On this day in 1945 an atom bomb hit Nagasaki

Was this really necessary?
Wasn't there another way?


American forces  dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki - the second such attack on Japan in three days.

The bomb was dropped by parachute from an American B29 Bomber at 1102 local time.

It exploded about 1,625 ft (500m) above the ground and is believed to have completely destroyed the city, which is situated on the western side of the Japanese island of Kyushu.

About 30% of Nagasaki, including almost all the industrial district was destroyed by the bomb and nearly 74,000 were killed and a similar number injured. The bomb, nick-named "Fat Man" in a reference to Winston Churchill, measured just under 3.5m (11ft 4in) in length, had the power of 22 kilotons of TNT and weighed 4,050kg (9,000lbs). The attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were the first time atomic bombs had been used in warfare. Residents of both cities are still suffering the physical and mental consequences of radiation to this day. On 14 August Japan surrendered to the Allies.