On August 6 and 9, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the first in history to use war. The attacks resulted in the complete destruction of the two Japanese cities and killed hundreds of thousands of people.
Wikimedia CommonsAtomic bombings of Hiroshima (left) and Nagasaki (right).
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were attacks by United States forces on two Japanese cities in August 1945, ending World War II. They were the first—and to date, only—use of atomic bombs in military conflict.
The atomic bomb was created by American scientists as part of the Manhattan Project, during which a successful test of an atomic device was conducted in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. Shortly thereafter, several American ships, including the USS Indianapolis, were sent to deliver components of a powerful bomb to the island of Tinian.
Then, in August 1945, the United States decided to use the atomic bomb against Japan.
Why did the US bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
By August 1945, World War II in Europe had already ended. Nazi Germany had surrendered to the Allies in May, but the Japanese vowed to continue the fight. On July 26, the Japanese government rejected the Allied surrender terms set out in the Potsdam Declaration, which threatened “the complete devastation of Japanese territory” if Japan did not agree to the terms and continued to resist.
A week and a half later, the United States began preparations to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
When was Hiroshima bombed?
Hiroshima, Japan, was bombed on August 6, 1945 at 8:16 a.m.
Why did the US bomb Hiroshima?
Although the United States considered several targets, including more distant ones, the city was ultimately chosen for two reasons: the Americans wanted to demonstrate the power of the bomb and force the Japanese to surrender unconditionally.
At the time, Hiroshima had a population of 350,000, but it was a compact city, meaning that a bomb dropped from an airplane would have virtually destroyed the entire metropolis. Hiroshima also housed important factories, making the city a legitimate military target.
Which plane dropped the atomic bomb?
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