Remembering Nagasaki: The Lasting Impact of Atomic Warfare
The 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki marks poignant historical reflection on the only use of nuclear weapons in war. The bombings led to significant casualties and eventual Japanese surrender, forever changing global military dynamics and raising enduring ethical debates on nuclear warfare.
On Saturday, the world commemorates the 80th anniversary of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki by the U.S. military, an event that followed the Hiroshima bombing three days earlier. These devastating attacks marked the dawn of the nuclear age, with profound impacts on wartime ethics and military strategy.
The bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, resulted in instant fatalities of approximately 78,000 individuals. Dropped from the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay, the uranium-235 bomb, dubbed 'Little Boy,' caused widespread destruction and claimed numerous lives due to subsequent radiation illnesses, elevating the death toll to about 140,000 by year's end.
Nagasaki suffered a similar fate when the 'Fat Man' plutonium bomb detonated on August 9, killing around 27,000 instantly. The radiation effects continued to peril the survivors, raising the total death count to approximately 70,000 by the end of 1945. Japan officially recognizes over half a million deaths across both cities till this year, signaling an enduring wartime legacy.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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