The End of World War II
The Atomic Bombs
Hiroshima (left), Nagasaki (right)
World War II was dragging on and no matter how many fire-bombs the United States dropped on Japan, the Japanese forces refused to give up. U.S. President Harry Truman had to decide whether to use the atomic bombs that the United States had spent three years developing, or waiting to see if the Japanese would soon surrender. But, Truman chose to use the atomic bombs. On 6 August 1945, the United States B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. 80,000 people were killed instantly. The city was completely destroyed. Despite this, the Japanese forces refused to surrender. On 9 August 1945, President Truman called for another atomic bomb to be dropped on Japan. The United States dropped a second atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Nagaski. The deaths amounted to more than 40,000. (1) Six days after the second atomic bombing, the Japanese surrendered. (2) Below is a news report of the Japanese signing a peace treaty ending the war. (3)
The Aftermath of the Atomic Bombs
After the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan to end World War II, radiation sickness was occurring throughout the island nation. In the months following the atomic bombing, more than 100,000 Japanese people died of radiation poisoning. Scientists working on the atomic bombs did not even realize the severity of the radiation after the bombing. President Truman thought the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were similar to just a regular fire-bomb, but in reality, the effects were much worse. Also, the two cities were inhabitable. Everything there was destroyed. Those who survived had no place to live. The effects of the atomic bombs were horrible. (1)
Sources
1. "The Decision to Drop the Bomb." U.S. History Online Textbook. N.p., 2013. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
2. "Atomic Bomb." World War 2 on History. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
3. Japanese Sign Final Surrender. YouTube. N.p., 06 Aug. 2007. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
2. "Atomic Bomb." World War 2 on History. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.
3. Japanese Sign Final Surrender. YouTube. N.p., 06 Aug. 2007. Web. 17 Mar. 2013.