Hiroshima Bombing Effects

In the midst of the war, it can be said that Hiroshima was forgotten, for it was very minimally damaged despite having an army base and the recognition of a large port city. However, it was these reasons that became to be the cause of the city’s targeting, as they provided the United States with the optimum opportunity to demonstrate the immense impact of the bomb. This opportunity was executed on August 6th, 1945, when an atomic bomb made from uranium-235, named “Little Boy” was dropped in Hiroshima by Colonel Paul Tibbetts. The atomic bomb was enormous in size, measuring a height of ten-feet long and a weight of 9700 pounds, which meant it would immediately hit the ground upon detachment from the plane it was carried by. However, Colonel Paul Tibbetts was to as per orders detonate the bomb while it was 579 meters the air. As a result, the bomb had to be attached to a parachute to ensure a slow fall, allowing the Colonel to swiftly fly away from the blast site.

In fact, a mushroom cloud reaching 13, 716 meters and a 3.2 kilometer long firestorm appeared. The effects of the blast were absolutely terrifying. Above 60, 000 of Hiroshima’s 90, 000 buildings were completely destroyed, all objects made from metal, clay and stone melted, and many faced severe health problems from exposure to high levels of radiation. In terms of deaths, approximately 70, 000 people were killed instantly from the explosion, and just as many died five years later. In summary, the city was left in little more than ashes, with two-thirds of it destroyed. Despite this event, Japan continued to refuse to