71 years after the destruction of this city by an atomic bomb, it again raises the inevitable questions of why the United States dropped this bomb, whether it was necessary to force the Japanese to surrender, and whether the bombing helped save the lives of soldiers, making it unnecessary to invade the Japanese islands.

Beginning in the 1960s, when Vietnam shattered the illusions of millions of Americans about the Cold War and the US role in the world, the idea that there was no need to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki began to gain ground. A new constellation of historians, led by economist Gar Alperovitz, began to argue that the bomb was dropped more to intimidate the Soviet Union than to defeat Japan. By 1995, America was so divided on the need and morality of the bombings that the Smithsonian's 50th anniversary exhibit had to be redesigned several times, and ultimately drastically reduced. Passions cooled down when a generation of participants in that war left the stage, and scientists turned to other topics. But the president's visit will inflame them with renewed vigor.

Since passion, not reason, is the driving force in the debate, too little attention has been paid to the serious scientific work and documentary evidence that casts doubt on new theories about the use of the atomic bomb. As early as 1973, Robert James Maddox demonstrated that Alperovitz's arguments about the bomb and the USSR were almost completely unfounded, but Maddox's work did not have a significant impact on public perceptions of those events.

However, those who continue to claim that the real target of the atomic bombs was Moscow, not Tokyo, have to rely only on inferences about the thoughts of President Truman and his top advisers, since there is no documentary evidence of their feelings and mindsets. Meanwhile, other studies have made important contributions to this controversy. Thanks to them, we clearly understand that the Japanese had no intention of capitulating on American terms before the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, that they intended to staunchly resist the planned US invasion, that they were well prepared for it, and that the consequences of a prolonged war on Japanese and American forces could be much more serious than the damaging effects of two bombs.

President Roosevelt, speaking at a conference in Casablanca in early 1943, publicly outlined the US goals in this war: the unconditional surrender of all America's enemies, allowing their territory to be occupied and new political institutions to be established in them at the discretion of the US. At the beginning of the summer of 1945, such conditions were accepted by Germany. But as Richard B. Frank, in his brilliant 1999 study Downfall (1999), shows, the Japanese government, knowing full well that it could not win the war, was completely unprepared to accept such conditions. First of all, it wanted to prevent the American occupation of the country and changes in the political system of Japan.

Knowing that American troops would be forced to land on Kyushu and then continue their offensive on Honshu and Tokyo, the Japanese planned a massive and very costly battle on Kyushu, which could lead to such serious losses that Washington would have to compromise. But something else is even more important. As a remarkable 1998 analysis of American intelligence shows, the Japanese managed to create very strong fortifications in Kyushu, and the US military knew about it. By the end of July 1945, military intelligence had changed their estimates of Japanese troop levels on Kyushu upwards; and the Army Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall, was so alarmed by these estimates that by the time of the first bombardment, he suggested to the commander of the invasion force, General MacArthur, that he reconsider his plans, and possibly abandon them.

Context

Obama Prepares for Hiroshima Visit

Toyo Keizai 05/19/2016

"Nuclear-free world" is moving away

Nihon Keizai 05/12/2016

Hiroshima: remember the victims

The Christian Science Monitor 05/11/2016

Multimedia

Hiroshima is waiting for an apology?

Reuters May 27, 2016

From the scene: the atomic bombings of Japan

The Associated Press 08/07/2015

After the nuclear explosion

Reuters 08/06/2015
It turned out that the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, coupled with the entry of the USSR into the war against Japan (all this happened in three days), convinced the emperor and the Japanese government that surrender was the only possible way out. But evidence is increasingly pointing out that had it not been for these atomic bombings, Japan would not have capitulated on US terms prior to the American invasion.

Thus, the United States dropped the bombs to end the war that Japan launched in Asia in 1931 and reached the United States at Pearl Harbor. Thus, America managed to abandon the invasion, which could take hundreds of thousands of lives. Frank also claims in his work that many thousands of Japanese civilians may have starved to death during the invasion.

This does not mean that we can forget about the moral side of the atomic bombings that destroyed two cities. Since then, there has been nothing like it in the world. Apparently, the understanding of what atomic weapons can do has a deterrent effect on all parties. We must hope that this will never happen again.

But we are not arguing about the use of atomic bombs specifically, but about the attitude towards human life, including the attitude towards the life of the civilian population, which underwent changes for the better during the Second World War. In the years before the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, British and American strategists considered the destruction of entire cities a legitimate means of defeating Germany and Japan. Incendiary bombs dropped on Hamburg, Dresden, Tokyo and other cities resulted in losses comparable to the results of the atomic bombings in Japan. To my knowledge, no historian has yet attempted to understand why the notion of the legitimate need to bomb entire cities with their entire populations has become a common tactic in the British and American Air Forces. But such notions remain a sad testament to the ideals and morals of the 20th century. In any case, this threshold was passed long before Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Atomic bombings terrify us today, but at that time they were considered a necessary step to end the terrible war as soon as possible with minimal human losses. Careful historical analysis confirms this view.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki are some of the most famous Japanese cities in the world. Of course, the reason for their fame is very sad - these are the only two cities on Earth where atomic bombs were detonated to purposefully destroy the enemy. Two cities were completely destroyed, thousands of people died, and the world changed completely. Here are 25 little-known facts about Hiroshima and Nagasaki that you should know so that the tragedy never happens again anywhere.

1. Survive in the epicenter

The man who survived closest to the epicenter of the explosion in Hiroshima was less than 200 meters from the epicenter of the explosion in the basement.

2. An explosion is not a hindrance to a tournament

Less than 5 kilometers from the epicenter of the explosion, a go tournament was taking place. Although the building was destroyed and many people were injured, the tournament ended later that day.

3. Made to last

A safe in a bank in Hiroshima survived the explosion. After the war, a bank manager wrote to Mosler Safe in Ohio expressing "his admiration for a product that survived the atomic bomb."

4. Doubtful luck

Tsutomu Yamaguchi is one of the luckiest people in the world. He survived the Hiroshima bombing in a bomb shelter and took the first train to Nagasaki for work the next morning. During the bombing of Nagasaki three days later, Yamaguchi managed to survive again.

5. 50 Pumpkin Bombs

The United States dropped about 50 Pumpkin bombs on Japan before "Fat Man" and "Baby" (they were named so for their resemblance to a pumpkin). "Pumpkins" were not atomic.

