August 6, 1945, must have begun as any ordinary day for the city of Hiroshima in Japan but it turned to be a day that the world remembers even now, after 75 years. It was on this day the United States dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima to kill several thousand innocent people. According to BBC, three days later the target was the city of Nagasaki. Subsequently, after two weeks Japan surrendered to bring the curtains down on WWII. Germany had already surrendered to Allied forces earlier in May 1945. In Asia, the war between the Allies and Imperial Japan continued and the US wanted to end it.

The BBC says memorial events to mark the 75th anniversary were on a low key this year in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Shinzo Abe, the Prime Minister of Japan, with the mayor of Hiroshima joined bomb survivors and descendants in the city's Peace Park to remember the terrible day. On 08:15, the gathering observed a moment's silence. It was the exact time when the bomb dropped over the city.

Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Kazumi Matsui said - "On August 6, 1945, a single atomic bomb destroyed our city. Rumor at the time had it that 'nothing will grow here for 75 years.’ And yet, Hiroshima recovered, becoming a symbol of peace." Incidentally, Japan had to cancel its major cherry blossom festivals due to coronavirus and associated problems related to Travel restrictions.

America dropped two nuclear bombs on Japan

America used nuclear bombs for the first time against Japan.

The attack on Hiroshima was on August 6 and the bomb was codenamed “Little Boy.” The BBC says on a rough estimate, it left thousands dead and the city flattened. The death toll kept mounting subsequently due to injuries and radiation poisoning.

Japan did not surrender immediately and the United States dropped the second bomb, nicknamed “Fat Man,” on Nagasaki after three days.

It led to the loss of still more lives. The Americans took these actions because Japan had rejected an earlier ultimatum for peace. Those in the war room must have felt such bombings would lead to a quick surrender.

Japan promotes the concept of nuclear disarmament

These bombings ended the war in Asia, and Japan surrendered to the Allies on August 14, 1945. The BBC goes on to mention that in the opinion of critics, Japan was already contemplating surrender and the drastic action by the United States led to an unimaginable loss of thousands of civilian lives.

Japan has reaffirmed its commitment to a nuclear-free world at the annual Hiroshima anniversary.

Once the war ended, Hiroshima tried to acquire a new identity for itself as a City of Peace and promote the concept of nuclear disarmament around the world. So far, there has not been another such incident because the world has realized that the atomic bomb cannot be a solution. It can lead to widespread devastation of lives, and properties and unleash misery on survivors.

Nuclear bombing of Japan a revelation

According to Sky News, survivors of the Hiroshima atomic bomb marked the 75th anniversary of the attack. They assembled at the city's memorial to pray for the departed souls.

The number of survivors is dwindling with each passing year.

Most of them are in their 80s and remain a powerful symbol of the campaign to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

On August 6, 1945 morning around 8:00 AM local time, an American B-19 bomber dropped the bomb. It was a 9,000lb Uranium-235 bomb. It detonated 2,000 feet above the city of Hiroshima and left thousands dead while an area of five square miles was razed to the ground. As a survivor laments - "Many lives were stolen after the atomic bomb. When I think about that, while I'm alive, in order to pray for peace, people who are alive need to know and study (what happened) and teach our grandchildren." The individual is Satoe Nakahara who lost family members in the Hiroshima attack.
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