The Hiroshima Bombing Aftermath in Pictures

Photos Brought Back from the War

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the ‘Enola Gay’ US B-29 Superfortress dropping an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima.

According to my father and stories I’ve heard in the past, both of my grandfathers served in World War II. His dad was a medic stationed in various places in Europe and saw much more action. My mother’s dad was a bit younger and by the time he joined, the war was mostly over. What I was unaware of was that he was stationed in Japan and tasked with guarding Japanese Prisoners of War.

An Interesting Find

Searching through the items that I was lucky enough to inherit from both of these great men, I was amazed to find a collection of ten photos taken in Hiroshima in the aftermath of World War II and the first dropping of an atomic bomb.

A Brief History

In 1939, scientists warned the U.S. government that Nazi Germany might build an atomic bomb. In response, the U.S. launched the Manhattan Project in 1942. Physicists, engineers, and military leaders worked in secret. They built the first nuclear device in just three years.

On July 16, 1945, the U.S. tested the first atomic bomb in New Mexico. It worked.

On August 6, 1945, the U.S. dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. The bomb was called Little Boy. It exploded at 8:15 a.m. The blast destroyed most of the city. Nearly 70,000 people died instantly. Many more died later from burns, injuries, and radiation sickness.

Three days later, the U.S. dropped a second bomb on Nagasaki.

Japan surrendered on August 15, 1945, ending World War II.

Hiroshima became a symbol of the horrors of nuclear war. Survivors, called Hibakusha, have shared their stories to promote peace.

The Photos (Thank you, Grandpa)

And thank you, Dad, for the backstory on both Grandfathers.