[rerevisionist]

Remember Admiral William D Leahy, famous for writing (apparently in the Library of Congress Archives): After Vannevar Bush explained how the atomic bomb worked, Leahy told President Harry S. Truman, "This is the biggest fool thing we have ever done. The bomb will never go off, and I speak as an expert in explosives."

Leahy, judging by standard biographical information, was no fool and had a family history of military continuity; and, what is rather different, did his best to view things through others' eyes, in, for example Puerto Rico. The question is: why would he say what he did about nuclear bombs, and was he, in fact, correct?

There are quite a few postings on this site (e.g. by FirstClassSkeptic) wondering whether a high temperature causes an explosion - doesn't it need gas, with its sudden expansion in volume, as with all conventional nitrogen based explosives? (Thermite gets very hot, but doesn't explode. For that matter, the sun gets very hot, but doesn't explode). Maybe this is what Leahy meant - quite possibly there's a record somewhere of his reasoning.

[Heiwa]

The International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, does not have a mandate to study nuclear weapons and its verification information cannot be shared publicly.
IAEA recommends that anybody contacts CTBTO, UNSCEAR and the Union of Concerned Scientists, UCS, for scientific proof of thermonuclear explosions.

CTBTO - Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty
The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) bans nuclear explosions by everyone, everywhere: on the Earth's surface, in the atmosphere, underwater and underground.
CTBTO Preparatory Commission
Vienna International Centre
PO Box 1200
1400 Vienna, Austria
Telephone:+43 1 26030 ext. 6200
or any of these extensions
6457/6451/6363/6127/6375
Facsimile: +43 1 26030 5823
E-mail: info@ctbto.org

UNSCEAR - The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation
UNSCEAR was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1955. Its mandate in the United Nations system is to assess and report levels and effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Governments and organizations throughout the world rely on the Committee's estimates as the scientific basis for evaluating radiation risk and for establishing protective measures.
UNSCEAR secretariat
UNITED NATIONS
Vienna International Centre
P.O. Box 500
A-1400 Vienna, AUSTRIA

Malcolm Crick , Secretary of UNSCEAR
Tel: 0043 1 26060 4330
Fax: 0043 1 26060 5902
Direct Fax: 26060 74330
E-mail: None

UCS - Union of Concerned Scientists
Appalled by how the U.S. government was misusing science, UCS drafted a statement calling for scientific research to be directed away from military technologies to solving pressing environmental and social problems. To that end, UCS initially focused the spotlight on defense-related research, nuclear weapons, and nuclear power.
UCS experts work to reduce some of the biggest security threats facing the world today, including the risks posed by nuclear weapons, nuclear terrorism, and space weapons. We work with scientists around the globe to increase international understanding of these issues and to foster and strengthen efforts to increase international security.
Jonathan Dean
Adviser on Global Security Issues
Laura Grego
Senior Scientist, Global Security Program
Teri Grimwood
Global Security Program Researcher
Lisbeth Gronlund
Senior Scientist & Co-Director, Global Security Program
Gregory Kulacki
Senior Analyst, China Project Manager
Edwin Lyman
Senior Scientist, Global Security
Sean Meyer
Manager of Strategic Campaigns for Global Security
David Wright
Senior Scientist & Co-Director, Global Security
Stephen Young
Senior Analyst & Washington Representative, Global Security Program
UCS National Headquarters
Two Brattle Sq.
Cambridge, MA 02138-3780
Phone: (617) 547-5552
Fax: (617) 864-9405
E-mail: None

Interestingly none of above organisations, CTBTO, UNSCEAR and UCS, or their staff can provide any scientific proof of thermonuclear explosions.