Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki, Japan - 77-BT-172 (20274860454)

The Japanese government refused to surrender, even after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6. The United States hoped that the second bombing would convince the Japanese to surrender and avoid a costly invasion of the Japanese mainland. Nagasaki was chosen as the target for the second atomic bombing because it was a major industrial city with important military facilities, it had not been heavily damaged by previous bombing raids, and it was located on the southern coast of Japan, which made it easier for the B-29 bombers to reach. Also, the Soviet Union declared war on Japan on August 8, 1945, and the United States wanted to show the Soviets that they had a powerful new weapon. The bombing of Nagasaki killed an estimated 70,000 people instantly, and many more died in the weeks and months that followed from radiation sickness. The city was destroyed, and it took many years for it to recover. The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were a defining moment in World War II and in the history of the world. They showed the destructive power of nuclear weapons and had a profound impact on the course of the war and the postwar world.