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The Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a secret military project created to develop the first nuclear weapons to be used in war. American and European scientists joined together to find the key materials needed to build a nuclear weapon. It is called the Manhattan Project because it was originally based in Manhattan, New York. -
The Trinity Test
The Trinity Test was the start of the nuclear age. Scientists in New Mexico detonated a plutonium bomb on top of a steel tower, leading to an intense flash of light, a wave of heat and a loud echoing sound. There was also a ball of fire in the sky surrounded by a cloud of smoke. This bomb was equivalent to 21,000 tons of TNT and destroyed the steel tower and surrounding area. They were now ready to use this weapon in war. -
Potsdam Declaration
The United States gave Japan an ultimatum threatening them to surrender from World War II. The declaration stated that if Japan rejected the ultimatum there would be "prompt and utter destruction," but they rejected it anyway. This led to the bombings on Japan. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima
On August 6, 1945 the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. This was the first time that atomic warfare was ever used. The destruction that the bomb caused was extensive, causing 70% of all buildings nearby to burn and 140,000 people to die by the end of 1945, due to injuries and exposure to radiation. -
Atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki
Three days after the Hiroshima bombing, Japan still hadn't surrendered from the war. The United States dropped another bomb, this time on Nagasaki, Japan. This bombing led to 74,000 deaths by the end of 1945. The bombing also caused radioactive rain and the ground temperatures to reach 4,000°C. -
Japan surrenders from World War II
The Japanese Emperor Herohito, announced his country's surrender in a radio broadcast six days after the second bombing. The news of the end of the war spread fast and many celebrations occurred within the United States and other allied countries. -
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum opened in 1955. This museum in Hiroshima is dedicated to the documentation of the atomic bombings in Japan in 1945. Its goal is to eliminate all nuclear weapons through education and awareness. -
Genbaku Dome became a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The Genbaku Dome was the only structure still standing after the bombing of Hiroshima. This structure is a powerful symbol that expresses hope for world peace and the elimination of all nuclear weapons. The Genbaku Dome became a United Nations Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site in 1996. This signifies the importance of the Dome for all humanity. -
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum becomes an important asset
The main building of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum became one of the most important cultural assets of Japan on July 5, 2006. This building is the first cultural asset to be among buildings built after the war. -
Barack Obama is the first serving US president to visit Hiroshima
Obama said that the memory of the bombings must never fade and encouraged nations to pursue a world without nuclear weapons. Even though he didn't apologize for the bombings during his stay, his visit was welcomed by most Japanese.