6. Coup attempt

The Japanese army was mobilized for "total war". This meant that every man, woman and child must resist the invasion until their death. When the emperor ordered surrender after the atomic bombing, the army attempted a coup d'état.

7. Six survivors

Gingko biloba trees are known for their amazing resilience. After the bombing of Hiroshima, 6 such trees survived and are still growing today.

8. From the fire to the frying pan

After the bombing of Hiroshima, hundreds of survivors fled to Nagasaki, where an atomic bomb was also dropped. In addition to Tsutomu Yamaguchi, 164 other people survived both bombings.

9. Not a single police officer died in Nagasaki

After the bombing of Hiroshima, the surviving police officers were sent to Nagasaki to teach the local police how to behave after the atomic flash. As a result, not a single policeman died in Nagasaki.

10. A quarter of the dead are Koreans

Almost a quarter of all those who died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were actually Koreans who were mobilized to fight in the war.

11. Radioactive contamination is cancelled. USA.

Initially, the United States denied that nuclear explosions would leave radioactive contamination behind.

12. Operation Meetinghouse

During World War II, it was not Hiroshima and Nagasaki that suffered the most from the bombing. During Operation Meetinghouse, the allied forces almost destroyed Tokyo.

13. Only three out of twelve

Only three of the twelve men on the Enola Gay bomber knew the real purpose of their mission.

14. "Fire of the world"

In 1964, the "Fire of the World" was lit in Hiroshima, which will burn until nuclear weapons are destroyed throughout the world.

15. Kyoto narrowly escaped the bombing

Kyoto narrowly escaped the bombing. It was crossed off the list because former US Secretary of War Henry Stimson admired the city during his honeymoon in 1929. Instead of Kyoto, Nagasaki was chosen.

16. Only after 3 hours

In Tokyo, only 3 hours later they learned that Hiroshima had been destroyed. It was not until 16 hours later, when Washington announced the bombing, that exactly how it happened was known.

17. Air defense carelessness

Prior to the bombing, Japanese radar operators spotted three American bombers flying at high altitude. They decided not to intercept them, as they considered that such a small number of aircraft did not pose a threat.

18 Enola Gay

The crew of the Enola Gay bomber had 12 potassium cyanide tablets, which the pilots were to take in the event of a mission failure.

19. Peace Memorial City

After World War II, Hiroshima changed its status to a "Peace Memorial City" as a reminder to the world of the destructive power of nuclear weapons. When Japan conducted nuclear tests, the mayor of Hiroshima bombarded the government with letters of protest.

20. Mutant Monster

Godzilla was invented in Japan as a reaction to the atomic bombing. It was assumed that the monster mutated due to radioactive contamination.

21. Apology to Japan

Although Dr. Seuss advocated the occupation of Japan during the war, his post-war book Horton is an allegory for the events in Hiroshima and an apology to Japan for what happened. He dedicated the book to his Japanese friend.

22. Shadows on the remains of the walls

The explosions in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were so strong that they literally evaporated people, leaving their shadows forever on the remains of the walls, on the ground.

23. The official symbol of Hiroshima

Since the oleander was the first plant to bloom in Hiroshima after the nuclear explosion, it is the city's official flower.

24. Bombardment Warning

Before launching nuclear strikes, the US Air Force dropped millions of leaflets over Hiroshima, Nagasaki and 33 other potential targets warning of the upcoming bombing.

25. Radio alert

The American radio station in Saipan also broadcast a message about the impending bombardment throughout Japan every 15 minutes until the bombs were dropped.

A modern person should know and. This knowledge will help protect yourself and your loved ones.

The only combat use of nuclear weapons in the world was the bombing of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. At the same time, it should be noted that the unfortunate cities turned out to be victims in many respects, thanks to the tragic circumstances.

Who will we bomb?

In May 1945, US President Harry Truman was given a list of several Japanese cities that were supposed to be hit by a nuclear attack. Four cities were chosen as the main targets. Kyoto as the main center of Japanese industry. Hiroshima, as the largest military port with ammunition depots. Yokohama was chosen due to the defense factories located on its territory. Niigata became a target because of its military port, and Kokura was on the "hit list" as the country's largest military arsenal. Note that Nagasaki was not originally on this list. In the opinion of the US military, the nuclear bombing was supposed to have not so much a military effect as a psychological one. After it, the Japanese government had to abandon further military struggle.

Kyoto was saved by a miracle

From the very beginning, Kyoto was supposed to be the main target. The choice fell on this city not only because of its huge industrial potential. It was here that the color of the Japanese scientific, technical and cultural intelligentsia was concentrated. If a nuclear attack on this city really took place, Japan would be thrown far back in terms of civilization. However, this is exactly what the Americans needed. The unfortunate Hiroshima was chosen as the second city. The Americans cynically considered that the hills surrounding the city would increase the force of the explosion, significantly increasing the number of victims. The most surprising thing is that Kyoto escaped a terrible fate thanks to the sentimentality of US Secretary of War Henry Stimson. In his youth, a high-ranking military man spent his honeymoon in the city. He not only knew and appreciated the beauty and culture of Kyoto, but also did not want to spoil the bright memories of his youth. Stimson did not hesitate to cross Kyoto off the list of cities proposed for nuclear bombing. Subsequently, General Leslie Groves, who led the US nuclear weapons program, in his book “Now You Can Tell It,” recalled that he insisted on the bombing of Kyoto, but he was persuaded, emphasizing the historical and cultural significance of the city. Groves was very dissatisfied, but nevertheless agreed to replace Kyoto with Nagasaki.

What is wrong with Christians?

At the same time, if we analyze the choice of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as targets for nuclear bombing, then many uncomfortable questions arise. The Americans knew very well that the main religion of Japan is Shinto. The number of Christians in this country is extremely small. At the same time, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were considered Christian cities. It turns out that the US military deliberately chose cities inhabited by Christians for bombing? The first B-29 "Great Artist" aircraft had two purposes: the city of Kokura as the main one, and Nagasaki as a spare. However, when the plane with great difficulty reached the territory of Japan, Kukura was hidden by thick clouds of smoke from the burning Yawata metallurgical plant. They decided to bomb Nagasaki. The bomb fell on the city on August 9, 1945 at 11:02 am. In the blink of an eye, an explosion with a capacity of 21 kilotons destroyed several tens of thousands of people. He was not even saved by the fact that in the vicinity of Nagasaki there was a camp for prisoners of war of the allied armies of the anti-Hitler coalition. Moreover, in the United States, its location was well known. During the bombing of Hiroshima, a nuclear bomb was even dropped over the Urakamitenshudo Church, the largest Christian temple in the country. The explosion killed 160,000 people.

