___Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings
06 & 09 August 1945
Col. Tibbets, pilot of Enola Gay, morning of bombing
_ Following the Potsdam Conference
and Declaration, the Japanese military ignored the threat of “prompt and utter
destruction” made by the U.S.,
Great Britain and China.
Consequently, on August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber named the Enola Gay
left the island of Tinian for Hiroshima, Japan carrying an atomic bomb known as
“Little Boy”.
The American B-29 bomber Enola Gay was accompanied by six other planes when it departed for Hiroshima at 2:00 AM. “Little Boy” was expected to knock out almost everything within a 3-mile area with its explosive force of 20,000 tons of TNT.
The American B-29 bomber Enola Gay was accompanied by six other planes when it departed for Hiroshima at 2:00 AM. “Little Boy” was expected to knock out almost everything within a 3-mile area with its explosive force of 20,000 tons of TNT.
_Nearing 7:00 AM, the aircrafts heading towards Japan were detected by the Japanese radar net,
and an alert was broadcast throughout the Hiroshima
area. A weather plane circled over the city in search of the detected
aircrafts, but found no sign of the bombers. The people of Hiroshima relaxed and continued with their
daily work, believing that the danger had passed. By 8:00 AM, the planes were
again detected by the Japanese radar and another warning was broadcast for
people to takes shelter. However, because of the earlier “false alarm”, few
people acknowledged it.
At 8:15 AM, Little Boy exploded over its target, a T-shaped bridge near downtown Hiroshima.
At 8:15 AM, Little Boy exploded over its target, a T-shaped bridge near downtown Hiroshima.
_
The mission had gone as planned for the U.S., the aftermath of the bomb on Japan
was immediate and devastating. Between 80,000 and 140,000 people were killed
instantly, and 100,000 more were seriously injured. A column of smoke rose
quickly and a firestorm quickly formed. Still, some Japanese military officials
were still not convinced that the U.S. was capable of developing, transporting
and dropping an atomic bomb.
_
When a second mission was approved, the first
choice was Kokura, and Nagasaki served as a backup target. Although the first
mission had gone smoothly, it seemed that the second one was riddled with
complications. The mission was advanced to August 9th and the
rendezvous point moved due to weather concerns, and the crew discovered that
the plane they were flying had a faulty fuel pump, jeopardizing the crew’s chance
for safe return. Upon arrival at Kokura, they found it obscured by haze and smoke
and were forced to switch their target to Nagasaki.
Fat Man exploded at 1,840 feet above Nagasaki with an estimated force of 22,000 tons of TNT.
Fat Man exploded at 1,840 feet above Nagasaki with an estimated force of 22,000 tons of TNT.
_
Although there was no firestorm at Nagasaki and the hilly terrain limited the total area of
destruction to less than that of Hiroshima,
the blast was more destructive to the immediate area. The exact number of
casualties was impossible to determine; the Japanese listed only those they
could verify and set the official estimate at 23, 753 killed, 1,927 missing,
and 23, 345 wounded. U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey figures were much higher.
_
Any and all doubt of America’s ability to create an
atomic bomb was eradicated by the second bombing. After nearly a week of
debate, Imperial Majesty Hirohito convened an Imperial Conference and at noon
on August 15, 1945, announced Japan's
surrender. The war was over. These bombings allowed for the U.S. to get the
surrender they required out of Japan and finally bring a close to the war.
However, the devastating effects on Japan will never be forgotten.