It was the defining moment of the 20th Century – the scientific, technological, military, and political gamble of the first atomic attack. This drama-documentary attempts to do what no other film has done before – to show what it is like to live through a nuclear explosion.
Set in the three weeks from the test explosion in New Mexico to the dropping of the bomb, the action takes viewers into the room where the crucial political decisions are made; on board the Enola Gay; inside the bomb as it explodes; and on the streets of Hiroshima.
For six months, the United States had made use of intense strategic fire-bombing of 67 Japanese cities. Together with the United Kingdom, and the Republic of China the United States called for a surrender of Japan in the Potsdam Declaration.
The Japanese government ignored this ultimatum. By executive order of President Harry S. Truman, the U.S. dropped the nuclear weapon Little Boy on the city of Hiroshima on Monday, August 6, 1945, followed by the detonation of Fat Man over Nagasaki on August 9.
These two events are the only active deployments of nuclear weapons in war. The target of Hiroshima was a city of considerable military importance, containing Japan’s Second Army Headquarters, as well as being a communications center and storage depot.
June 30, 2011 at 11:49 am | Lyall14bb
Well it saved American lives….so much better than Japanese lives. After all, whats a few hundred thousand Japanese women and children worth? Do you get im being slightly sarcastic?
July 2, 2011 at 1:59 pm | Jon
Not sarcastic. Just very sad
June 30, 2011 at 2:08 pm | Lfg212000
balone
June 30, 2011 at 11:27 pm | Adnan
pure terrorism …
June 30, 2011 at 11:27 pm | Adnan
pure terrorism …
July 3, 2011 at 1:58 pm | Anonymous
Maybe they should make a documentary about the Nanking massacre or other crimes of fascist Japan
July 3, 2011 at 6:24 pm | yukdog
Give me a break. This is why they need to teach history! We have Japanese friends who are convinced they too would have died had Japan been invaded. They indeed were being taught how to charge American soldiers with bamboo spears, etc. In addition “the bomb” killed far fewer, people. and more humanely (if such a thing is possible), then the fire bombing of Tokyo. Before you start spouting propaganda read some history and get some facts! Even death due to radiation was far less common than expected, something that is still hard to explain.
The real lesson here is that all war is stupid, brutal, and almost always wrong. I find it “interesting” that today international law says that it is OK to kill someone but it is against international law to try and hurt them. Yet another reason why war is so stupid.
July 3, 2011 at 6:24 pm | yukdog
Give me a break. This is why they need to teach history! We have Japanese friends who are convinced they too would have died had Japan been invaded. They indeed were being taught how to charge American soldiers with bamboo spears, etc. In addition “the bomb” killed far fewer, people. and more humanely (if such a thing is possible), then the fire bombing of Tokyo. Before you start spouting propaganda read some history and get some facts! Even death due to radiation was far less common than expected, something that is still hard to explain.
The real lesson here is that all war is stupid, brutal, and almost always wrong. I find it “interesting” that today international law says that it is OK to kill someone but it is against international law to try and hurt them. Yet another reason why war is so stupid.
October 19, 2011 at 3:59 pm | Jackmeoff
yukdog……….WTF are you spewing here? You are so inarticulate that you probably cannot interpret your own words. Get clear and try again. I am sure you have something meaningful to say.
October 19, 2011 at 3:59 pm | Jackmeoff
yukdog……….WTF are you spewing here? You are so inarticulate that you probably cannot interpret your own words. Get clear and try again. I am sure you have something meaningful to say.
July 4, 2011 at 4:05 pm | Anonymous
Typical American hypocrisy that they are so well known for. What they did is unforgivable.
August 11, 2011 at 11:02 am | Max
fuck you america you have blood of millions of people just fuck you
August 12, 2011 at 6:18 pm | Blizz26
Your a dork. Go live in North Korea where you belong…
October 19, 2011 at 3:55 pm | Jackmeoff
And you, Blizz26, are ignorant if you have no remorse for what was done to innocent civilians, whether they be Americans or Japanese, or Iraqis. What you need is a REAL history lesson, but I cannot give that to you. First, you need to acquire a desire for truth, and not simply be a consumer of propaganda. I am sincere when I say, “I hope that you see the light someday.”