After seeing the destruction laid upon Hiroshima due to nuclear weapons and hearing the sad and terrifying tales from survivors, the next room is “The Dangers of Nuclear Weapons”.
This is more or less the history of nuclear weapons.
In June 1942, the United States launched a top-secret A-bomb development program that later became known as the Manhattan Project.
As development proceeded, the US began exploring the use of the bomb against Japan and targeting cities.
From photos and video presentations, one can learn of the development of the A-bomb. On August 6, one of the modified B-29s dropped a uranium gun-type bomb (“Little Boy”) on Hiroshima. Another B-29 dropped a plutonium implosion bomb (“Fat Man”) on Nagasaki three days later.
It may be surprising to some that the US only did one test and that was on July 16, 1945 in New Mexico.
Two bombs were developed, one made with uranium and the other with plutonium.
The “Little Boy” which was a gun typoe U235 bomb was never tested prior to being dropped above Hiroshima.
The “Fat Man” was made with Plutonium and was a Squeeze Type Pu239 bomb tested in New Mexico in July 1945. This would be dropped in Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
By August 14th, after the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Emperor Hirohito recorded the following capitulation announcement:
Despite the best that has been done by every one—the gallant fighting of military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of Our servants of the State and the devoted service of Our one hundred million people, the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan’s advantage, while the general trends of the world have all turned against her interest. Moreover, the enemy now possesses a new and terrible weapon with the power to destroy many innocent lives and do incalculable damage. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. Such being the case, how are we to save the millions of our subjects, or to atone ourselves before the hallowed spirits of our imperial ancestors? This is the reason why we have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the joint declaration of the powers.
As you look at the video of the history of the atomic bomb, you will then learn more about the damage and effect of the atomic bomb which I will go into in my next blog post for part 5.
