Hiroshima Bombing - August 6, 1945

Overview

• Hiroshima, Japan was subjected to the world's first nuclear bombing on August 6, 1945.
• The bomb, nicknamed "Little Boy," was dropped by the B-29 warplane Enola Gay.
• President Harry S. Truman authorized the bombing to expedite the end of World War II.

The Attack

• At 8:15 AM, the bomb detonated at 19,000 feet after falling for 43 seconds.
• It caused a nuclear chain reaction, releasing energy equivalent to 15,000 tons of TNT.
• A massive mushroom cloud formed, rising 60,000 feet into the air.

Immediate Aftermath

• Blinding flash and deafening explosion followed by intense heat.
• Juuko Morimoto, a survivor, described the event as a terrible roar with buildings crumbling.
• Complete destruction within a mile of the epicenter: buildings, vegetation, and people.
• Heat reached over 7,000°F (4,000°C), incinerating individuals.
• Radiation killed those who survived the blast and heat.
• Estimated immediate death toll: 60,000-80,000 people.

Environmental and Human Impact

• Areas within 4.5 miles devastated; fires burned for days.
• Radiation spread through wind, water, and rain.
• Survivors suffered from burns, radiation sickness, and injuries.
• Long-term effects included birth defects and cancer among survivors and their families.
• Survivors, known as hibakusha, often hid their status due to stigma.

Survivor Experiences

• Injured known as a ghostly procession, with skin falling and flesh exposed.
• Black rain, a mix of irradiated material and soot, contaminated food and water.
• Symptoms included vomiting, skin patches, hair loss, and non-healing wounds.
• Death toll from long-term effects went beyond 140,000.

Memorialization and Remains

• Hiroshima became a "graveyard turned upside down," with bodies everywhere.
• Remains were hastily buried or cremated, many unidentified.
• Hiroshima Peace Park houses a memorial mound with over 800 identified remains and many more unidentified.

Historical Reflection

• The atomic bomb's devastation is a reminder of the horrors of nuclear warfare.
• Emphasizes the importance of reflecting on these events to prevent history from repeating itself.
• Part of a broader series on World War II's impact on the dead.

Acknowledgments

• Video supported by Patreon donations from viewers passionate about history and its lessons.