Notes on E factor(Dropping of a bombs)
-Significant factor that led to Japan’s defeat in the war
-Allied scientists had begun working on it since 1942 under Manhattan Project
Reasons why Allied powers used atomic bomb
-Wanted to end war once and for all and wanted to minimize casualties by using bomb instead of sending troops.
-Japan’s bushido code showed that it would not accept unconditional surrender
-Wanted to impress Soviet Union and show that USA could defeat Japan without Soviet help
-Deeply divided by ideologies despite working together(Soviet played major role in liberating Europe,occupying half when Germany surrendered.)
-Stalin wanted share of Japan same way to occupation of Germany
-USA received reports that Soviet scientists also working on Atomic bomb,wanted to gain edge by being the first to use it successfully.
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
-6 Aug 1945-American bomber Enola Gay flew over Hiroshima and dropped atomic bomb ‘Little boy” at 8.15am while the city lay sleeping
-1/3 of city population(66,000) killed instantly while 70,000 injured.
-USA then announced discovery of Atomic bomb and demanded Japan surrender unconditionality.
-Stalin declared war next day but Japan still did not surrender immediately.
-9 Aug 1945 (three days after first atomic bomb)-USA dropped second atomic bomb ‘Fat man’ on Nagasaki
-40,000 killed instantly,25,000 burnt by explosion and thousands more affected by long-lasting effects and radiation also resulted in severe effects on human body
-15 Aug 1945,Japanese Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s unconditional surrender to Allies
-Formal ‘instrument of surrender’ signed on board American battleship USS Missouri on 2 sept 1945.