In memory of the fateful day and of those who lost their lives, Hiroshima Day is observed yearly on August 6. The observance serves as a reminder of the day when a nuclear weapon was used during an armed conflict between the United States and Japan, and the lives that were lost when an entire city was razed to the ground. Little did they know that the effects of the atomic bomb that was dropped by the U.S. on the city of Hiroshima, Japan in 1945 would be felt by the next generations of Japanese as well. There was a large-scale loss of infrastructure, and a large number of people continued to die years after the incident.
The bomb was dropped over the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the final year of World War II by the United States. The first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and after three days, the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. The bombings killed between 129,000 and 226,000 people and destroyed the infrastructure of both cities. The Allied leaders had demanded the unconditional surrender of the Imperial Japanese armed forces. While the Japanese were presented with an ultimatum upon not abiding by the demands, there was no mention of atomic bombardment. The Japanese government rejected the demand.
On August 6, 1945, a modified B-29 dropped a uranium gun-type bomb, named ‘Little Boy,’ on Hiroshima. Three days later another B-29 dropped a plutonium implosion bomb, named ‘Fat Man,’ on Nagasaki. Reports say that approximately 70,000 to 80,000 people were killed immediately by the blast and resultant firestorm, and a similar number of people were injured in Hiroshima. Months after the bombing, more lives were lost due to the effects of bombings in both cities.
Along with the lives lost and people injured, there was massive structural damage too. The Japanese officials stated that around 70 percent of the buildings in Hiroshima were destroyed. Left with no choice, Japan surrendered to the Allies on August 15. The instrument of surrender was signed on September 2 in Tokyo Bay. This signaled the end of World War II. However, the residents of Hiroshima continued to suffer health problems years after due to long-term radiation exposure.
