The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Rafia Anwer

POTSDAM DECLARATION

Called for Japans unconditional surrender and an end to Militarism in Japan. Issued on July 26, 1945 by Harry S. Truman. If Japan did not surrender it would face "prompt and utter destruction."

REASONS FOR A-BOMBING?

Japan refused the Declaration The USA did not want to invade Japan They reasoned that using the A-bomb would deliver a huge blow to Japan This would save the lives of hundreds of thousands of American troops US wanted to end the World War II with less American casualties. US wanted to test their two new bombs

MANHATTAN PROJECT

A secret US project to create first atomic weapon. The bombs were made of uranium and plutonium isotopes.

CHOOSING TARGETS
There were four targets to choose from: Hiroshima, Kokura, Nagasaki, and Niigata. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were selected because they were left mostly untouched by war.

BOMBING ON HIROSHIMA

Hiroshima was the primary target on August 6, 1945. B-29 ENOLA GAY, followed by two other B-29s. Great Artiste and Necessary Evil.

On August 6, 1945, Paul W. Tibbets and his crew dropped the Uranium-based Atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The Gun-like bomb was code named Little Boy. 60 kg of Uranium-235 = 13 Kilotons of TNT

Aftermath

The last killed approx. 70,000 people in Hiroshima. By the end of 1945 90,000-166,000 people died of related diseases

1950-2000, 46% of leukemia deaths and 11% of solid cancer deaths among bomb survivors were due to radiation from the bombs.

BEFORE

AFTER

JAPAN STILL DID NOT REACT TO POTSDAM DECLARATION

The world will note that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, a military base. We won the race of discovery against the Germans. We have used it in order to shorten the agony of war, in order to save the lives of thousands and thousands of young Americans. We shall continue to use it until we completely destroy Japan's power to make war.
- President Harry S. Truman

BOMBING ON NAGASAKI

On the morning of August 9, 1945, the U.S. B-29 Superfortress Bockscar, flown by the Major Charles W. Sweeney and his crew. Bomb Code name: FAT MAN

6.4kg plutonium-239=21 Kilotons of TNT

Aftermath

The death toll (of all related deaths) was about 135,000

Japan surrendered to the Allied Powers on August 14, 1945. Emperor Hirohito accepted the Potsdam Declaration

The End