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively) are the only two examples of the combat use of nuclear weapons in human history. Carried out by the US Armed Forces at the final stage of World War II in order to hasten the surrender of Japan in the Pacific theater of operations of World War II.

On the morning of August 6, 1945, the American B-29 Enola Gay bomber, named after the mother (Enola Gay Haggard) of the crew commander, Colonel Paul Tibbets, dropped the Little Boy atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. 13 to 18 kilotons of TNT. Three days later, on August 9, 1945, the atomic bomb "Fat Man" ("Fat Man") was dropped on the city of Nagasaki by pilot Charles Sweeney, commander of the B-29 "Bockscar" bomber. The total death toll ranged from 90 to 166 thousand people in Hiroshima and from 60 to 80 thousand people in Nagasaki.

The shock of the US atomic bombings had a profound effect on Japanese Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki and Japanese Foreign Minister Togo Shigenori, who were inclined to believe that the Japanese government should end the war.

On August 15, 1945, Japan announced its surrender. The act of surrender, formally ending World War II, was signed on September 2, 1945.

The role of the atomic bombings in Japan's surrender and the ethical justification of the bombings themselves are still hotly debated.

Prerequisites

In September 1944, at a meeting between US President Franklin Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Hyde Park, an agreement was reached, according to which the possibility of using atomic weapons against Japan was envisaged.

By the summer of 1945, the United States of America, with the support of Great Britain and Canada, within the framework of the Manhattan Project, completed preparatory work to create the first working models of nuclear weapons.

After three and a half years of direct US involvement in World War II, about 200,000 Americans were killed, about half of them in the war against Japan. In April-June 1945, during the operation to capture the Japanese island of Okinawa, more than 12 thousand American soldiers were killed, 39 thousand were injured (Japanese losses ranged from 93 to 110 thousand soldiers and over 100 thousand civilians). It was expected that the invasion of Japan itself would lead to losses many times greater than those of Okinawan.

Model of the bomb "Kid" (eng. Little boy), dropped on Hiroshima

May 1945: Target selection

During its second meeting at Los Alamos (May 10-11, 1945), the Targeting Committee recommended as targets for the use of atomic weapons Kyoto (the largest industrial center), Hiroshima (the center of army warehouses and a military port), Yokohama (the center of military industry), Kokuru (the largest military arsenal) and Niigata (military port and engineering center). The committee rejected the idea of ​​using these weapons against a purely military target, as there was a chance of overshooting a small area not surrounded by a vast urban area.

When choosing a goal, great importance was attached to psychological factors, such as:

achieving maximum psychological effect against Japan,

the first use of the weapon must be significant enough for international recognition of its importance. The Committee pointed out that the choice of Kyoto was supported by the fact that its population had a higher level of education and thus were better able to appreciate the value of weapons. Hiroshima, on the other hand, was of such a size and location that, given the focusing effect of the surrounding hills, the force of the explosion could be increased.

US Secretary of War Henry Stimson struck Kyoto off the list due to the city's cultural significance. According to Professor Edwin O. Reischauer, Stimson "knew and appreciated Kyoto from his honeymoon there decades ago."

Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the map of Japan

On July 16, the world's first successful test of an atomic weapon was carried out at a test site in New Mexico. The power of the explosion was about 21 kilotons of TNT.

On July 24, during the Potsdam Conference, US President Harry Truman informed Stalin that the United States had a new weapon of unprecedented destructive power. Truman did not specify that he was referring specifically to atomic weapons. According to Truman's memoirs, Stalin showed little interest, remarking only that he was glad and hoped that the US could use him effectively against the Japanese. Churchill, who carefully observed Stalin's reaction, remained of the opinion that Stalin did not understand the true meaning of Truman's words and did not pay attention to him. At the same time, according to Zhukov's memoirs, Stalin perfectly understood everything, but did not show it and, in a conversation with Molotov after the meeting, noted that "It will be necessary to talk with Kurchatov about speeding up our work." After the declassification of the operation of the American intelligence services "Venona", it became known that Soviet agents had long been reporting on the development of nuclear weapons. According to some reports, agent Theodor Hall, a few days before the Potsdam conference, even announced the planned date for the first nuclear test. This may explain why Stalin took Truman's message calmly. Hall had been working for Soviet intelligence since 1944.

On July 25, Truman approved the order, beginning August 3, to bomb one of the following targets: Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata, or Nagasaki, as soon as the weather allowed, and in the future, the following cities, as bombs arrived.

On July 26, the governments of the United States, Britain, and China signed the Potsdam Declaration, which set out the demand for Japan's unconditional surrender. The atomic bomb was not mentioned in the declaration.

The next day, Japanese newspapers reported that the declaration, which had been broadcast over the radio and scattered in leaflets from airplanes, had been rejected. The Japanese government has not expressed a desire to accept the ultimatum. On July 28, Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki stated at a press conference that the Potsdam Declaration was nothing more than the old arguments of the Cairo Declaration in a new wrapper, and demanded that the government ignore it.

Emperor Hirohito, who was waiting for a Soviet response to the evasive diplomatic moves of the Japanese, did not change the decision of the government. On July 31, in a conversation with Koichi Kido, he made it clear that the imperial power must be protected at all costs.

Preparing for the bombing

During May-June 1945, the American 509th Combined Aviation Group arrived on Tinian Island. The group's base area on the island was a few miles from the rest of the units and was carefully guarded.

On July 28, the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, George Marshall, signed the order for the combat use of nuclear weapons. The order, drafted by Major General Leslie Groves, head of the Manhattan Project, called for a nuclear attack "on any day after August 3rd, as soon as the weather permits." On July 29, US Strategic Air Command General Karl Spaats arrived on Tinian, delivering Marshall's order to the island.

On July 28 and August 2, components of the Fat Man atomic bomb were brought to Tinian by aircraft.

Hiroshima during World War II

Hiroshima was located on a flat area, slightly above sea level at the mouth of the Ota River, on 6 islands connected by 81 bridges. The population of the city before the war was over 340 thousand people, which made Hiroshima the seventh largest city in Japan. The city was the headquarters of the Fifth Division and the Second Main Army of Field Marshal Shunroku Hata, who commanded the defense of all of Southern Japan. Hiroshima was an important supply base for the Japanese army.

