The graphic novel “Tsar Bomba” recounts, through the testimony of Andrei Sakharov, the competition between the major powers to create the most devastating atomic weapon.
The author Fabien Grolleau states that he does not wish to use his book for propaganda purposes, and I must say that I quite agree. Although the book focuses mainly on the USSR’s nuclear tests, it also provides information about France and the United States. When recounting the various stories that unfolded throughout the development of “Tsar Bomba,” it is essential to at least provide the reader with the context of the USSR at the time. We are dealing with a totalitarian regime that eliminates its own citizens, even if they have done nothing wrong. I saw the results of Stalin’s purges in the book “Les alpinistes de Staline.”
Soviet scientists worked in what was known as “the Facility.” They did not know exactly where it was located, due to military secrecy. They did also ignore for how long they would work in these nuclear research laboratories. And it is clear that, given the context of the time, no scientist dared to openly criticize the Kremlin. But Sakharov was an exception.
Realizing the significance of his research, Andrei Sakharov began to “denounce Stalin’s crimes, the dangers of thermonuclear war, current and future ecological threats, and above all, the lack of democracy in his country! This was unheard of in the Soviet Union.” He had now become a dissident.
Below is a graph showing the difference in intensity between an atomic bomb created in 1945 and the Tsar Bomba of 1961.
The Germany-Japan alliance during World War II upset the balance of power and pushed the United States to invent an unthinkable weapon to end the hostilities. The nuclear age began with the Manhattan Project and Hiroshima. The major powers recognized the devastating effect of atomic weapons and embarked on an arms race to establish a policy of nuclear deterrence. No single country could be allowed to possess the bomb! Humanity now had to come to terms with the idea that the balance of terror-maintained peace.
The author highlights the impact of radiation on residents living in areas surrounding nuclear test sites. Whether due to shifting winds, stronger-than-expected nuclear reactions, or a lack of transparency towards villagers, many citizens die as a result of these supposedly “controlled” tests. National security and territorial sovereignty take precedence over all other considerations.
On a Personal Note
A new race is now consuming all the energy of researchers working for the major powers: artificial intelligence. We hear about the ethical use of these technological advances, but this is more smoke and mirrors than anything else.
All that matters now for a major power is to ensure that it is ahead of the others. An article from the January/February edition of Foreign Affairs magazine mentioned that the country that has a real lead over its competitors in artificial intelligence will control the world. In this context, I do not believe that a major power will agree to limit itself and slow down its research because of an ethical issue.
In conclusion, here is a quote from Albert Einstein that appears in the graphic novel: “I don’t know how World War III will be fought, but I know how World War IV will be fought: with sticks and stones.”
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Title: Tsar Bomba (in French)
Authors: Fabien Grolleau and Cyril Elophe
Edition: Glénat, 2025
ISBN: 978-2-344-05319-5/001
