By Alisha
Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombings
Did you know that Japan would probably have surrendered anyway
because of the air raids already being done on Japan at the time? "
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August 6, 1945 during World War 2 the US dropped an atomic bomb ("Little Boy") on Hiroshima in Japan. The explosion wiped out 90% of the city and killed around 80, 000 citizens and later on tens of thousands more citizens died from radiation exposur. Another 35 thousand remained injured and at least 60,000 people died by the end of the year due to the remaining radiation. Three days later, August 9th, a second atomic bomb ("Fat Man") was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. These were the only times nuclear weapons have been used in war this whipped out over half the city. When it was dropped it wiped out at least 50, 000 people but later on more than 74, 000 died due to radiation. The bombings were dropped due to an act of retaliation as Japan had previously attacked Pearl Harbour in America and America wanted revenge.
Pearl Harbour bombings
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The attack on Pearl Harbour was a surprise, but Japan and the United States had been edging toward war for decades. But no one believed that the Japanese would start that war with an attack on American territory. For one thing, it would be terribly inconvenient: Hawaii and Japan were about 4,000 miles apart. For another, American intelligence officials were confident that any Japanese attack would take place in one of the (relatively) nearby European colonies in the South Pacific: the Dutch East Indies, for instance, or Singapore or Indochina. Because American military leaders were not expecting an attack so close to home, the naval facilities at Pearl Harbour were relatively undefended. Almost the entire Pacific Fleet was moored around Ford Island in the harbour, and hundreds of airplanes were squeezed onto adjacent airfields. To the Japanese, Pearl Harbor was an irresistible target.
Darwin bombings
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During the Second World War, the Japanese flew 64 raids on Darwin and 33 raids on other targets in Northern Australia.
On 19 February 1942, 188 Japanese planes were launched against Darwin, whose harbor was full of Allied ships. It was the largest Japanese attack since Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941, and followed a reconnaissance flight on 10 February 1942. On that day there were 27 Allied ships in the harbor and approximately 30 aircraft at the Darwin Civil and RAAF airfields.From the first raid on 19 February 1942 until the last on 12 November 1943, Australia and its allies lost about 900 people, 77 aircraft and several ships. Many military and civilian facilities were destroyed. The Japanese lost about 131 aircraft in total during the attacks.
On 19 February 1942, 188 Japanese planes were launched against Darwin, whose harbor was full of Allied ships. It was the largest Japanese attack since Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941, and followed a reconnaissance flight on 10 February 1942. On that day there were 27 Allied ships in the harbor and approximately 30 aircraft at the Darwin Civil and RAAF airfields.From the first raid on 19 February 1942 until the last on 12 November 1943, Australia and its allies lost about 900 people, 77 aircraft and several ships. Many military and civilian facilities were destroyed. The Japanese lost about 131 aircraft in total during the attacks.