65 years ago on August 6 1945 the B29 US bomber "Enola Gay" piloted and commanded by Colonel Paul Tibbets drops the Atomic Bomb, know as "Little Boy" on Hiroshima. 70,000–80,000 people of the population of Hiroshima were killed immediately, and another 70,000 were injured.
When the Japanese goverment still didn't want to surrender unconditionally 3 days later the B29 US bomber "Bockscar" flown by commander Major Charles W. Sweeney dropped a 2nd Atomic Bomb named "Fat Man". This time on the city of Nagasaki. Their primary target was Kokura but because of bad weather conditions they took off and flew to their second target, Nagasaki.
Casualty estimates for immediate deaths 40,000 to 75,000. Another estimated 25,000 people were injured.
Estimates of total deaths by both bombs at the end of 1945 from burns, radiation and related disease range from 90,000 to 166,000. By 1950 the estimated total of deaths is 200,000 because of cancer and other long-term effects.
The world changed for good.
Thanks for reading!
I can't help but shudder whenever I see footage of Atomic tests and the like. I know it ended the war but what price did we pay for victory. Well, 200,000 dead for a start.
ReplyDeleteCheck out this animation by Isao Hashimoto...
http://www.ctbto.org/specials/1945-1998-by-isao-hashimoto/
The world map shows all the atomic explosions from 1945 to 1998 in chronological order. There are parts of the animation when the frequency of nuclear tests is so fast that you think WW3 has just broken out... insanity.
I still find it horrible to look at the pictures of the dead and wounded of the bombs. I even was in doubt if i would post the second video. I decided to post it because the world should know how terrible these weapons are.
ReplyDeleteThe animation almost looks like a video game.
I am wondering how much impact all these tests had on the earth environment.
The human race is just plane stupid!