The Atom Bomb’s Destruction
In one one-millionth of a second, a whole city was destroyed. During World War II Japan attacked a American military base in Hawaii, known as Pearl Harbor. In retaliation, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that were code-named “Fat Man” and “Little Boy.” This attack changed history not only in America and Japan but also throughout the world. Some important information about the attacks includes the preparation of the bombs, the havoc caused by the immediate effects, and the long-term effects. The attack was successful both militarily and technologically but left a horrific imprint on the world.
There were 3 stages of preparation for the attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The first stage was the planning, construction, and trialing of the bombs. The planning was named “The Manhattan Project,” American scientists started planning an atom bomb because Germany was trying to build one. America’s atomic bomb construction was successful. In order for the bomb to work the scientists had to find a way to produce materials for the nuclear fission between uranium-235 and plutonium-239. The trial runs were in Alamogordo, Mexico (“The Bombings between”). The second stage was the transfer by ship from San Francisco to an island called Tinian in the North Pacific, which took them four days (Atomic). The final stage was the flight to Hiroshima. A B-29 bomber named the “Enola Gay” carried the atom bomb. Two other planes, both of which were used for measuring the effect of the bomb escorted the “Enola Gay” (Rosenberg). In addition, because the bomb was so heavy, the plane was modified to be lighter, stronger, and faster, which allowed it to take off safely. The Captain, William S. Parsons unarmed the bomb before takeoff to ensure that if the plane crashed the bomb would not blow up the island. He rearmed the bomb fifteen minutes after takeoff. The mechanics’ and scientists’ precautions and preparation were correct because the bomb only missed its target by 800 feet.
The short-term effects included lack of water, destruction of buildings, and the deaths of many civilians. The blast could be felt from 4 miles away. Also, within a few days, people started feeling sick. The doctors assigned there did not know what it was. They later found out that it was radiation poisoning. The people who were mainly effected were those who drank the water from the rivers’, or those who drank the rain. In addition to the nightmare of the effects on the people, there were also effects on the city. All the glass was gone it either shattered or melted immediately. The buildings were also gone, and the ones that were standing were about to crumble. The buildings were not the only things that were gone; some people were disintegrated on impact. For example, on the steps of a bank, there is an imprint of a woman sitting there waiting for the bank to open. The atom bombs were so powerful that they left a recollection of horror throughout the city. It killed 70,000 people,