At 08:15 on 6 August 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb ever used in warfare on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, unleashing devastation unlike anything seen before and ushering in the nuclear age.
The bomb, nicknamed “Little Boy,” was dropped from the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay and detonated around 600 metres above the city. Its immediate effects were catastrophic: an estimated 70,000 people were killed instantly, with tens of thousands more dying in the following weeks and months from injuries and radiation sickness.
A city turned to ash
Hiroshima, a city of around 350,000 people, was chosen as a target due to its military significance and lack of prior bombing. The uranium-based device released energy equivalent to roughly 15,000 tonnes of TNT. The blast flattened buildings within a radius of several kilometres and sparked fires that consumed much of what remained.
Survivors, known as hibakusha, described scenes of unimaginable horror: charred bodies, people with melted skin, and a mushroom cloud rising into the sky. The intense heat and radiation affected even those far from the epicentre, with hospitals overwhelmed and medical supplies rapidly depleted.
The path to the bomb
The use of the atomic bomb was the culmination of the top-secret Manhattan Project, a vast research and development effort involving scientists from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada. The goal was to develop nuclear weapons before Nazi Germany could do the same. By the time the weapon was ready, however, Germany had already surrendered.
With Japan continuing to resist surrender, and with the costly battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa fresh in memory, US officials argued the bomb could end the war swiftly and spare hundreds of thousands of Allied lives. President Harry S. Truman authorised its use in what remains one of the most controversial decisions in modern history.
Aftermath and surrender
Three days after Hiroshima, a second bomb—this time plutonium-based—was dropped on Nagasaki. Combined, the two attacks claimed over 200,000 lives by the end of 1945. On 15 August, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s surrender, bringing World War II to an end.
The bombings marked not only the conclusion of the world’s deadliest conflict, but the beginning of a new era defined by nuclear weapons. The Cold War that followed was shaped by the threat of atomic destruction, with Hiroshima becoming a lasting symbol of the dangers of nuclear war.
Legacy and remembrance
In the decades since, Hiroshima has rebuilt itself into a thriving city and a centre for peace advocacy. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and the Genbaku Dome—one of the few structures that partially survived the blast—stand as reminders of the city’s suffering and resilience.
Japan renounced war under its post-war constitution, and Hiroshima annually hosts ceremonies calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Survivors and activists continue to share testimonies, warning of the human cost of nuclear conflict.
Despite this, the world today faces renewed tensions involving nuclear powers, and disarmament efforts have stalled. The memory of Hiroshima serves as a stark reminder of what is at stake.
REFH – Newshub, 6 August 2025
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