In Hiroshima (as well as in Nagasaki), most buildings were one- and two-story wooden buildings with tiled roofs. Factories were located on the outskirts of the city. Outdated fire equipment and insufficient training of personnel created a high fire hazard even in peacetime.

The population of Hiroshima peaked at 380,000 during the course of the war, but before the bombing, the population gradually decreased due to systematic evacuations ordered by the Japanese government. At the time of the attack, the population was about 245 thousand people.

Bombardment

The main target of the first American nuclear bombing was Hiroshima (Kokura and Nagasaki were spares). Although Truman's order called for the atomic bombing to begin on August 3, cloud cover over the target prevented this until August 6.

On August 6, at 1:45 am, an American B-29 bomber under the command of the commander of the 509th mixed aviation regiment, Colonel Paul Tibbets, carrying the atomic bomb "Baby" on board, took off from Tinian Island, which was about 6 hours from Hiroshima. Tibbets' aircraft ("Enola Gay") flew as part of a formation that included six other aircraft: a spare aircraft ("Top Secret"), two controllers and three reconnaissance aircraft ("Jebit III", "Full House" and "Street Flash"). Reconnaissance aircraft commanders sent to Nagasaki and Kokura reported significant cloud cover over these cities. The pilot of the third reconnaissance aircraft, Major Iserli, found out that the sky over Hiroshima was clear and sent a signal "Bomb the first target."

Around 7 a.m., a network of Japanese early warning radars detected the approach of several American aircraft heading towards southern Japan. An air raid alert was issued and radio broadcasts stopped in many cities, including Hiroshima. At about 08:00 a radar operator in Hiroshima determined that the number of incoming aircraft was very small—perhaps no more than three—and the air raid alert was called off. In order to save fuel and aircraft, the Japanese did not intercept small groups of American bombers. The standard message was broadcast over the radio that it would be wise to go to the bomb shelters if the B-29s were actually seen, and that it was not a raid that was expected, but just some kind of reconnaissance.

At 08:15 local time, the B-29, being at an altitude of over 9 km, dropped an atomic bomb on the center of Hiroshima.

The first public announcement of the event came from Washington, sixteen hours after the atomic attack on the Japanese city.

The shadow of a man who was sitting on the steps of the stairs in front of the bank entrance at the time of the explosion, 250 meters from the epicenter

explosion effect

Those closest to the epicenter of the explosion died instantly, their bodies turned to coal. Birds flying past burned up in the air, and dry, flammable materials such as paper ignited up to 2 km from the epicenter. Light radiation burned the dark pattern of clothes into the skin and left the silhouettes of human bodies on the walls. People outside the houses described a blinding flash of light, which simultaneously came with a wave of suffocating heat. The blast wave, for all who were near the epicenter, followed almost immediately, often knocking down. Those in the buildings tended to avoid exposure to the light from the explosion, but not the blast wave—glass shards hit most rooms, and all but the strongest buildings collapsed. One teenager was blasted out of his house across the street as the house collapsed behind him. Within a few minutes, 90% of people who were at a distance of 800 meters or less from the epicenter died.

The blast wave shattered glass at a distance of up to 19 km. For those in the buildings, the typical first reaction was the thought of a direct hit from an aerial bomb.

Numerous small fires that simultaneously broke out in the city soon merged into one large fire tornado, which created a strong wind (speed of 50-60 km/h) directed towards the epicenter. The fiery tornado captured over 11 km² of the city, killing everyone who did not have time to get out within the first few minutes after the explosion.

According to the memoirs of Akiko Takakura, one of the few survivors who were at the time of the explosion at a distance of 300 m from the epicenter,

Three colors characterize for me the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima: black, red and brown. Black because the explosion cut off the sunlight and plunged the world into darkness. Red was the color of blood flowing from wounded and broken people. It was also the color of the fires that burned everything in the city. Brown was the color of burnt, peeling skin exposed to light from the explosion.

A few days after the explosion, among the survivors, doctors began to notice the first symptoms of exposure. Soon, the number of deaths among survivors began to rise again as patients who seemed to be recovering began to suffer from this strange new disease. Deaths from radiation sickness peaked 3-4 weeks after the explosion and began to decline only after 7-8 weeks. Japanese doctors considered vomiting and diarrhea characteristic of radiation sickness to be symptoms of dysentery. The long-term health effects associated with exposure, such as an increased risk of cancer, haunted the survivors for the rest of their lives, as did the psychological shock of the explosion.

The first person in the world whose cause of death was officially indicated as a disease caused by the consequences of a nuclear explosion (radiation poisoning) was the actress Midori Naka, who survived the Hiroshima explosion, but died on August 24, 1945. Journalist Robert Jung believes that it was Midori's disease and its popularity among ordinary people allowed people to know the truth about the emerging "new disease". Until the death of Midori, no one attached importance to the mysterious deaths of people who survived the moment of the explosion and died under circumstances unknown to science at the time. Jung believes that Midori's death was the impetus for accelerated research in nuclear physics and medicine, which soon managed to save the lives of many people from radiation exposure.

Japanese awareness of the consequences of the attack

The Tokyo operator of the Japan Broadcasting Corporation noticed that the Hiroshima station stopped broadcasting the signal. He tried to re-establish the broadcast using a different phone line, but that also failed. About twenty minutes later, the Tokyo Rail Telegraph Control Center realized that the main telegraph line had stopped working just north of Hiroshima. From a halt 16 km from Hiroshima, unofficial and confusing reports of a terrible explosion came. All these messages were forwarded to the headquarters of the Japanese General Staff.

Military bases repeatedly tried to call the Hiroshima Command and Control Center. The complete silence from there baffled the General Staff, since they knew that there was no major enemy raid in Hiroshima and there was no significant explosives depot. The young staff officer was instructed to immediately fly to Hiroshima, land, assess the damage, and return to Tokyo with reliable information. The headquarters basically believed that nothing serious happened there, and the reports were explained by rumors.

The officer from the headquarters went to the airport, from where he flew to the southwest. After a three-hour flight, while still 160 km from Hiroshima, he and his pilot noticed a large cloud of smoke from the bomb. It was a bright day and the ruins of Hiroshima were burning. Their plane soon reached the city around which they circled in disbelief. From the city there was only a zone of continuous destruction, still burning and covered with a thick cloud of smoke. They landed south of the city, and the officer reported the incident to Tokyo and immediately began organizing rescue efforts.

