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First Post
09-08-2025
- General
- First Post
History Today: When US dropped ‘Fat Man' on Japan's Nagasaki
August 9, 1945 marks the day when the US dropped its second atomic bomb, the 'Fat Man', on the Japanese city of Nagasaki, killing up to 75,000 people and bringing an end to World War II. On this day, the construction of Italy's iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa also began in 1173 read more At 11:02 am, the B-29 bomber Bockscar, piloted by Major Charles Sweeney, released the plutonium-based bomb over Nagasaki. August 9 is one of the most sombre days in history. It marks the moment in 1945 when the world witnessed the horror of a second atomic bomb, this time over Japan's Nagasaki, just three days after the US bombed Hiroshima, leaving it reduced to ashes. If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today, will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD On the same date in 1173, construction began on a bell tower in Pisa, Italy, an ambitious project that would become world-famous for its unexpected tilt. Here is all that happened on this day. US drops 'Fat Man' on Japan's Nagasaki On August 9, 1945, just three days after Hiroshima was bombed, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb, nicknamed 'Fat Man', on the city of Nagasaki. At 11:02 am, the B-29 bomber Bockscar, piloted by Major Charles Sweeney, released the plutonium-based bomb over Nagasaki. However, the city, home to around 263,000 people, was not the original target. The mission was supposed to hit Kokura, but poor visibility and low fuel forced the crew to divert. The United States dropped a second atomic bomb, nicknamed 'Fat Man', on the city of Nagasaki. Image courtesy: National Mueseum of US Navy 'Fat Man' exploded with a force of 21 kilotons of TNT, destroying large parts of the city instantly. It's estimated that between 40,000 and 75,000 people were killed, either immediately or in the days and weeks that followed, due to burns, radiation exposure, and injuries. Among the dead were Japanese civilians, Korean forced labourers, and even Allied prisoners of war. The blast also destroyed Nagasaki's historic Urakami Cathedral, once the largest Catholic church in Asia, along with many homes, schools, and neighbourhoods. Nagaski's Torii Gate in 1948. Three years after nuclear weapons were deployed, charred tree trunks, stripped of their branches, stood near a sacred Torii Gate that survived the blast. Image courtesy: US National Archives Although the scale of destruction was slightly lower than Hiroshima's, mainly due to Nagasaki's hilly terrain and more spread-out urban design, the damage was still immense. According to the Atomic Archive, about 14,000 buildings, or 27 per cent of the city's 52,000 residences, were completely reduced to ashes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The bombing came just hours after the Soviet Union declared war on Japan. Within six days, Japan announced its unconditional surrender on August 15, 1945, effectively ending World War II. People offer silent prayers for the victims of the 1945 atomic bombing in Nagasaki, Japan, Aug. 9, 2023. File photo/ Reuters Today, Nagasaki has a population of around 400,000, a city that has since been rebuilt while continuing to remember the events of that day. Construction of the Leaning Tower of Pisa begins On August 9, 1173, construction began on what was meant to be a freestanding bell tower for the cathedral of Pisa in Italy. No one at the time could have predicted that it would eventually become world-famous for its accidental tilt. The tower was designed to be 56 metres tall with eight storeys, including the chamber for the bells. However, by the time the third floor was completed , builders noticed that the tower had started leaning to one side. The cause? The soft, unstable soil beneath Pisa, a mix of clay, sand, and shells, couldn't support the tower's weight. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Leaning Tower of Pisa. File image/AFP Construction paused multiple times over the next century, partly due to its leaning and the surrounding conflicts. Work resumed in 1272, but further disruptions occurred due to war in 1284. Over time, engineers tried to correct the tilt by adjusting the structure's upper floors. But the lean remained, gradually becoming part of its identity. By the 20th century, the tilt had reached dangerous levels. The tower was closed to the public in 1990 for safety reasons. The tower's lean had reached 5.5 degrees, posing a significant risk of collapse. After a decade of careful engineering work to stabilise it, mostly by removing small amounts of soil from underneath, it was reopened in 2001. Today, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of Italy's most iconic landmarks, attracting millions of tourists every year. With inputs from agencies
India.com
24-05-2025
- General
- India.com
Not Nagasaki, but this city was first target of atom bomb, US changed its decision due to....
Not Nagasaki, but this city was first target of atom bomb, US changed its decision due to.... In the final phase of World War II, on 6 and 9 August 1945, US caused the worst destruction in history by dropping atomic bombs on two Japanese cities, 'Hiroshima and Nagasaki'. Bombs named 'Little Boy' were dropped on Hiroshima and 'Fat Man' on Nagasaki, killing millions of people and turning both cities into ashes. But do you know that Nagasaki was not US's first target? The second atomic bomb was actually to be dropped on another city in Japan, but at the last moment America changed its target and Nagasaki was destroyed instead of that city. This city was US' first target During World War II, the US planned to use atomic bombs with the intention of forcing Japan to surrender. After dropping the first bomb on Hiroshima, the second target was decided and that target was the Japanese city of Kokura. Kokura was an important industrial city of Japan at that time, where there were large-scale ammunition and weapons manufacturing factories. The US strategy was to further weaken Japan's military power by attacking Kokura. For this, on 9 August 1945, the B-29 bomber aircraft 'Box Car' was sent to Kokura with the 'Fat Man' bomb. How the target changed On the morning of August 9, when the B-29 plane reached over Kokura, the weather was bad there. The sky was covered with thick clouds and smoke, due to which the pilot Major Charles Sweeney could not see the target clearly. According to the rules of the US Army, the atomic bomb was to be dropped only on the basis of vision, so that the target could be hit accurately. When the attack on Kokura was not possible even after several rounds, the plane started running out of fuel. In such a situation, Sweeney had to choose the second option and that option was Nagasaki. 74,000 people died due to the bombing Nagasaki was an alternate target on the US list at the time. It was a port city and was also industrially important, but was a lower priority target than Kokura. Weather made it impossible to target Kokura, and the 'Fat Man' bomb was finally dropped on Nagasaki at 11:02 am. The attack killed about 74,000 people, and devastated a large part of the city. Kyoto was also a target, but it survived You will be surprised to know that US had initially included Kyoto city of Japan in the target list. Kyoto was the cultural capital of Japan at that time, where there were many universities, industries, and historical heritages. But American War Minister Henry Stimson got Kyoto removed from the list. The reason was his personal attachment. Stimson had celebrated his honeymoon with his wife in Kyoto and he had many memories associated with this city. Due to his insistence, Nagasaki was included in the list instead of Kyoto. In this way, the memory of a honeymoon saved Kyoto from destruction, but Nagasaki had to pay the price for it. The 'Fat Man' bomb dropped on Nagasaki was even more powerful than Hiroshima's 'Little Boy'. The bomb exploded about 500 meters above the ground, causing a huge mushroom ball of fire to rise into the sky. The explosion was so powerful that 70% of the city's industrial area was completely destroyed. However, the mountains around Nagasaki limited the scope of the devastation to some extent, causing less damage than Hiroshima. Still, the attack took the lives of thousands of people and left a deep impact of radiation on future generations. What do historians say? Many historians believe that Japan was already on the verge of defeat at that time, and the use of atomic bombs was probably not necessary. Some argue that the US demonstrated its military power through these attacks and wanted to send a message to the Soviet Union. At the same time, some say that US President Harry Truman wanted to force Japan to surrender as soon as possible, so that the war could be ended. After these attacks, Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, and World War II came to an end.
