VIDEO: 'Terrifying Beauty': Footage of the First Thermonuclear Tests

American specialists have released restored archival footage of the first thermonuclear tests in history, known as the "Ivy Mike" operation. These clips showcase a key event of the Cold War and humanity's first steps in creating thermonuclear weapons, whose power significantly exceeds all previously created bombs.

The "Ivy Mike" operation, conducted in 1952, marked the beginning of a new generation of weapons of mass destruction. During this test, a device was detonated that was 700 times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki in 1945.

The videos have allowed for the restoration of not only the moment of the explosion but also its devastating consequences, displaying the powerful fireball that engulfed the surrounding area. The explosion obliterated an entire island where the tests were conducted and created a crater over 1.5 kilometers in diameter.

Following the footage from the "Ivy Mike" operation, recordings of subsequent nuclear tests conducted during the Cold War have also been presented. These tests became a crucial part of the arms race between the USA and the USSR, as both superpowers sought to demonstrate their military superiority and establish the most powerful arsenal of nuclear weapons.