Hiroshima Day reminds the world about the destruction atomic bombs can cause.
On August 6, 1945, an American B-29 bomber dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima, Japan. The bombing killed nearly 80,000 people instantly and tens of thousands more died later of radiation exposure. This was the first time an atomic bomb was used. Three days later, a second B-29 dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki. This killed another 40,000 people. These two bombings forced Japan to announce on August 15 that it was surrendering unconditionally during World War II.
Japan marks Hiroshima Day on August 6 to raise awareness about the devastating power of what its emperor Hirohito described as “a new and most cruel bomb”. The day also reminds the world about the need for “peace politics” to avoid any more world wars and destruction.