The Biggest Nuker

Russia Sets Off the Biggest Nuke Ever to Show the Cosmos That if Anything Is Going to Destroy Russia, It’s Going to Be Russia Itself

On October 30, 1961, the Soviet Union tested the Tsar Bomba, which for some reason was named after the reviled ruler the communists had deposed in their revolution. It was the biggest nuke ever, putting out a blast equal to all the explosives used in World War II -- multiplied by 10.
But why? Well, the Americans were great at developing very accurate missiles to deliver nukes, but the Russians, not so much. So the Soviets figured that with an enormous weapon they could kinda, well, just ballpark it with their strikes.
So just what kind of destruction are we talking here? Buildings 34 miles away from ground zero were leveled, and if you were anywhere within 62 miles you’d be seeking medical attention for third-degree burns. The blast wave cracked windows 560 miles away and was still detected on its third lap around the world, at which point it must have been pretty exhausted.