80 years ago today the United States dropped a single bomb which obliterated the entire city of Hiroshima. Less than a kilogram of uranium underwent nuclear fission. It was sufficient to kill around 80,000 and wound a similar number. Most of the buildings were damaged or destroyed.
At Hiroshima, the fireball was 370m in diameter, the temperature on the ground was 6,000 °C while the blast created a circle of extreme high pressure 3.5 km in diameter. Within this area casualties were approximately 100%
I watched this a few nights ago. It was interesting. It gives a 3D rendition of the results of the two bombs dropped, along with a pretty detailed description of just how the bombs worked. youtu.be/J_lzACyCQWs?...
I’ve got a Hiroshima, as it happened podcast out right now: 🎧: podfollow.com/dan-snows-hi...
Just discovered this book a few weeks ago and have been telling everyone about it. If you’ve not yet, read it. Completely changed how I view the run up to using the bomb. www.amazon.com/Atomic-Docto...
When the Hiroshima bomb went off there was a captured Japanese diplomat in the custody of US naval intelligence on a plane flying to the western Pacific. The purpose was to negotiate a surrender, a response to multiple back channel overtures from Japan. Preempted by the atomic bomb.
My dad always supported the bombing because he was just about to be sent to fight in the Far East after fighting in N Africa and Europe for the previous 5 years. I understand where he was coming from though I despise atomic weapons and wish they had never been invented