The first real understanding by the Japanese of what really caused the disaster came from a public announcement from Washington, sixteen hours after the atomic attack on Hiroshima.

Hiroshima after the atomic explosion

Loss and destruction

The number of deaths from the direct impact of the explosion ranged from 70 to 80 thousand people. By the end of 1945, due to the action of radioactive contamination and other post-effects of the explosion, the total number of deaths was from 90 to 166 thousand people. After 5 years, the total death toll, taking into account deaths from cancer and other long-term effects of the explosion, could reach or even exceed 200 thousand people.

According to official Japanese data as of March 31, 2013, there were 201,779 "hibakusha" alive - people affected by the effects of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This number includes children born to women exposed to radiation from the explosions (predominantly living in Japan at the time of count). Of these, 1%, according to the Japanese government, had serious cancers caused by radiation exposure after the bombings. The number of deaths as of August 31, 2013 is about 450 thousand: 286,818 in Hiroshima and 162,083 in Nagasaki.

Nuclear pollution

The concept of "radioactive contamination" did not yet exist in those years, and therefore this issue was not even raised then. People continued to live and rebuild the destroyed buildings in the same place where they were before. Even the high mortality of the population in subsequent years, as well as illnesses and genetic abnormalities in children born after the bombings, were not initially associated with exposure to radiation. The evacuation of the population from the contaminated areas was not carried out, since no one knew about the very presence of radioactive contamination.

It is rather difficult to give an accurate assessment of the extent of this contamination due to lack of information, however, since technically the first atomic bombs were relatively low-yield and imperfect (the "Kid" bomb, for example, contained 64 kg of uranium, of which only approximately 700 g reacted division), the level of pollution of the area could not be significant, although it posed a serious danger to the population. For comparison: at the time of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, several tons of fission products and transuranium elements, various radioactive isotopes accumulated during the operation of the reactor, were in the reactor core.

Comparative preservation of some buildings

Some of the reinforced concrete buildings in Hiroshima were very stable (due to the risk of earthquakes) and their framework did not collapse despite being quite close to the center of destruction in the city (the epicenter of the explosion). Thus stood the brick building of the Hiroshima Chamber of Industry (now commonly known as the "Genbaku Dome", or "Atomic Dome"), designed and built by Czech architect Jan Letzel, which was only 160 meters from the epicenter of the explosion (at the height of the bomb detonation 600 m above the surface). The ruins became the most famous exhibit of the Hiroshima atomic explosion and were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, over objections raised by the US and Chinese governments.

On August 6, after receiving news of the successful atomic bombing of Hiroshima, US President Truman announced that

We are now ready to destroy, even faster and more completely than before, all Japanese land-based production facilities in any city. We will destroy their docks, their factories and their communications. Let there be no misunderstanding - we will completely destroy Japan's ability to wage war.

It was to prevent the destruction of Japan that an ultimatum was issued on July 26 in Potsdam. Their leadership immediately rejected his terms. If they do not accept our terms now, let them expect a rain of destruction from the air, the likes of which have not yet been seen on this planet.

Upon receiving news of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the Japanese government met to discuss their response. Beginning in June, the emperor advocated peace negotiations, but the minister of defense, as well as the leadership of the army and navy, believed that Japan should wait to see if attempts at peace negotiations through the Soviet Union would yield better results than unconditional surrender. The military leadership also believed that if they could hold out until the invasion of the Japanese islands began, it would be possible to inflict such losses on the Allied forces that Japan could win peace conditions other than unconditional surrender.

On August 9, the USSR declared war on Japan and Soviet troops launched an invasion of Manchuria. Hopes for the mediation of the USSR in the negotiations collapsed. The top leadership of the Japanese army began preparations for declaring martial law in order to prevent any attempts at peace negotiations.

The second atomic bombing (Kokura) was scheduled for 11 August, but was pushed back 2 days to avoid a five-day period of bad weather that was forecast to begin on 10 August.

Nagasaki during World War II

Nagasaki in 1945 was located in two valleys, through which two rivers flowed. The mountain range divided the districts of the city.

The development was chaotic: out of the total city area of ​​90 km², 12 were built up with residential quarters.

During the Second World War, the city, which was a major seaport, also acquired special significance as an industrial center, in which steel production and the Mitsubishi shipyard, Mitsubishi-Urakami torpedo production were concentrated. Guns, ships and other military equipment were made in the city.

Nagasaki was not subjected to large-scale bombing until the explosion of the atomic bomb, but as early as August 1, 1945, several high-explosive bombs were dropped on the city, damaging shipyards and docks in the southwestern part of the city. Bombs also hit the Mitsubishi steel and gun factories. The August 1 raid resulted in a partial evacuation of the population, especially schoolchildren. However, at the time of the bombing, the city's population was still around 200,000.

Nagasaki before and after the atomic explosion

Bombardment

The main target of the second American nuclear bombing was Kokura, the spare was Nagasaki.

At 2:47 a.m. on August 9, an American B-29 bomber under the command of Major Charles Sweeney, carrying the Fat Man atomic bomb, took off from Tinian Island.

Unlike the first bombardment, the second was fraught with numerous technical problems. Even before takeoff, a fuel pump malfunction was discovered in one of the spare fuel tanks. Despite this, the crew decided to conduct the flight as planned.

At approximately 7:50 am, an air raid alert was issued in Nagasaki, which was canceled at 8:30 am.

At 08:10, after reaching a rendezvous point with other B-29s participating in the sortie, one of them was found missing. For 40 minutes, Sweeney's B-29 circled around the rendezvous point, but did not wait for the missing aircraft to appear. At the same time, reconnaissance aircraft reported that the cloudiness over Kokura and Nagasaki, although present, still allows for bombing under visual control.

At 08:50, B-29, carrying the atomic bomb, headed for Kokura, where it arrived at 09:20. By this time, however, 70% cloud cover was already observed over the city, which did not allow visual bombing. After three unsuccessful visits to the target, at 10:32 B-29 headed for Nagasaki. By this point, due to a fuel pump failure, there was only enough fuel for one pass over Nagasaki.

At 10:53, two B-29s came into the air defense field of view, the Japanese mistook them for reconnaissance and did not announce a new alarm.

