On 9 August 1945 the US dropped a second atomic bomb “Fat Man” on Nagasaki, Japan, destroying part of the city.

The Fat Man weapon, containing a core of about 5 kg (11 lb) of plutonium, was dropped over the city’s industrial valley. It exploded 47 seconds later at 11:02 at 503 ± 10 m (1,650 ± 33 ft), above a tennis court, halfway between the Mitsubishi Steel and Arms Works in the south and the Nagasaki Arsenal in the north, nearly 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of the planned hypocenter. 

Nagasaki, Japan, before and after the atomic bombing of August 9, 1945. U.S. National Archives, RG 77-MDH

The blast was confined to the Urakami Valley, and a major portion of the city was protected by the intervening hills. The resulting explosion released the equivalent energy of 21 ± 2 kt (87.9 ± 8.4 TJ).

Of 7,500 Japanese employees who worked inside the Mitsubishi Munitions plant, including “mobilized” students and regular workers, 6,200 were killed. Some 17,000–22,000 others who worked in other war plants and factories in the city died as well. The 1946 Manhattan Project report estimated 39,000 dead and 25,000 injured, and the 1951 U.S.-led Joint Commission report estimated 39,214 dead and 25,153 injured; Japanese-led reconsiderations in the 1970s estimated 70,000 dead in Nagasaki by the end of the year.  A modern estimate by the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF) estimates a city population of 250,000 to 270,000 at the time of the bombing, of which 60,000 to 80,000 died by the end of the year.

the mushroom cloud over Nagasaki
Atomic bombing of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, taken by Charles Levy.

At least eight Allied prisoners of war (POWs)—British Royal Air Force Corporal Ronald Shaw, and seven Dutch POWs—were killed, and as many as thirteen may have died.  American POW Joe Kieyoomia survived, reportedly having been shielded from the effects of the bomb by the concrete walls of his cell.  The 24 Australian POWs in Nagasaki survived.

One response to “Nagasaki #OnThisDay”

  1. berniebell1955 Avatar
    berniebell1955

    Friend Pete posted the following on his FB page, asking the question….. ‘….what does rebuilding a place like this even begin to look like?”

    https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2857648737937320&set=a.218561278512759

    My response was…

    “Given a chance – they’ll re-build. It’s what humans do – think of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They have to be given the chance though – that’s the rub.”

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