13 Atomic Bombing Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki Facts That Will Shock You!

The very first atomic bomb ever used in warfare was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, followed by Nagasaki, Japan, on August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively, during the Second World War.

The Manhattan Project, started in 1942, was the codename of the US research program that was the first to produce nuclear weapons. It combined the potential of several scientists and political commanders like James C. Marshall.

Even after the US entered World War Two, initially, there were no plans to use nuclear weapons or drop an atomic bomb, but after both the Axis Powers, Germany and Italy had surrendered.

However, triggered by strong Japanese attacks, US President Harry Truman finally ordered the atomic bombings on the Japanese home islands of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, marking an infamous and gut-wrenching moment in the history of World War Two.

Concluding World War Two, the nuclear bombs were dropped, destroying the Japanese cities in one blinding flash and taking the lives of thousands of people.

Some 70,000 people died instantly, some were heavily injured, and others later succumbed to the radiation exposure of the atomic bomb.

This terrifying attack led to the signing of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1968, signed by both nuclear and non-nuclear countries leaving only a few.

Decades later, the ban on nuclear weapons was finally put into force, with the Treaty of Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons becoming a part of the law as 120 countries of the UN-supported it since 2017, and the ban was finally put in force after the historic 50th ratification, despite protests.

If you like these facts about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, then you're sure to find facts about the Siege of Yorktown and Peterloo massacre facts equally interesting!

Reason For Bombing Hiroshima And Nagasaki

The main reason behind dropping an atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was to make Japan surrender as quickly as possible after the other two Axis Powers had already been defeated.

Another reason was the American retribution towards the Japanese army for carrying out the sudden aerial attack on the US navy. The US naval base was stationed at Pearl Harbor, and the Japanese government ordered an attack on the navy, the Pacific fleet.

This sudden attack severely affected the American forces, which led to even worse relations between Japan and America. This was a part of the most significant phase of World War Two, which was on the Pacific island.

Another probable reason President Harry allowed the nuclear explosion to occur is to vindicate the extensive research and expenses that went behind developing the first bomb.

After a long research process, Robert Oppenheimer was the scientific director of the Manhattan Project and chose Los Alamos in New Mexico as the isolated site where the atomic bomb would be tested for the first time. This was called the Trinity Test Site, where the nuclear weapon was first launched successfully.

The labor, time, and money that went towards nuclear weapon testing were why the American war department and the President were leaning towards Japan's 'conventional bombing.'

Also, the atomic bomb was dropped to end World War Two immediately and reduce the American casualties and injuries sustained by both American and Japanese armies, which would have been much more if the war had continued.

Effect Of Atomic Bombing On People Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki

The two atomic bombs released on the Japanese city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, almost immediately wiped out a big chunk of the population of Japan, killing thousands instantly while other deaths gradually followed.

The utter destruction that followed when the bomber Enola Gay driven by Colonel Paul Tibbets, dropped the world's first atomic bomb in Hiroshima is one of the worst moments in war history. Homes were destroyed instantly, and everything, including humans, was burned within a 1.86 mi (3 km) radius.

The second atomic bomb followed, from the bomber Bockscar, and Nagasaki faced immeasurable damage, losing close to half a lakh people and homes in the blink of an eye.

The nuclear bombs dropped by Enola Gay thus not only wiped out the Japanese people and their homes but left everything in sight scorched and unable to be used. The bombs had an explosive yield of about 13000 tons (13 million kg) and generated heat waves that raised the temperature over 7232 F (4000 C).

The land was left infertile and spaces so mutilated that nothing could be done.

The survivors started passing away due to their exposure to radiation that happened due to the contamination from Black Rain that had consequently occurred.

After two years, the deadly cancer leukemia developed as the aftermath. This continued for several years, and the death toll due to the bomb attack kept rising because people were still dying from the aftereffects of the bomb.

