The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki | Page 3

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THE ATOMIC BOMBINGS OF HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI
by The Manhattan Engineer District, June 29, 1946.

Index
FOREWORD INTRODUCTION THE MANHATTAN PROJECT
INVESTIGATING GROUP PROPAGANDA SUMMARY OF
DAMAGES AND INJURIES MAIN CONCLUSIONS THE
SELECTION OF THE TARGET DESCRIPTION OF THE CITIES
BEFORE THE BOMBINGS Hiroshima Nagasaki THE ATTACKS
Hiroshima Nagasaki GENERAL COMPARISON OF HIROSHIMA
AND NAGASAKI GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF DAMAGE
CAUSED BY THE ATOMIC EXPLOSIONS TOTAL CASUALTIES
THE NATURE OF AN ATOMIC EXPLOSION
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE
ATOMIC BOMBS CALCULATIONS OF THE PEAK PRESSURE
OF THE BLAST WAVE LONG RANGE BLAST DAMAGE

GROUND SHOCK SHIELDING, OR SCREENING, FROM THE
BLAST FLASH BURN CHARACTERISTICS OF INJURIES TO
PERSONS BURNS MECHANICAL INJURIES BLAST INJURIES
RADIATION INJURIES SHIELDING FROM RADIATION
EFFECTS OF THE ATOMIC BOMBINGS ON THE INHABITANTS
OF THE CITIES APPENDIX: Father Siemes' eyewitness account

FOREWORD
This report describes the effects of the atomic bombs which were
dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6
and 9, 1945, respectively. It summarizes all the authentic information
that is available on damage to structures, injuries to personnel, morale
effect, etc., which can be released at this time without prejudicing the
security of the United States.
This report has been compiled by the Manhattan Engineer District of
the United States Army under the direction of Major General Leslie R.
Groves. Special acknowledgement to those whose work contributed
largely to this report is made to:
The Special Manhattan Engineer District Investigating Group, The
United States Strategic Bombing Survey, The British Mission to Japan,
and
The Joint Atomic Bomb Investigating Group (Medical). and
particularly to the following individuals:
Col. Stafford L. Warren, Medical Corps, United States Army, for his
evaluation of medical data,
Capt. Henry L. Barnett, Medical Corps, United States Army, for his
evaluation of medical data,
Dr. R. Serber, for his comments on flash burn,
Dr. Hans Bethe, Cornell University, for his information of the nature of
atomic explosions,
Majors Noland Varley and Walter C. Youngs, Corps of Engineers,
United States Army, for their evaluation of physical damage to
structures,
J. 0. Hirschfelder, J. L. Magee, M. Hull, and S. T. Cohen, of the Los
Alamos Laboratory, for their data on nuclear explosions,
Lieut. Col. David B. Parker, Corps of Engineers, United States Army,
for editing this report.

INTRODUCTION
Statement by the President of the United States: "Sixteen hours ago an
American airplane dropped one bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, and
destroyed its usefulness to the enemy. That bomb had more power than
20,000 tons of T.N.T. It had more than two thousand times the blast
power of the British Grand Slam, which is the largest bomb ever yet
used in the history of warfare".
These fateful words of the President on August 6th, 1945, marked the
first public announcement of the greatest scientific achievement in
history. The atomic bomb, first tested in New Mexico on July 16, 1945,
had just been used against a military target.
On August 6th, 1945, at 8:15 A.M., Japanese time, a B-29 heavy
bomber flying at high altitude dropped the first atomic bomb on
Hiroshima. More than 4 square miles of the city were instantly and
completely devastated. 66,000 people were killed, and 69,000 injured.
On August 9th, three days later, at 11:02 A.M., another B-29 dropped
the second bomb on the industrial section of the city of Nagasaki,
totally destroying 1 1/2 square miles of the city, killing 39,000 persons,
and injuring 25,000 more.
On August 10, the day after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the
Japanese government requested that it be permitted to surrender under
the terms of the Potsdam declaration of July 26th which it had
previously ignored.

THE MANHATTAN PROJECT ATOMIC BOMB INVESTIGATING
GROUP
On August 11th, 1945, two days after the bombing of Nagasaki, a
message was dispatched from Major General Leslie R. Groves to
Brigadier General Thomas F. Farrell, who was his deputy in atomic
bomb work and was