HIROSHIMA: A Story of Blood And Fire

 

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On the 6th of August 1945, the people of Hiroshima, a thriving and major city in one of Japan; must have been going through their day with vigor and glee. A period when world war two was playing out.

They might have heard the news of the world war but knew whatever it is, they were at least safe from attacks. But that was until an An American B-29 Bomber Jet dropped what would become in history the first atomic bomb to be used on a nation by another nation.

And immediately one could feel the spine of humanity bend like the trembling neck of a starved child. 

Over 80 000 people of Hiroshima lost their lives in that fatal attack, mothers who loved mothers, fathers who wanted to for the last time touch their daughters, babies who sucked milk from the breast of dead mums, all became part of a bitter tale told through history.

Enola Gay: The Bomber and Crew Members

American Bomber pilot (in the center) standing with his crew members and Bomber, Eniola Gay; the Bomber ship used to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.  About 1200 people were killed from just the drop of one single bomb called little boy and over a million died from injuries and radiation effects.

Little Boy: The atomic bomb used

After arriving at the US Base  on the Pacific Island of Tinian, the bomb weighing more than 9 000 pound and uranium 253 was loaded on the B-29 bomber named Enola Gay. The bomber plane dropped the bomb by parachute at around 8:15am after which it then exploded 2000 feet above Hiroshima in a blast that destroyed over 5 square miles of the city.

A mushroom cloud over Hiroshima following the Blast

WHY DID THE USA USE ATOMIC BOMBS ON HIROSHIMA

The Manhattan Project was responsible for the production of the two types of Atomic bombs used in the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Orders for the atomic bombs to be used on four Japanese cities were issued on july 25, barely 2 weeks after that the orders were carried out. 

Source: The First Use of the Atomic Bomb

But why did the US decide to use an Atomic bomb.

Harry Truman, the then president of the United States had asked a committee of advisers which included the secretary of war, Henry Stimson, General Douglas MacArthur and some scientists from the Manhattan project to deliberate on whether or not to use the bomb. As expected, the committee was divided, the assistant to the secretary of war, John McCloy was of the opinion that the bomb be detonated in a non-inhabited part of Japan where it can be easily observed without human casualties.

According to Charles Mair, a professor of history at Harvard University. He said the major reason the bomb was used was because they needed to bring the war to an abrupt end. The war was beginning to get two expensive and costly with human casualties going over a million. With the use of the bomb, the Japanese government can come to a quick surrender. 

On the 15 of August 1945, 9days after the destuction of Hiroshima, the Japanese emperor, HiroHito announced his country's surrender via a radio broadcast.

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An elderly victim covered in fleas in a makeshift hospital after the blast.

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A woman and her child walking on the day of the bombing. More than 70 000 people were killed just from the bombs initial blast. 

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Victims of the initial blast awaiting treatment at a makeshift hospital

A dying mother tends to her dying child as they await treatment.

source: National Geographic

A young Victim cries as he receives temporary treatment at a makeshift hospital

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An injured mother reaches out to touch her sleeping child

So many people have condemned the use of the Atomic bomb by the administration of Harry Truman. 

A Former President of the United States, President Dwight D. Eisenhower said the use of the atomic bomb were not necessary to force a surrender, he added that Japan may have been willing to surrender with conditions like allowing the Emperor stay in power after surrender.

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The remains of a Japanese Barracks in Hiroshima after the blast.

Was the use of the Bomb justified? Could the US have looked for a better alternative. Was it just a ploy to make a stand as a superpower in years to come following the end of the war? 

Whatever the answer maybe, the world hopes to never see a time when something like this would be done again.

 

REFERENCES

1. Why Did The US Bomb Hiroshima?
2. The Japanese Refuse To Surrender
3. Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki