Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings

During World War II, the United States dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and Nagasaki (August 9, 1945). These were powerful nuclear weapons that caused massive destruction and loss of life, killing tens of thousands instantly and many more later from injuries and radiation. The bombings led Japan to surrender, bringing an end to the war. However, they also raised serious ethical questions about the use of such devastating weapons and their long-term human and environmental impacts.