Article - The Little Boy and the Fat Boy of World War II
The Second World War , commonly known as WW2 , was fought between 1939 and 1945 . Almost all major nations of the world were involved and suffered in this war . Japan’s power was rising in the Asian and Pacific region . Japanese attacks on the USA and British triggered more terrible attacks and counter attacks by the two powers . The world’s powerful nations were divided in two powers - The Allied and the Axis forces . Germany , Japan and Italy formed the Axis while The USA, Great Britain , France and USSR formed the Allied power.
To halt Japanese and the Axis advances, the world's most destructive weapon was used - the nuclear bomb or also called the atomic bomb . The USA had it . It was still in its infant stage and its destructive index was yet to be tested and demonstrated . The US scientists were not sure of the capability of the atom bomb they were developing under the Manhattan Project . A test code named Trinity was given to the detonation of the first nuclear bomb which was conducted on 16 July 1945 .The results of the explosion were very good for these scientists .
. Having been told about the success of the Trinity test President Trumen decided to drop the atomic bomb on Japan and after consultation with allied nations dates and targets were decided . Accordingly On 6 August 1945 in the morning around 8.15 am local time , the first ever nuclear bomb ( atom bomb ) was dropped on a Japanese industrial city Hiroshima . The bomb nicknamed Little Boy was dropped by the US B-29 bomber piloted by the US Air Force pilot Paul W. Tibbets Jr . As per estimation , Immediately more than 80,000 people , mostly innocents , died and thousands more died of exposure to radiation in subsequent years . Three days later on 9th August another nuclear bomb was dropped on another Japanese city of Nagasaki . This bomb , nicknamed Fat Boy ,was also dropped from US Air Force bomber B 29 by pilot Charles Sweeny . Both the bombs were made of different materials . While Little Boy was made of Uranium the Fat Boy was made of Plutonium and was more complex . An estimated 40, 000 people died immediately and thousands suffered and died in subsequent years .
On one side a group of scientists might have been happy over the success of their inventions and boasted about developing the most dreadful weapon of war . The other side millions were deprived of their lives and millions left to lead miserable and sorrowful lives . No one knows the exact number of casualties ,still an estimated 1,30,000 to 2,20, 000 people died in the two bombings and the two cities reduced to ashes witn no life and plants left there . Those who survived were seen fleeing , everyone was hurt in one or another way . Some people had face burnt and skin hanging , some naked with burned torn clothes , many were burnt with different patterns of burn injuries . Some bowed heads , some looked up ,some were silent and some with no expressions at all . All were imagining what could have happened in a few mintues . After seeing the mass destruction of his people the then Japanese emperor Hirohito urged his people to accept his decision to surrender to the Allied forces . The surrender was announced on Japanese radio on 15th August ,1945 though the official instrument of surrender was signed on 2nd September 1945 . For some countries 15 th August is celebrated as Victory day and for some 2nd September or even 3rd September .
After the two atomic bombings scientists and general people feared nothing will grow in Hiroshima and Nagasaki for 75 years . Fortunately not after a long time red canna flowers were seen to bloom in the charred rubble . People sighed with relief that the land has suffered to some extent and plants might have suffered genetic changes but still they will be able to grow and survive after some time . Thankfully the land has not been rendered infertile forever . Similarly it was feared that in survivors there will be a high rate of cancer , disabilities and genetic changes and the offsprings will have to suffer genetic changes and disabilities . Fortunately this damage too was not as bad as expected . .
As described by famous American author John W. Dower “ What the diary does not reveal , for it stops too soon , is the appalling fact that from late 1945 until 1952 Japanese medical researchers were prohibited by US occupation authorities from publishing scientific articles on the effects of the atomic bombs . “
Ironically these days nuclear energy is called the cleanest energy but it was devised for victory in war or a measure of being a superpower in the world capable of destroying the very civilization . The saddest part is that even after seeing such a terrible destruction of nuclear bombs today some country ( countries ) are flexing their arms to use atom bombs against their opponents . Japan very well knows the consequences of the atomic war and the subsequent horror and sufferings . But certainly they are very strong people who stood firmly and rose to glory soon .
Jonathan Glover , the renowned philosopher has said “ Above all , the sense of personal responsibility was reduced by a way agency was fragmented . Among the airmen who obeyed orders to drop the bomb , the many scientists who helped to make it , the President , the many political and military advisers involved in the decision , who killed the people of Hiroshima ? No one felt that the responsibility was fully his . “
After seeing the horrible consequences of the atomic bombing of Japan during WW2 , we need a peaceful world where different nations , big or small , can coexist with dignity . It is also true that a nuclear bomb is not a guarantee of victory in war . it is simply a force in reserve to back up threats .Nuclear powers are unsure that they would avoid or survive a retaliatory nuclear strike .
Let us wish that the people of Japan were the first and the last victims of atom bombs .
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