HIROSHIMANAGASAKI

THE ATOMIC BOMBS

THE ONLY USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS• The United States, with the consent of the United Kingdom as laid

down in the Quebec Agreement, dropped nuclear weapons on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, during the final stage of World War II. • The two bombings, which killed at least 129,000 people, remain the

only use of nuclear weapons for warfare in history.

END OF WW2• In the final year of the war, the Allies prepared for what was

anticipated to be a very expansive invasion of the Japanese mainland. • This was preceded by a U.S. firebombing campaign that destroyed 67

Japanese cities. • The war in Europe had concluded when Nazi Germany signed its

instrument of surrender on May 8, 1945.

JAPANESE RESPONSE TO THE ULTIMATUM• The Japanese, facing the same fate, refused to accept the Allies

demands for unconditional surrender and the Pacific War continued. • Together with the United Kingdom and China, the United States called

for the unconditional surrender of the Japanese armed forces in the Potsdam Declaration on July 26, 1945—the alternative being "prompt and utter destruction". • The Japanese response to this ultimatum was to ignore it.

BOMBING HIROSHIMA• On August 6, the U.S. dropped a uranium gun-type atomic bomb

(Little Boy) on the city of Hiroshima. • American President Harry S. Truman called for Japan's surrender 16

hours later, warning them to "expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth." • Three days later, on August 9, the U.S. dropped a plutonium

implosion-type bomb (Fat Man) on the city of Nagasaki.

CASUALTIES• Within the first two to four months of the bombings, the acute effects

of the atomic bombings killed 90,000–146,000 people in Hiroshima and 39,000–80,000 in Nagasaki; roughly half of the deaths in each city occurred on the first day. • During the following months, large numbers died from the effect of

burns, radiation sickness, and other injuries, compounded by illness and malnutrition. • In both cities, most of the dead were civilians, although Hiroshima

had a sizable military garrison.

EFFECTS• On August 15, six days after the bombing of Nagasaki and the Soviet

Union's declaration of war, Japan announced its surrender to the Allies. • On September 2, it signed the instrument of surrender, effectively

ending World War II.