The Atomic Bombings of WWII Hiroshima and Nagasaki

The Atomic Bombings of WWII Hiroshima and Nagasaki Japan

Just a weapon? ? ? • “The atomic bomb was more than a weapon of terrible destruction; it was a psychological weapon. ”—Former U. S. Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, 1947, [68]

The Manhattan Project *Secret government project to construct nuclear bombs. *American physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer directed the research and development. *tests and labs done in New Mexico

The Trinity Test • First nuclear bomb exploded in history. • Top secret test conducted in New Mexico

Trinity implosion

Mushroom cloud 7. 5 miles up

After explosion

How far did radiation go?

• J. Robert Oppenheimer watched the demonstration, he later said that a line from the Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita came to mind: “I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds. ”

July, 1945 • With the war in Europe over, the Nazis and Hitler defeated, President Truman gives the Japanese an ultimatum:

• President Truman 1945 -1953

Ultimatum Without a surrender, the Allies would attack Japan, resulting in "the inevitable and complete destruction of the Japanese armed forces and just as inevitably the utter devastation of the Japanese homeland" but the atomic bomb was not mentioned.

Emperor Hirohito of Japan

Japan

End the Island Hopping • President Truman decided that he did not want to waste more human life (especially American) to finish off Japan. • He felt Island Hopping campaign delayed inevitable US victory. • Dropping atomic bombs would save lives?

August 6, 1945 • On this date the USA dropped the second nuclear bomb (Trinity Test 1 st) man has ever seen on Hiroshima, Japan.

“Little Boy”-uranium

The Enola Gay

August 6, 1945. Hiroshima, Japan

Hiroshima today

What did bomb do? • • • Dropped 2, 000 ft. over city. Blast = 13, 000 tons of TNT Total destruction of 1 square mile Fires stretched out 4 square miles 90% of buildings/structures destroyed

What did bomb do? • By August 8, 1945, newspapers in the US were reporting that broadcasts from Radio Tokyo had described the destruction observed in Hiroshima. "Practically all living things, human and animal, were literally seared to death, " Japanese radio announcers said in a broadcast captured by Allied sources. [25]

What did bomb do? • 70, 000 people killed instantly from initial explosion • 140, 000 dead from radiation, burns and lack of medical care in a year. • At least 200, 000 dead in 5 years

Events of August 7 -9 • After the Hiroshima bombing, President Truman announced, "If they do not accept our terms, they may expect a rain of ruin from the air the likes of which has never been seen on this earth. "

Nagasaki, Japan

“Fat Man”-plutonium

Bockscar

Nagasaki, Japan after bomb

What did bomb do? • Initial blast killed about 50, 000 people almost instantly. • By the end of the year the total killed passed 80, 000 people. • 1 sq. mile of total destruction • 2 -3 sq. miles of fires

Nagasaki, Japan after bomb

Emperor Hirohito on Aug. 15 • “Moreover, the enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb, the power of which to do damage is, indeed, incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. ”

Formal surrender of Japan

Sept. 2 onboard USS Missouri, Gen. Mac. Arthur

Japan surrenders to Australia

Nagasaki today

What did it all do? ? ? ? ? http: //www. msnbc. msn. com/id/29865222/