Eighty years of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb named “Little Boy” on Hiroshima, and three days later, on August 9, 1945, a second bomb named “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki. These events led to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II, but caused devastating long-term consequences for the Japanese people.

The Hiroshima Bombing

• The Bomb: “Little Boy,” a uranium-fueled atomic bomb.
• Impact: The blast, with a power of 13 kilotons, generated a hellish inferno of 7,000°C. It incinerated everything within a 3-kilometer radius and reduced 70% of the city to ash and rubble.
• Casualties: By August 2024, the total death toll from the Hiroshima bombing, including those who died from radiation exposure, had reached more than 344,000.

The Nagasaki Bombing

• The Bomb: “Fat Man,” a plutonium-fueled atomic bomb.
• Impact: The blast, with a power of 21 kilotons, levelled 6.7 square kilometers of the city and shattered even earthquake-resistant structures.
• Casualties: By August 2024, the death toll in Nagasaki had reached 198,000.

The Aftermath and Legacy

• Surrender: Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, officially ending World War II.
• “Hibakusha”: The survivors of the bombings, known as “hibakusha,” suffered from radiation sickness, which caused symptoms like nausea, hair loss, vomiting, and internal bleeding.
• Nobel Peace Prize: In 2024, Nihon Hidankyo, a group of hibakusha, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their sustained advocacy against nuclear weapons.