Atom Bomb

Question 1

When were the atom bombs dropped?

Answer 1

6th August 1945 - Hiroshima

9th August 1945 - Nagasaki

Question 2

How many people died at Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Answer 2

78,000 died outright at Hiroshima. 80,000 dead at Nagasaki by the end of the year. 140,000 dead at Hiroshima by the end of the year.

Question 3

Effects of the atom bomb on Hiroshima

Answer 3

70,000 out of 78,000 buildings destroyed. Bridges destroyed and river polluted, allowing no wildlife to survive.

Question 4

Effects of the atom bomb on the USA

Answer 4

It caused a certain ‘smugness’ and sent a very clear message to the Russians that the USA had begun the ‘arms race’ and that they were in the lead.

Question 5

Effects of the atom bomb on the USSR

Answer 5

It showed the USSR that the USA had the upper hand in terms of military and that the balance of world power was in their favour. By the Summer of 1949, the USSR had developed their own nuclear bomb.

Question 6

Effects of the atom bomb on the Cold War

Answer 6

Many campaigned for countries to disarm, worried that future wars would be settled with nuclear weapons (Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)). Rapidly increased tension between USA and USSR. Stalin was very angry that Truman had not told him about his plans to drop the bomb at Potsdam and he viewed it as an act of betrayal. MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) was ensured as both sides knew that if they used their nuclear weapons on the other, they would strike back, so stopped a physical conflict.