The Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki At 11:02 am local time in Japan, a bright flash of light, far brighter than the sun, illuminated the city of Nagasaki through a cloud-covered sky. Soon, a sharp boom rang out. It was August 9, 1945, and the United States had just dropped the plutonium-fueled atomic bomb "Fat Man.” Shockwaves destroyed the immediate surroundings of the blast’s center. Within 3,000 feet (900 meters) of the bomb's hypocenter, schools, hospitals, places of worship, and other institutions felt the impacts of the bomb. The blast instantly incinerated everything nearby: people, trees, homes, cars, and buildings. Thousands of people were exposed to acute radiation, and at least 40,000 people died as result of the atomic bombing. In addition to the immediate deaths, tens of thousands more people suffered physical and emotional traumas that have not yet healed. The atomic bombing of Nagasaki is one of only two times an atomic weapon has been intentionally used in war on a human population, following the bombing of Hiroshima just three days prior. In response to the first bombing, Emperor Hirohito directed his Foreign Minister to “make every effort to put an end to the war as soon as possible." While the Japanese discussed how to respond to the bombing of Hiroshima, United States field commanders rushed the assembly and preparation of the second bomb. A meeting of Japan’s war cabinet was scheduled for August 9, 1945, but not before the bomb dropped on Nagasaki. 📷 : Battered statues of religious figures sit on top a pile of rubble in a devastated urban area with mountains in the background. 📷© Cpl. Lynn P. Walker, Jr. (Marine Corps) © Manhattan Project NHP #archaeohistories