Foreword

At 8:15 A.M. August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb dropped in history exploded approximately 580 meters above the center of Hiroshima. In an instant, it reduced the city to a scorched plain, wiping out countless precious lives and inflicting devastation on all city functions. This unprecedented tragedy was on a completely different scale from the destruction caused by natural disasters or conventional weapons.

Furthermore, the large amount of radiation that instantly descended upon the Earth penetrated deeply into people's bodies, destroying cells. The potential effects of radiation continue to threaten the lives of the survivors even today and have caused considerable psychological damage. Their extent is truly immeasurable.

The physical damage caused by the atomic bomb ranges from injuries due to the severe heat rays and blast to cellular destruction from radiation. As the effect of the bomb continued to develop over a long period, the total number of dead depends on the date of the survey. It is estimated that in Hiroshima, the total number who died by the end of December 1945, when death from acute radiation disease had subsided, was approximately 140,000 (plus or minus 10,000).

This article is a summary of the damage caused by the atomic bomb and Hiroshima's feelings about peace. By passing on understanding of what happened that day, we hope to help others understand the Spirit of Hiroshima, our appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting world peace.