At 10:56 B-29 arrived at Nagasaki, which, as it turned out, was also obscured by clouds. Sweeney reluctantly approved a much less accurate radar approach. At the last moment, however, bombardier-gunner Captain Kermit Behan (eng.) in the gap between the clouds noticed the silhouette of the city stadium, focusing on which, he dropped the atomic bomb.

The explosion occurred at 11:02 local time at an altitude of about 500 meters. The power of the explosion was about 21 kilotons.

explosion effect

Japanese boy whose upper body was not covered during the explosion

A hastily aimed bomb exploded almost midway between the two main targets in Nagasaki, the Mitsubishi steel and gun factories to the south and the Mitsubishi-Urakami torpedo factory to the north. If the bomb had been dropped further south, between the business and residential areas, the damage would have been much greater.

In general, although the power of the atomic explosion in Nagasaki was greater than in Hiroshima, the destructive effect of the explosion was less. This was facilitated by a combination of factors - the presence of hills in Nagasaki, as well as the fact that the epicenter of the explosion was over the industrial zone - all this helped to protect some areas of the city from the consequences of the explosion.

From the memoirs of Sumiteru Taniguchi, who was 16 years old at the time of the explosion:

I was knocked to the ground (from my bike) and the ground shook for a while. I clung to her so as not to be carried away by the blast wave. When I looked up, the house I had just passed was destroyed... I also saw the child being blown away by the blast. Large rocks were flying in the air, one hit me and then flew up into the sky again...

When everything seemed to calm down, I tried to get up and found that on my left arm the skin, from the shoulder to the fingertips, was hanging like tattered tatters.

Loss and destruction

The atomic explosion over Nagasaki affected an area of ​​​​approximately 110 km², of which 22 were on the water surface and 84 were only partially inhabited.

According to a Nagasaki Prefecture report, "humans and animals died almost instantly" up to 1 km from the epicenter. Nearly all houses within a 2 km radius were destroyed, and dry, combustible materials such as paper ignited up to 3 km away from the epicenter. Of the 52,000 buildings in Nagasaki, 14,000 were destroyed and another 5,400 were severely damaged. Only 12% of the buildings remained intact. Although there was no fire tornado in the city, numerous localized fires were observed.

The death toll by the end of 1945 ranged from 60 to 80 thousand people. After 5 years, the total death toll, taking into account those who died from cancer and other long-term effects of the explosion, could reach or even exceed 140 thousand people.

Plans for subsequent atomic bombings of Japan

The US government expected another atomic bomb to be ready for use in mid-August, and three more each in September and October. On August 10, Leslie Groves, military director of the Manhattan Project, sent a memorandum to George Marshall, Chief of Staff of the US Army, in which he wrote that "the next bomb ... should be ready for use after August 17-18." On the same day, Marshall signed a memorandum with the comment that "it should not be used against Japan until the express approval of the President is obtained." At the same time, discussions have already begun in the US Department of Defense on the advisability of postponing the use of bombs until the start of Operation Downfall, the expected invasion of the Japanese islands.

The problem we are facing now is whether, assuming the Japanese do not capitulate, we should continue to drop bombs as they are produced, or accumulate them in order to then drop everything in a short period of time. Not all in one day, but within a fairly short time. This is also related to the question of what goals we are pursuing. In other words, shouldn't we focus on the targets that will help the invasion the most, and not on industry, troop morale, psychology, and so on? Mostly tactical goals, and not some others.

Japanese surrender and subsequent occupation

Up until August 9, the war cabinet continued to insist on 4 terms of surrender. On August 9, news came of the declaration of war by the Soviet Union late in the evening of August 8, and of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki at 11 o'clock in the afternoon. At the meeting of the "big six", held on the night of August 10, the votes on the issue of surrender were divided equally (3 "for", 3 "against"), after which the emperor intervened in the discussion, speaking in favor of surrender. On August 10, 1945, Japan handed over to the Allies an offer of surrender, the only condition of which was that the Emperor be retained as a nominal head of state.

Since the terms of the surrender allowed for the continuation of imperial power in Japan, on August 14, Hirohito recorded his surrender statement, which was circulated by the Japanese media the next day, despite an attempted military coup by opponents of the surrender.

In his announcement, Hirohito mentioned the atomic bombings:

... in addition, the enemy has a terrible new weapon that can take many innocent lives and cause immeasurable material damage. If we continue to fight, it will not only lead to the collapse and annihilation of the Japanese nation, but also to the complete disappearance of human civilization.

In such a situation, how can we save millions of our subjects or justify ourselves before the sacred spirit of our ancestors? For this reason we have ordered the acceptance of the terms of the joint declaration of our adversaries.

Within a year of the end of the bombing, 40,000 American troops were stationed in Hiroshima and 27,000 in Nagasaki.

Commission for the Study of the Consequences of Atomic Explosions

In the spring of 1948, the National Academy of Sciences Commission on the Effects of Atomic Explosions was formed at Truman's direction to study the long-term effects of radiation exposure on survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Among the victims of the bombing, many uninvolved people were found, including prisoners of war, forced mobilization of Koreans and Chinese, students from British Malaya, and about 3,200 Japanese Americans.

In 1975, the Commission was dissolved, its functions were transferred to the newly created Institute for the Study of the Effects of Radiation Exposure (English Radiation Effects Research Foundation).

Debate on the expediency of atomic bombings

The role of the atomic bombings in the surrender of Japan and their ethical validity are still the subject of scientific and public discussion. In a 2005 review of historiography on the subject, the American historian Samuel Walker wrote that "the debate about the appropriateness of the bombing will definitely continue." Walker also noted that "the fundamental question that has been debated for more than 40 years is whether these atomic bombings were necessary to achieve victory in the Pacific War on terms acceptable to the United States."

Proponents of the bombings usually claim that they were the cause of Japan's surrender, and therefore prevented significant losses on both sides (both the US and Japan) in the planned invasion of Japan; that the quick end of the war saved many lives elsewhere in Asia (primarily in China); that Japan was waging an all-out war in which the distinctions between the military and the civilian population are blurred; and that the Japanese leadership refused to capitulate, and the bombing helped to shift the balance of opinion within the government towards peace. Opponents of the bombings contend that they were simply an addition to an already ongoing conventional bombing campaign and thus had no military necessity, that they were fundamentally immoral, a war crime, or a manifestation of state terrorism (despite the fact that in 1945 there was no there were international agreements or treaties directly or indirectly prohibiting the use of nuclear weapons as a means of warfare).

