atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

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The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the first and only wartime uses of nuclear weapons, carried out by the United States against Japan in August 1945 and leading to immense destruction and Japan’s subsequent surrender in World War II.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf military operation
strategic bombing
use of nuclear weapons in warfare
aftermath Allied occupation of Japan
Japanese Instrument of Surrender
establishment of Hiroshima Peace Memorial
establishment of Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum
aim to force Japan’s unconditional surrender
aircraftUsed B-29 Superfortress
aircraftUsedAtHiroshima Enola Gay
aircraftUsedAtNagasaki Bockscar
belligerent Empire of Japan
United States
casualtiesEstimate over 100000 immediate deaths
over 200000 deaths by the end of 1945
commemoratedOn Hiroshima Peace Memorial Day
Nagasaki Peace Memorial Day
conductedBy United States Army Air Forces
conflict World War II
controversy ethical debate over targeting cities
historical debate over necessity
countryTargeted Japan
date 1945-08-06
1945-08-09
historicalSignificance first use of nuclear weapons in war
only wartime use of nuclear weapons to date
influenced development of Cold War nuclear deterrence doctrines
global nuclear non-proliferation movement
justificationClaimedByUS to avoid invasion of Japan
location Hiroshima
Nagasaki
longTermEffects genetic damage concerns
increased cancer rates
radiation sickness
orderedBy Harry S. Truman
partOf Allied strategic bombing of Japan
Pacific War
projectContext Manhattan Project
result Japanese surrender
end of World War II in Asia
mass civilian casualties
widespread destruction of urban areas
targetCountryGovernment Imperial Japanese government
timePeriod August 1945
weaponTechnology nuclear fission
weaponType atomic bomb
weaponUsedAtHiroshima Little Boy
weaponUsedAtNagasaki Fat Man


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