
4.0
Even though i watched a couple of documentaries on WWII and the atomic bombing on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, after I watched Oppenheimer my curiosity to know what exactly happened and how did things unfold, peaked. Cannot really say that it was fun to read it because all that the victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings had to go through was unimaginable and extremely heartbreaking.Nevertheless, it is a good book with clear and lucid writing with great amount of detail and is definitely a good read for all history buffs especially interested to learn about WWII.
tomidreamer12's review against another edition
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
5.0
12/13 books down!!
I just finished reading “Countdown 1945” - The story of the Atomic bomb and the 116 days that changed the world. What an amazing read! I have always found. World War II facinating, and this book really captures the U.S’s part and integral role. It was an easy read, not in the slightest boring, and not only told the story of the making/use of the atomic bomb, but also included first hand accounts from: Oppenheimer, Tibbets, President Truman and his cabinet, and even an account of a victim in Hiroshima the day the bomb was dropped, and her life after.
If you like history or saw “Oppenheimer” this is a great read! 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I just finished reading “Countdown 1945” - The story of the Atomic bomb and the 116 days that changed the world. What an amazing read! I have always found. World War II facinating, and this book really captures the U.S’s part and integral role. It was an easy read, not in the slightest boring, and not only told the story of the making/use of the atomic bomb, but also included first hand accounts from: Oppenheimer, Tibbets, President Truman and his cabinet, and even an account of a victim in Hiroshima the day the bomb was dropped, and her life after.
If you like history or saw “Oppenheimer” this is a great read! 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
megs_readstoomuch's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0