Nagasaki Day

In 1945, during World War II, two cities of Japan witnessed a nuclear attack with an atomic bomb dropped in the city of Hiroshima on 6 August and later in Nagasaki on 9 August. Thousands of people lost their lives instantly. This was the first and only instance of the usage of nuclear weapons in the world. Hence, Nagasaki Day is observed every year on August 9 to promote peace politics and raise awareness of the effects of the bomb attack on Nagasaki. 2021 marked the 76th anniversary of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city.

As UPSC surprises aspirants with questions linked with what usually is assumed to be trivia; it is advisable that one must scroll through the facts about Nagasaki Day to get the basic information. It is an important topic for UPSC Prelims from the section of current affairs. World War II is an important topic for GS Paper I for UPSC Mains.

Facts About Nagasaki Day for UPSC Exam

Read the below-mentioned facts about Nagasaki Day; and aid your IAS Exam preparation along with other competitive exams’ preparation. 

The topic can be asked as a Current Affairs Question in IAS Prelims. Visit the attached link to attempt practice quizzes on current affairs.

To read more about the other Important International and National days click on the link. Such days and events become very important for UPSC Prelims.

History Of Nagasaki Day

• During World War II Japan fought against the US and Allies. With the surrender of Germany on 8th May 1945, the war in Europe had concluded. But the war in the Pacific continued between the Allies and Japan.
• At the Potsdam Declaration in July 1945, the Allies asked Japan for an unconditional surrender. However this was ignored by Japan and it continued waging the war.
• Relations between Japan and the US worsened, especially after Japanese forces decided to take an aim at Indochina with the intention of capturing the oil-rich areas of the East Indies. 
• Therefore, US president Harry Truman authorised the use of atomic bombs in order to make Japan surrender in WWII.
• As a result, the two kinds of atomic bomb developed as a result of the Manhattan Project in 1940s were used. The ‘Little Boy’, a Uranium Bomb was dropped in the city of Hiroshima on 6th August 1945 and ‘The Fat Man’, a Plutonium bomb, in the city of Nagasaki 9 August 1945. 

Impact of the Nuclear Bombing on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

• Hiroshima’s nuclear bomb, Little Boy, destroyed buildings within a radius of 2.5 km. It led to the destruction of property and left over 28,000 dead. The plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki took the lives of over 75000 people.
• Even after years of the incident, the survivors in the city still experience diseases like leukemia, thyroid, breast, and lung cancers at a higher frequency.

Reasons for Bombing Nagasaki

• US President justified the nuclear attack by saying that dropping the bomb ended the war quickly and effectively with the least amount of casualties on the U.S side.
• Some believe the bombing was to create a response to the Pearl Harbour, attacked by Japan.
• Hiroshima and Nagasaki were chosen because they were important industrial and military facilities.
• Some theories say it was done to gain a stronger position for postwar diplomatic bargaining with the Soviet Union.

Read more about Hiroshima Day in the article attached to the link.

Significance of Nagasaki Day

• In Japan, the 9th of August every year is celebrated as a Black Day.
• The nuclear attack in these cities wiped out generations from the place and caused widespread destruction to both human lives and property.
• The day is observed to empathise and offer solitude for those who braved the attacks and in memory of those who lost their  lives in the nuclear attack.
• Another aim of the day is to further send a message of peaceful co-existence to fellow nations.
• Citizens of Japan, who are living in the shadows of nuclear warfare and proliferation spread the message of peace and co-existence in the world by organising many peace campaigns as part of the day. Meetings, conferences, reviews and proposals are discussed at high levels and agreements are drawn to make the world a peaceful habitat to live in.

Result of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Bombing

• World War II concluded as Japan surrendered to the Allies on 15th August 1945. The War officially ended on 2nd September.
• Japan became a pacifist and non-nuclear country as a result of the horrendous effects of nuclear weapons.
• The use of atomic bombs by the US also led to the Soviet Union starting its nuclear weapons program. With the Soviet Union developing their own Nuclear Bomb, a new era of Cold War began.

Read about the Cold War in the article attached to the link. It is an important topic for GS paper 1 under the World History section.

Note: As UPSC 2022 approaches, use BYJU’S free Daily Video Analysis of The Hindu Newspaper to augment your preparation.

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