Two "Little Boys" Too Many

Today marks the 62nd anniversary of the atomic bomb (affectionately called "Little Boy") that dropped on the city of Hiroshima in Japan. The bomb generated a wave of heat which reached 4,000C (7,200F) and expanded across a radius of 4.5km (2.8 miles), obliterating the city.

As if that was not enough, three days later a second atomic bomb (Fat Man) was dropped on Nagasaki.

The bombs killed as many as 140,000 people in Hiroshima and 80,000 in Nagasaki. In both cities, the majority of the dead were civilians. 70,000–80,000 people, or some 30% of the population of Hiroshima were killed immediately, and another 70,000 injured. Over 90% of the doctors and 93% of the nurses in Hiroshima were killed or injured; most had been in the downtown area which had been greatly damaged.

Although the United States had previously dropped leaflets warning civilians of air raids on twelve other Japanese cities, the residents of Hiroshima were given no notice of the atomic bomb.

Just in case these two bombs didn't accomplish whatever it was they were trying to accomplish to begin with, the United States had another atomic bomb ready for use in the third week of August, with three more in September and a further three in October. That would have made a total of nine atomic bombs dropped on that little island.

In elementary school we were taught that it was the use of the Atomic bomb that ended the war. Well, even after 60 years, new questions are being asked about whether it was necessary to drop the atomic bomb - and whether the bomb was really responsible for the Japanese surrender. I'm sure historians will never fully agree on the answers.

Hello. I just can't imagine there couldn't have been another way.