A number of researchers express the opinion that the main purpose of the atomic bombings was to influence the USSR before it entered the war with Japan in the Far East and to demonstrate the atomic power of the United States.

Impact on culture

In the 1950s, the story of a Japanese girl from Hiroshima, Sadako Sasaki, who died in 1955 from the effects of radiation (leukemia), became widely known. Already in the hospital, Sadako learned about the legend, according to which a person who folded a thousand paper cranes can make a wish that will surely come true. Wishing to recover, Sadako began to fold cranes from any pieces of paper that fell into her hands. According to the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Canadian children's writer Eleanor Coer, Sadako only managed to fold 644 cranes before she died in October 1955. Her friends finished the rest of the figurines. According to Sadako's 4,675 Days of Life, Sadako folded a thousand cranes and continued to fold, but later died. Several books have been written based on her story.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Photochronology after the explosion: the horror that the United States tried to hide.

August 6 is not an empty phrase for Japan, it is the moment of one of the greatest horrors ever committed in the war.

On this day, the bombing of Hiroshima took place. In 3 days, the same barbaric act will be repeated, knowing the consequences for Nagasaki.

This nuclear barbarism, worthy of the worst nightmare, partially eclipsed the Jewish Holocaust carried out by the Nazis, but this act placed then-President Harry Truman on the same list of genocide.

Because he ordered 2 atomic bombs to be fired on the civilian population of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in the direct death of 300,000 people, thousands more died weeks later, and thousands of survivors were physically and psychologically marked by the side effects of the bomb.

As soon as President Truman became aware of the damage, he said, "This is the greatest event in history."

In 1946, the US government forbade the circulation of any testimony about this massacre, and millions of photographs were destroyed, and pressure in the US forced the defeated Japanese government to create an edict in which speaking of "this fact" was an attempt to disturb the public peace, and therefore was forbidden.

Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Of course, on the part of the American government, the use of nuclear weapons was an act to hasten the surrender of Japan, how justified such an act was, posterity will discuss for many centuries.

On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay bomber took off from a base in the Marianas. The crew consisted of twelve people. The training of the crew was lengthy, it consisted of eight training flights and two sorties. In addition, a rehearsal of a bomb drop on an urban settlement was organized. The rehearsal took place on July 31, 1945, a training ground was used as a settlement, a bomber dropped a model of a supposed bomb.

On August 6, 1945, a sortie was made, a bomb was on board the bomber. The power of the bomb dropped on Hiroshima was 14 kilotons of TNT. Having completed the task, the crew of the aircraft left the affected area and arrived at the base. The results of the medical examination of all crew members are still kept secret.

After completing this task, a second flight of another bomber was made. The Bockscar bomber crew consisted of thirteen people. Their task was to drop a bomb on the city of Kokura. Departure from the base took place at 02:47 and at 09:20 the crew reached their destination. Arriving at the place, the crew of the aircraft found heavy cloud cover and after several visits, the command instructed to change the destination to the city of Nagasaki. The crew reached their destination at 10:56, but there was also cloud cover that prevented the operation. Unfortunately, the goal had to be met, and this time the cloudiness did not save the city. The power of the bomb dropped on Nagasaki was 21 kilotons of TNT.

In what year Hiroshima and Nagasaki were subjected to a nuclear attack, it is precisely indicated in all sources that August 6, 1945 - Hiroshima and August 9, 1945 - Nagasaki.

The explosion of Hiroshima claimed the lives of 166 thousand people, the explosion of Nagasaki claimed the lives of 80 thousand people.

Nagasaki after the nuclear explosion

Over time, some document and photo came to light, but what happened, compared to the images of German concentration camps that were strategically distributed by the American government, was nothing more than the fact of what happened in the war and was partially justified.

Thousands of victims had photos without a face. Here are some of those photos:

All clocks stopped at 8:15, the time of the attack.

The heat and explosion cast the so-called "nuclear shadow", here you can see the pillars of the bridge.

Here you can see the silhouette of two people who were sprayed instantly.

200 meters from the explosion, on the stairs of the bench, there is a shadow of a man who opened the doors. 2,000 degrees burned him on the step.

human suffering

The bomb exploded almost 600 meters above the center of Hiroshima, 70,000 people died instantly from 6,000 degrees Celsius, the rest were killed by a shock wave that left the building standing and destroyed trees within a radius of 120 km.

A few minutes and the atomic mushroom reaches a height of 13 kilometers, causing acid rain that kills thousands of people who escaped the initial explosion. 80% of the city has disappeared.

There were thousands of cases of sudden burning and very severe burns more than 10 km from the explosion area.

The results were devastating, but after a few days, doctors continued to treat the survivors as if the wounds were simple burns, and many of them indicated that people continued to die mysteriously. They had never seen anything like it.

Doctors even injected vitamins, but the flesh rotted on contact with the needle. The white blood cells were destroyed.

Most of the survivors within a 2 km radius were blind, and thousands of people suffered from cataracts due to the radiation.

burden of survivors

"Hibakusha" (Hibakusha), as the Japanese called the survivors. There were about 360,000 of them, but most of them are disfigured, with cancer and genetic deterioration.

These people were also victims of their own compatriots, who believed that radiation was contagious and avoided them at all costs.

Many secretly hid these consequences even years later. Whereas if the company where they worked found out they were "Hibakushi", they were fired.

There were clothing marks on the skin, even the colors and fabrics that people were wearing at the time of the explosion.

The story of a photographer

On August 10, a Japanese army photographer named Yosuke Yamahata (Yosuke Yamahata) arrived in Nagasaki with the task of documenting the consequences of the "new weapons" and spent hours walking through the wreckage, photographing all this horror. These are his photographs and he wrote in his diary:

“A hot wind began to blow,” he explained many years later. “There were small fires everywhere, Nagasaki was completely destroyed… we encountered human bodies and animals that lay in our path…”

“It was truly hell on earth. Those who could barely stand the intense radiation, their eyes burned, their skin “burned” and ulcerated, they wandered around, leaning on sticks, waiting for help. Not a single cloud eclipsed the sun on this August day, shining mercilessly.

Coincidence, but exactly 20 years later, also on August 6, Yamahata suddenly fell ill and was diagnosed with duodenal cancer from the effects of this walk where he took photographs. The photographer is buried in Tokyo.

As a curiosity: a letter that Albert Einstein sent to former President Roosevelt, where he counted on the possibility of using uranium as a weapon of considerable power and explained the steps to achieve it.

