Unit 4 A view of Mountains

Unit 4

A View of Mountains

Text 1 A View of Mountains

Atomic Bomb Detonation at Hiroshima

As many know, the atomic bomb has been used only twice in warfare. The first was at Hiroshima. A uranium bomb nicknamed "Little Boy" (despite weighing in at over four and a half tons) was dropped on Hiroshima August 6, 1945. In an instant, 66,000 people were killed and 69,000 injured by a 10-kiloton atomic explosion. The area of total vaporization from the atomic bomb blast measured one half mile in diameter; total destruction one mile in diameter; severe blast damage as much as two miles in diameter. Within a diameter of two and a half miles, everything flammable burned. The remaining area of the blast zone was riddled with serious blazes that stretched out to the final edge at a little over three miles in diameter.

The hypocenter--Entrance to Shima Hospital

Shimomura Jewelers Location: Harimaya-cho (now, Hondori) Distance from hypocenter(震 源): approx. 620m Established in 1873, Shimomura Jewelers built this new store in 1928. Its clock tower with clocks on all four sides was eye-catching. However, since the structure lacked internal support pillars, the side walls gave way under the atomic blast. The second floor and clock tower remained erect on the pulverized first floor, as if sitting on an incline.

Hiroshima Gas Company

Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall

Historical sites destroyedA still standing torii(牌坊), broken torii, a pair of stone lanterns leaning in different directions, the shrine(神殿) hall burned to the ground, the castle keep toppled. "When I came close to the castle keep, less than one kilometer from the hypocenter, I was astonished by a sight that didn't make sense. A pile of lumber had somehow remained unburned. I wonder if the thick plaster walls had protected it from the heat rays." Answered Shigeo Hayashi (林重男, a renowned Japanese photographer)

Atomic Bomb Detonation at NagasakiOn August 9, 1945, Nagasaki fell to the same treatment. This time a Plutonium(环弹) bomb nicknamed "Fat Man" was dropped on the city. Though "Fat Man" missed its target by over a mile and a half, it still leveled nearly half the city. In a split second, Nagasaki's population dropped from 422,000 to 383,000. Over 25,000 people were injured. Japan offered to surrender on August 10, 1945. NOTE: Physicists who have studied these two atomic explosions estimate that the bombs utilized only 1/10th of 1 percent of their respective explosive capabilities.

The mushroom cloud seen from an American aircraft

Nagasaki two days before the atomic bombing

Nagasaki three days after the atomic bombing

Nagasaki-type Atomic Bomb “Fatman” The Nagasaki atomic bomb was nicknamed “Fatman” because of its shape.

Yosuke Yamahata photographer