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Updated August 4th, 2021 at 15:26 IST

Hiroshima Day: How atomic bomb 'Little Boy' changed course of World War 2 & modern warfare

The atomic bomb 'Little Boy' detonated on Hiroshima, Japan killed nearly 80,000 instantly, this marked the first use of atomic weapons in war.

Reported by: Dipaneeta Das
Hiroshima Day
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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The atomic bomb 'Little Boy' detonated on Hiroshima, Japan killed nearly 80,000 instantly, this marked the first use of atomic weapons in war. Tens and thousands later succumbed to nuclear radiation poisoning. On August 6, 1945, the United States of America, under the authorization of President Harry Truman, dropped the nuclear bomb to not just enforce Japan to stop the war but to cripple the Japanese ability to fight future wars. Following this, on August 10, 1945, the US used another B-29 bomber to blow up Nagasaki that killed another 40,000 people. The aftermath of the bombings forced Japan to surrender.

Hiroshima was the primary target of the Allies after the Axis superpower, Germany surrendered in May 1945. After Germany admitted to the peace treaty the war in Europe came to end. This shifted the focus of the Axis powers to the Pacific War. The Allies consisted of the US, Britain, France, USSR, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, Yugoslavia, while the Axis powers consisted of Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria. 

Emperor Hirohito described the devastating bomb as "a new and most cruel" bomb. On 12 August, tempted informed the period family of his decision to surrender. The Japanese government agreed to the Allied surrender terms on August 15, which officially ended the war between Japan and the US. The blasts killed nearly 39 per cent of the population. Those who survived had suffered from acute radiation syndrome (ARS) within 20-30 days of the attack. People were left vulnerable to radiation-induced cancer which peaked from the 3rd year of the blast.

Even after 75years, the pictures from the bombed sites set a chill in the spine and reminds the need for peace politics. Hiroshima Day is observed every year in Japan in memory of all the people who lost their lives on August 6, 1945.

Japan detected the bombers ahead of the blast

American B-29 Enola Gay was accompanied by two other B-29s, The Great Artiste, and Necessary Evil (the photography aircraft). The flights took from the Tinian base for their rendezvous. During the night of 5-6 August, Japanese early warning radar detected the approach of numerous American aircraft headed for the southern part of Japan. About 65 bombers headed for Saga, 102 bound for Maebashi and 261 en route to Nishinomiya, 111 headed for Ube and 66 bound for Imabari. An alert was given and radio broadcasting stopped in many cities, among them Hiroshima.

As per reports, sirens blew to alert the city about the nearing dangers. However, as the bombers flew past, an "all-clear" sounded over Hiroshima again. It was then, the 'Little Boy' was released from the aircraft. It took about 44.4 seconds to detonate. The 64kg of uranium-235 blasted at a height of 580 meters above the city.

How nuclear weapons changed the warfare

The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki revolutionised warfare by killing masses in a single strike. The manufacturing of atomic bombs has induced a major change in military, political and public functionality in the world today. The destructive potential of a nuclear weapon has created a global sweeper fear as to what might happen if the steerable forces were unleashed again. Undeniably, the technological development since the first atomic bombs has potentially grown 40 times more, which has spurred fear of nuclear attack from major world powers.

Nuclear Disarmament, still a pending plan

According to United Nations (UN), a nuclear-weapons-free world will be a long and bumpy ride. "Sixty-four years ago the world was free of nuclear weapons, but after the production of some 140,000 of these artefacts of mass destruction, there seems to be a significant shift in the role some Governments have assigned to them. They are no longer generally considered to be the best means to ensure national security," it said in its statement. It also asserted that "deterrence and mutually-assured destruction" have become outdated concepts. Ex-US President Obama had made a bold proposal for the elimination of nuclear weapons. If nothing else, he had put nuclear disarmament on the international agenda. However, as the UN concludes, it will take an "enlightened leadership" to lead into the nuke-free world.

(With inputs from ANI and UN website)

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Published August 4th, 2021 at 15:26 IST

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