Cologne, Germany underwent its largest post-war evacuation on Wednesday to allow for the defusal of three unexploded WWII American bombs—two 20-ton and one 10-ton—discovered during road construction. Over 20,000 residents were evacuated from a large area encompassing the city center, including major infrastructure like the Hohenzollern Bridge. Experts successfully defused the ordnance within an hour. This incident highlights the ongoing challenge posed by unexploded ordnance from WWII, even decades later.
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It’s quite fascinating, yet terrifying, to think about the impact of World War II even decades after it ended. The recent explosion at Miyazaki airport in Japan, caused by a U.S. bomb likely dating back to the war, serves as a stark reminder of the lingering remnants of past conflicts. The fact that the bomb was able to go undetected for approximately 80 years before randomly detonating is mind-boggling. Thankfully, there were no reported injuries, but it highlights the potential dangers that still exist due to unexploded ordnance scattered across the globe.
The presence of undetonated bombs, such as the ones in Laos and Vietnam, continues to pose a significant threat to civilians.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker