1 / 24

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Physics . Choosing the Targets Summer 1945. Requirements Large Urban Area Military Base No POWs Transportation Center/Port Not already destroyed First Choice = Hiroshima Others Kokura, Niigata, and Nagasaki No warning will be given. The Plan.

vidar
Download Presentation

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Hiroshima and Nagasaki Physics

  2. Choosing the Targets Summer 1945 • Requirements • Large Urban Area • Military Base • No POWs • Transportation Center/Port • Not already destroyed • First Choice = Hiroshima • Others Kokura, Niigata, and Nagasaki • No warning will be given

  3. The Plan • Drop the Uranium Bomb, Little Boy, on Hiroshima • Drop the Plutonium Bomb, Fat Man, on a second, undecided target. • Continue dropping plutonium bombs until the Japanese surrendered. • Use Plutonium made at the Washington state plant.

  4. The Potsdam DecclarationJuly 26, 1945 • Statement from President Truman • Ordered the complete surrender of Japan • Warned that if they did not surrender they would face “prompt and utter destruction.” • Japan did not surrender • Hiroshima was bombed on August 6th.

  5. HiroshimaAugust 6, 1945 • 6 Man Crew on the plane – Enola Gay • Started the 6hour flight at a North Pacific Base • Great worry was that the bomb would go off while still in the plane • Armed the bomb when they were just 2 hours from Hiroshima • Safety guards were removed 30 minutes prior to dropping it

  6. Hiroshima • Japanese aware of American planes • Chose not to attack to save fuel • Target was a key bridge in the city • Missed it by 800 ft • Detonated over a hospital • Took 57 seconds to reach the ground once it was dropped.

  7. Hiroshima Aftermath • Area of total destruction was 1 mile radius • No one and nothing survived • Fires burned every building in a 2.5 mile radius. • 70% of Hiroshima’s buildings destroyed. • 70,000-80,000 people killed immediately • 90% of healthcare professionals died • 70,000 people injured • 60,000 died of cancer/burns by 1960

  8. The Guilt • The Co-Pilot of the Enola Gale • Looked back and said, “My God, what have we done?” • Americans had mixed feelings • Truman called it “The greatest day in American History.” • Oppenheimer agreed.

  9. Nagasaki • Kokura was the 1st target, Nagasaki 2nd. • Nagasaki was a very important sea port and the majority of Japan’s military supplies were assembled there • Historical City – Old wood and straw buildings • Subject of air raids on August 1st • Many young citizens evacuated after this bombing

  10. NagasakiAugust 9, 1945 • Kokura was covered in clouds, so the planes bombed Nagasaki • Pilots concerned that they would not have enough fuel to return to the base if they Nagasaki was covered too. • Used radar to drop the bomb • Fat Man dropped almost 2 miles off target. • Nagasaki is in a valley • Caused the explosion to be more intense

  11. Nagasaki Aftermath • 1 mile radius of complete destruction. • Fires covered a 2 mile radius. • 85% of the city destroyed • Old buildings burned quickly • 75,000 people died immediately • 5,000 died before the end of 1945 from complications

  12. The End of the War • US planned to have a bomb ready every three weeks until Japan surrendered. • Emperor Hirohito Surrendered on August 12, 1945 • “Moreover, the enemy now possesses a new and terrible weapon with the power to destroy many innocent lives and do incalculable damage. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason why We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers.”

  13. The Future • Committee followed the health of the survivors • Within 1 mile • Almost everyone died immediately or within the next week • Within 1-3 miles • Lived for a few weeks, but most eventually died • 3-6 miles • Injured, but did not die immediately

  14. The Future • Genetic Mutations from Gamma Radiation • No findings that the mutations are passed from generation to generation. • Higher cancer rates among survivors than the general Japanese population (40-45%) • All organs affected • Very high rates among unborn children

  15. Atomic Bombs • Multiple treaties have tried to disarm all nuclear weapons in all countries • None have been successful • Many countries publically acknowledge that they have nuclear weapons. • US, UK, Soviet Union, France, China, India, Pakistan, North Korea • Israel is suspected of having them.

More Related