This horrifying event stirred in people a sense of duty and unimaginable loss that prompted a series of protests and campaigns against the explosion that shook Hiroshima and Nagasaki to ban nuclear weapons, their use, and their production.

Political and public opinions were split. Some supported the decision of the merciless atomic attack, while most others did not think dropping the bomb was 'morally correct' and that maybe the Allied Powers had other alternatives.

But all in all, millions were devastated about the situation in Japan and paid tribute to the lives lost and raised their hands in solidarity to help.

All the efforts eventually culminated in something extraordinary that the world needed, possibly the only positive outcome of this entire harrowing event. International law did ban the use of nuclear weapons or the use of an atom bomb under any circumstance.

However, even today, more than nine states all over the world still hold certain atomic weapons which are yet to be destroyed.

Number Of People Killed In Hiroshima And Nagasaki

The total number of people killed in the atomic bomb blast on the Japanese cities was 137,000 and 64,000, respectively.

It's almost impossible to estimate the exact number of people that died right after the atomic bomb 'Little Boy' dropped from the Enola Gay hit Hiroshima at 8:15 AM. However, rough estimates amount to more than 80,000 people dying instantly and others succumbing to injuries and radiation later on.

When the 'Fat Man' atomic bomb hit Nagasaki, it immediately killed more than 40,000 people.

Approximately, in the pre-raid situation in Japan, there were about 255,000 total people in Hiroshima while there were approximately 195,000 people in Nagasaki. Since Hiroshima was more extensive and was an unexplored terrain and had seen no bomb raids before, Hiroshima became the primary target.

The Allied soldiers had fought against Japanese forces for long and hard before the explosive yield.

The new weapon, the tremendous atomic bomb, dissipated almost the entire city it attacked in mere moments. Besides the civilians, homes, institutions, government offices, workplaces, hospitals, schools, among others, had also become rubble.

In the city of Hiroshima, the death percentage from the burns due to the explosion was 60%, and 30% was from being trapped under fallen debris, and 10% amounted to various injuries.

In the city of Nagasaki, 95% of the deaths were because of burns due to the explosion, 9% due to being trapped under fallen debris, 7% was because of flying glass injuries, and 7% was due to several other reasons.

After Effect Of The Hiroshima And Nagasaki Atomic Bombing

The immediate aftereffect of the bomb was the massive loss of lives and the immense destruction of two cities, and Japan's consequent surrender to the Allied Powers that marked the end of World War Two.

There could be no possible compensation for what had happened, and even the Americans were unable to deny it. Philip Morrison, who was the physicist for The Manhattan Project, was deeply horrified by what the bomb had done in such a short time and spent a lot of time campaigning against any nuclear bomb in the future.

Inside the two cities, the fire departments, as well as that of the police, infirmaries, and almost all public organizations, were turned to dust, killing firefighters, police officers, and doctors alike among civilians.

There was no one to aid the injured until help arrived from outside and from other parts of Japan that were left unharmed.

The ones who did survive the bomb came to be known in history as the 'Hibakusha,' with almost all the bomb victims developing certain diseases due to the radiation, some suffering from severe burns throughout their lives. At the same time, some lost their eyesight or hearing.

Years into the future, they still went through discrimination through no fault of their own- the bomb had affected the survivors both mentally and physically.

After years of reconstruction, things slowly became better. America became Japan's enemy-turned-ally as the former helped with Japan's rebuilding, perhaps feeling responsible for having caused such a terrifying situation. Japan turned into a democracy as well. Aid was also provided to the families of the immigrants in Japan who lost their lives, especially the forced Korean laborers.

In the present scenario, both the city of Hiroshima, as well as the city of Nagasaki, have become as beautiful and full of people as they were and are immensely famous national archives in history due to the harrowing event they had faced.

But in the city of Hiroshima, the Atomic Bomb Dome and the Itsukushima Shrine have become national archives and World Heritage Sites because they had survived the bomb attack.

You can visit these sites to learn more about the atomic bomb attack and the reeling effect of the same.

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