Thursday, 6 August 2015

Hiroshima, Nagasaki and the End of World War II (Japan)

6th August 1945, 8:16
70 years ago an air plane started from an island in the Pacific Ocean, on board the atomic bomb "Little Boy", its destination the Japanese city Hiroshima. The bomb was dropped shortly after. Between 70000 and 80000 inhabitants of the city were immediately dead, many more died later. 80% of the city were destroyed. It was the first military use of an atomic bomb in the World's History. 

The Genbaku Dome was the only standing structure after the dropping of the nuclear bomb and is still preserved in the same state. Since 1996 is the Hiroshima Peace Memorial on the UNESCO World Heritage List.


Three days after the destruction of Hiroshima also Nagasaki was destroyed by an atomic bomb. 50% of the city were destroyed and around 36000 inhabitants died immediately. Japan capitulated some days later. World War II was finally over.

The Nagasaki Peace Park opened in 1955.