Photo Of The Day – A picture and story found at the Soviet Wastelands, we’re looking at “a Chinese PLA horseman riding towards a nuclear explosion whilst aiming a Kalashnikov during a Nuclear weapons test in Lop Nur China 1964.”

Times were certainly different then. Just imagine sitting on a horse at full speed, gas mask on while you’re aiming your Kalashnikov at a target. Note that the horse got a gas mask as well.

The video source can be found here:

From the documentary Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie. A lot of people were wondering why the soldiers in this clip were riding toward the explosion. I’m not 100% sure, but I think the idea was that a nuclear bomb would create an opening in an enemy’s front line which they would charge into. I suspect this is the same reason the United States developed an atomic artillery cannon which they tested during Operation Upshot–Knothole. Again, I’m not sure; this is just speculation.

If you only want to see the brave (or crazy) nuclear horse rider, fast forward to around 03:15. He actually does some shooting.

You can read more about the Lop Nur Nuclear Weapons Test Base here.

Do you know more about this video? We welcome any comments to build the story.