On August 9, 1945, Nagasaki, Japan marked a tragic event–the second nuclear bombing during World War II. On this date in 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb codenamed Fat Man on Nagasaki just three days after dropping Hiroshima with its first atomic bomb; this event led to Japan’s surrender in the war and is remembered annually with reverence by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida offering his condolences and renewing his commitment to a world free from nuclear weapons.
Prime Minister Kishida offered his deepest sympathies to those affected by the devastating bombing and promised Japan’s commitment towards making the world free from nuclear weapons. He emphasized the significance of preventing another tragedy like that which unfolded 78 years ago – as Japan is currently the only nation that has experienced nuclear bombings.
Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, also addressed this crisis by emphasizing that no such catastrophic events should ever reoccur. He advocated the elimination of nuclear risks by abolishing all nuclear weapons altogether.
On August 9, 1945, significant events unfolded during World War II. Seeking to hasten Japan’s surrender and avoid a costly invasion, the United States and its allies decided to employ atomic bombs against Japan in an attempt to hasten their surrender and avoid prolonged and costly invasion. Little Boy was deployed against Hiroshima on August 6th; its explosion caused widespread destruction while killing around 140,000 individuals; its second bomb, Fat Man, was launched against Nagasaki which claimed over 80,000 victims before Japan officially submitted itself unconditionally surrender.
Nagasaki Day holds great global significance, as its main purpose is to foster peace and raise awareness about the risks posed by nuclear weapons. Anti-war and anti-nuclear demonstrations take place worldwide on this date to emphasize how important it is that such devastation never reoccurs.
