Unfortunately majority of the victims were civilians. About 20% of the deaths resulted from illnesses and injuries from radiation poisoning and later several more deaths were reported due to leukaemia and cancers. It is believed that this was possible because the bomb was made to explode before it touched ground.īy the end of 1945 the death figures due to the atomic explosion in the city had reached 140,000. Water pipes were found to be functioning normally and damages to underground facilities was due to collapsing building and not due to the bomb explosion. However the impact on the underground facilities within the city was very negligible.
More than 25% of the city’s population was killed in a single blow and an additional 25% were severely injured.Ĭonsequently the normalcy in the city was entirely shattered almost all the facilities were extensively destroyed within a radius of three miles from the site of blast and there were widespread damages for several miles. It was unfortunate that the atomic explosion wiped out Hiroshima’s character as a major city of Japan. Ironically the city had not been attacked so far by America presumably to measure the damages that could be caused by the impending atomic attack. Hiroshima was an important centre for communications, a point for storage and a central area for troops to gather. The head quarters of the Fifth Division of the Japanese army were located in the city and it was from here that the entire defence of south Japan was controlled. Several military camps were located in the vicinity of the city which was also a supply and logistics centre for the Japanese army. Exhaustive studies were conducted by military researchers in this regard, and the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were made the targets since they had so far not been attacked by the Allied forces (Peter Wyden, 1984).īefore the bombing Hiroshima was an industrial city and had considerable military importance. Although there were severe adversities and risk in using the atomic bomb, it had become imperative to inflict a blow on Japan that would incapacitate the country from causing further harm to the US and its allies. The declaration also had the consent of Chiang Kai Shek, President of China.Īfter Japan’s rejection of the ultimatums, President Truman authorized use of the atomic bomb against Japan. At the same time warning was given to Japan of severe consequences in its failure to comply with the terms of the Potsdam Declaration which was duly signed and authorized by Prime Minister Attlee of the UK and President Truman of the US. President Truman issued the Potsdam Declaration on 26 th July, 1945 calling for unconditional surrender by Japan under predetermined terms of peace. What remained in its control was only the Japanese homeland. The US and its allies had been fighting against Japan since 1941 which had by 1945 ultimately lost control over most of the adjoining areas and islands. The blast inflicted severe damages to everything within a radius of a mile from the blast site. The actual number of injured due to the blast directly was less as compared to the other effects such as radiation and heat. The pressure created by the blast caused serious mechanical injuries by way of collapsing buildings and debris that were hurled by the impact of the explosion. Several people suffered from severe burns from the resulting fires. Casualties primarily resulted due to flash burns that were caused because of instant radiation at the time of blast.