Hiroshima Bombing – a Look Back

The Hiroshima bombing was the first nuclear weapon used on a Human population.

During World War 2 many scientists at the time were trying to find out a way to create weapons from an atom. The famous scientist, Albert Einstein, presented the ideas of the scientists to the president, who at the time was Franklin Roosevelt. Although The scientists believed that the Nazis could get the weapons and use these weapons. Franklin Roosevelt decided to start planning out the weapon in the US. The idea only became relevant after the pearl harbor bombing which was caused by the Japanese in about 1941. In 1941-1945 Robert Oppenheimer led scientists on the Manhattan project which aimed to create the world's first weapon using atoms the very building blocks of the universe. They worked on this project at Oak Ridge Tennessee.

The decision to use this bomb after creating it was just as difficult as creating the bomb itself. Despite popular belief, the decision to use the bomb was not to be cruel and to just kill away innocents. It was to bring conflict with the Japanese to a quick end. Also, it was to save and spare the lives of US soldiers. On August 6, 1945, the bomb nicknamed Little boy was dropped on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. And about 3 days after the event another bomb was dropped on yet Another Japanese city, Nagasaki. On the day of August 14, 1945, Japan surrendered. The Creation of these deadly weapons was a turning point not only for warfare but for the US. It even changed international relationships. The US and the USSR did go to war with each other with the knowledge that both of the countries had access to these weapons. Although the USSR already was control of most of Europe. The US did want to involve them because they worried that the USSR might gain control of the far east.

The only thing that could make thing worse was the effects and aftermath of the bomb. With a 40,000 cloud rushing to the sky. Two observers of the bombing who were standing 10,00 yards away were blown back. So just imagine the effects in the main area of the bombing. An estimated 500,000 people died during the events and 5 million were left homeless. An estimated 67% of Hiroshima's buildings and homes were destroyed in the events of the bombing. The temperatures of the explosions were about 3000-4000 the equivalent of something 3 times hotter than lava and anything within a mile radius was completely gone.

In conclusion, the more ethical standpoint of these events is still debated today. And they fear what they can do in today's world is a huge fear. What would happen if a terrorist group was to get a hold of one of these weapons, what if another country randomly was to nuke us? Just like Japan, we wouldn't see it coming and anyone near the bombing wouldn't see it happen because they would be dead. But in today's world more international treaties occur and security of these weapons only advances. The events of Hiroshima was a small price to pay in order to help further advance humanity.

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