The bombs that were used to attack

Baby Bomb is the code name for the uranium bomb. It was developed as part of the Manhattan Project. Among all the developments, the Baby Bomb was the first successfully implemented weapon, the result of which had enormous consequences.

The Manhattan Project is an American nuclear weapons program. The project activity began in 1943, based on research in 1939. Several countries took part in the project: the United States of America, Great Britain, Germany and Canada. Countries took part not officially, but through scientists who participated in the development. As a result of development, three bombs were created:

• Plutonium, codenamed "Thing". This bomb was blown up in nuclear tests, the explosion was carried out at a special test site.
• Uranium bomb, codename "Kid". The bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.
• Plutonium bomb, codename "Fat Man". The bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

The project operated under the leadership of two people, nuclear physicist Julius Robert Oppenheimer spoke from the scientific council, and General Leslie Richard Groves from the military leadership.

How it all began

The history of the project began with a letter, as is commonly believed, the author of the letter was Albert Einstein. In fact, four people participated in writing this appeal. Leo Szilard, Eugene Wigner, Edward Teller and Albert Einstein.

In 1939, Leo Szilard learned that scientists in Nazi Germany had achieved stunning results on a chain reaction in uranium. Szilard realized what power their army would gain if these studies were put into practice. Szilard was also aware of the minimality of his authority in political circles, so he decided to involve Albert Einstein in the problem. Einstein shared Szilard's concerns and drafted an appeal to the American president. The address was written in German, Szilard, along with the rest of the physicists, translated the letter and added his comments. Now they are faced with the issue of sending this letter to the President of America. At first they wanted to convey the letter through the aviator Charles Lindenberg, but he officially issued a statement of sympathy for the German government. Szilard faced the problem of finding like-minded people who had contacts with the President of America, so Alexander Sachs was found. It was this man who handed over the letter, albeit with a delay of two months. However, the reaction of the president was lightning fast, a council was convened as soon as possible and the Uranium Committee was organized. It was this body that began the first studies of the problem.

Here is an excerpt from that letter:

The recent work of Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard, whose handwritten version caught my attention, leads me to speculate that elemental uranium may become a new and important source of energy in the near future […] opened up the possibility of realizing a nuclear chain reaction in a large mass of uranium, which will generate a lot of energy […] thanks to which you can create bombs ..

Hiroshima now

The restoration of the city began in 1949, most of the funds from the state budget were allocated for the development of the city. The recovery period lasted until 1960. Little Hiroshima has become a huge city, today Hiroshima consists of eight districts, with a population of over a million people.

Hiroshima before and after

The epicenter of the explosion was one hundred and sixty meters from the exhibition center, after its restoration of the city, it is included in the UNESCO list. Today, the exhibition center is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.

Hiroshima Exhibition Center

The building partially collapsed, but survived. Everyone in the building was killed. For the preservation of the memorial, work was carried out to strengthen the dome. This is the most famous monument to the consequences of a nuclear explosion. The inclusion of this building in the list of values ​​of the world community caused heated debate, two countries opposed it - America and China. Opposite the Peace Memorial is the Memorial Park. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park has an area of ​​more than twelve hectares and is considered the epicenter of the nuclear bomb explosion. The park has a monument to Sadako Sasaki and a monument to the Flame of Peace. The flame of peace has been burning since 1964 and, according to the Japanese government, will continue to burn until all nuclear weapons in the world are destroyed.

The tragedy of Hiroshima has not only consequences, but also legends.

The Legend of the Cranes

Every tragedy needs a face, even two. One face will be a symbol of the survivors, the other a symbol of hatred. As for the first person, it was the little girl Sadako Sasaki. When America dropped the nuclear bomb, she was two years old. Sadako survived the bombing, but ten years later she was diagnosed with leukemia. The reason was radiation exposure. While in the hospital room, Sadako heard a legend that cranes give life and healing. In order to get the life she so needed, Sadako had to make a thousand paper cranes. Every minute the girl made paper cranes, every piece of paper that fell into her hands took on a beautiful shape. The girl died before reaching the required thousand. According to various sources, she made six hundred cranes, and the rest were made by other patients. In memory of the girl, on the anniversary of the tragedy, Japanese children make paper cranes and release them into the sky. In addition to Hiroshima, a monument to Sadako Sasaki was erected in the American city of Seattle.

Nagasaki now

The bomb dropped on Nagasaki claimed many lives and almost wiped the city off the face of the earth. However, in view of the fact that the explosion occurred in the industrial zone, this is the western part of the city, the buildings of another area were less affected. Money from the state budget was directed to the restoration. The recovery period lasted until 1960. The current population is about half a million people.

Nagasaki Photos

The bombardment of the city began on August 1, 1945. For this reason, part of the population of Nagasaki was evacuated and not subjected to nuclear impact. On the day of the nuclear bombing, an air raid alert was issued at 07:50 and stopped at 08:30. After the end of the air raid, part of the population remained in shelters. An American B-29 bomber that entered Nagasaki airspace was mistaken for a reconnaissance aircraft and the air raid alert was not issued. No one guessed the purpose of the American bomber. The explosion in Nagasaki occurred at 11:02 in the air, the bomb did not reach the ground. Despite this, the result of the explosion claimed thousands of lives. The city of Nagasaki has several places of memory for the victims of the nuclear explosion:

Sanno Jinja Shrine Gate. They represent a column and part of the upper ceiling, all that survived the bombardment.

nagasaki peace park

Nagasaki Peace Park. Memorial complex built in memory of the victims of the disaster. On the territory of the complex there is a Statue of Peace and a fountain symbolizing contaminated water. Until the time of the bombing, no one in the world had studied the consequences of a nuclear wave of this magnitude, nor did anyone know how long harmful substances remained in the water. Only years later, people who drank water discovered that they had radiation sickness.

Atomic Bomb Museum

Museum of the atomic bomb. The museum was opened in 1996. On the territory of the museum there are things and photographs of the victims of the nuclear bombing.

Urakami column. This place is the epicenter of the explosion; there is a park area around the preserved column.

The victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are commemorated every year with a moment of silence. Those who dropped the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki never apologized. On the contrary, the pilots adhere to the state position, explaining their actions by military necessity. Remarkably, the United States of America has not issued a formal apology to date. Also, a tribunal to investigate the mass destruction of civilians was not created. Since the tragedy of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, only one president has paid an official visit to Japan.