Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Related Questions
Discover
Smoke billowing 20,000 feet above Hiroshima, Japan, from the first atomic bomb every dropped in World War II.
70 Years After Hiroshima
The Battle of New Orleans, by E. Percy Moran, c. 1910. Andrew Jackson, War of 1812.
26 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History
The First Atomic Bombs infographic, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Japan, United States, nuclear weapon, atomic bomb, World War II, WWII
The First Atomic Bombs Tested and Used During World War II
American soldiers in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge.
9 Questions About World War II Answered
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima Infographic. Japan. United States. World War II
Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima: Infographic
jeans, denim, pants, clothing
Why Do We Say “A Pair of Pants”?
Andrew Jackson delivering a speech while on his way to Washington, D.C., for his inauguration in 1829. From Harper's Weekly, 1881.
5 Remarkably Close U.S. Presidential Elections
atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Article

What were the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Last Updated:

The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were American bombing raids on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, which marked the first use of atomic weapons in war. Little Boy, the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, was a gun-assembly fission bomb using uranium, whereas Fat Man, the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, was an implosion fission bomb utilizing plutonium.

Related Questions