長崎のまちについて

The second nuclear bombing was performed by the US in order to cause Japan to surrender unconditionally and end the war in the Pacific. Nagasaki was the unfortunate target of this attack more so due to bad luck than actual planned intent (the original target had been kokura, but cloudiness over the city prevented clear targeting). While researching about Nagasaki, it was interesting for me to read about the different justifications of the bombings. In particular, one Japanese Historian (Tsuyoshi Hasegawa) points to the fact that the nuclear bombings in Japan were not necessary since the Japanese surrender was already imminent after the Soviet Union broke the neutrality pact and consequently invaded Manchuria and Korea. He argues that the true intent of the bombing was to showcase American militaristic might and to test the devastating power of the atomic bombs.


Fat Man, the nuclear bomb dropped on Nagasaki.

The aftermath of the explosion at Nagasaki