On this day in 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. The second bomb was dropped in Nagasaki three days later, on August 9. Thousands of people died as a result of the nuclear bomb explosions, with an estimated 80,000 people killed immediately and another 35,000 injured. By the end of the year, the fallout in Hiroshima had claimed the lives of almost 60,000 people.

Along with the loss of life, the bombings caused tremendous structural damage, with Japanese officials estimating that 69 percent of Hiroshima’s structures were destroyed.

During World War II, an American B-29 bomber detonated an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. ‘Little Boy’ was the name of the nuclear weapon that was dropped on Hiroshima. Thousands of people were killed as the explosion levelled about 90% of the city.

Hiroshima had roughly 90,000 buildings before the bombing, but only 28,000 remained after the disaster. Aside from the murders, the Japanese were also subjected to horrific burns and radiation poisoning.

In World War II, however, Japan did not surrender. The second bomb was dropped in Nagasaki three days later, on August 9. As a result, on August 15, Emperor Hirohito of Japan announced unconditional surrender in World War II over the radio, effectively ending the war.