80 Years Of Hiroshima And Nagasaki Bombings: Lesser Known Facts About Ground Zero
The bombing of the western Japanese city of Hiroshima was followed by the bombing of Nagasaki three days later, which led to Japan's surrender and the end of World War II.
Hiroshima Day, observed annually on August 6, is a day for the world to reflect on the humanitarian consequences of nuclear warfare. The Hiroshima bombing was a crucial moment in history, and its impacts are still felt.
Here are some lesser-known facts about the tragic bombings
Bombing Details and Bomb Characteristics: US B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped the atomic bomb on August 6, 1945, at 8:15 am (local time). A bomb named "Fat Man" was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9 at 11:02 am (local time).
Little Boy, a uranium-powered nuclear bomb, unleashed a surge of heat reaching 4,000 degrees Celsius (7,200 Fahrenheit). Meanwhile, Fat Man was a plutonium-powered nuclear bomb with an explosive power equivalent to 21 kilotons of TNT.
Deaths and Scale of Destruction: Around 70,000 to 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 40,000 to 75,000 people in Nagasaki died instantly after the blast, which destroyed nearly 70 per cent of Hiroshima's buildings, including homes and businesses. Meanwhile, 44 per cent of Nagasaki was ruined.
As of August 2024, Japan has recognised a total of 344,306 deaths in Hiroshima and 198,785 in Nagasaki, including those from radiation illness and injuries.
Long-term Effects: The survivors were called "hibakusha". They suffered from radiation exposure, leading to an increased incidence of leukaemia, cancer and other chronic diseases.
Hibakusha is a Japanese term meaning "bomb-affected people". The government announced several measures to support the survivors, but many faced discrimination within the country as people often refused to hire or marry them. In the decades following the attacks, rumours spread that Hibakusha carried diseases and their offspring could be tainted.
Target Selection: The US chose Hiroshima and Nagasaki as targets due to their military significance and industrial importance. Hiroshima was the headquarters of some military units and a major supply base during World War II. US war planners calculated that the surrounding mountains would concentrate the force of the bomb and enhance its destructiveness.
Nagasaki wasn't the prime target as authorities managed to put together a short list of four cities: Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata and Kyoto. However, Secretary of War Henry Stimson changed the list. He apparently said that Kyoto was too important a cultural centre to be destroyed, but some reports noted that Henry had personal reasons, as he might have spent his honeymoon there.
What Happened to the Plants: It was assumed that the Earth at Ground Zero would be dead after the bombings. But a report by Grunge mentioned that weeds appeared within a few months. It also noted that oleanders blossomed in the spring of 1946, and camphor trees also produced new growth.
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