On August 6, 1945, the United States Air Force dropped the first ever atomic bomb used in military combat on Hiroshima, Japan. Nicknamed “Little Boy”, this nuclear bomb caused unprecedented destruction, leading to Japan’s surrender and the end of World War II.
Little Boy embodied the dawn of the atomic age. Its deployment introduced the world to the horrors of nuclear weapons which would cast a shadow over global geopolitics for decades to come.
Bomb Development – The Manhattan Project
Little Boy was developed under the umbrella of the Manhattan Project starting in 1939. This top secret American program brought together many leading scientists to research and develop atomic bomb technology first.
The project was motivated by fears that Nazi Germany might acquire nuclear weapons capabilities, but by 1945 that threat had passed. With immense investments and effort, the first working atomic bombs were created by July 1945 after successful testing.
Little Boy was an enriched uranium fission-type atomic bomb. Its highly complex design represented pioneering nuclear technology and extraordinary engineering feats to harness the immense power stored within atoms.
Hiroshima Bombing Mission
Little Boy was first shipped in components to the Pacific island Tinian where it was assembled into its firing form inside the Boeing B-29 Superfortress aircraft Enola Gay.
On August 6, 1945, Enola Gay flew over Hiroshima, Japan and dropped the 9,700 pound Little Boy from 31,000 feet above the city. It exploded 1,900 feet above Hiroshima with a blast yield of approximately 15 kilotons of TNT.
The resulting mushroom cloud reached heights of over 40,000 feet. Surface temperatures near ground zero soared to 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The unprecedented explosion immediately killed 70,000 to 80,000 people.
Devastation at Hiroshima
Beyond the instant vaporization of structures near ground zero, the effects of the blast, heat, and ensuing radiation caused immense devastation throughout Hiroshima.
By the end of 1945, the death toll reached 140,000 people. Many survivors suffered disfiguring burns and injuries along with radiation sickness. Of Hiroshima’s 90,000 buildings, 70,000 were totally destroyed by either the heat or subsequent fires across 4.5 square miles.
A rising death toll from long-term radiation exposure continued after, eventually reaching 200,000 people killed by 1950. The scale of death and misery was unlike anything seen before.
Legacy of Little Boy
Three days after Hiroshima’s destruction, the U.S. dropped another atomic bomb named “Fat Man” on Nagasaki, unleashing the Bomb’s second serving of horror. Japan surrendered on August 15th, effectively ending WWII.
Hiroshima’s obliteration demonstrated the apocalyptic destruction single atomic weapons could inflict, leaving lasting scars on the city and people of Japan. Photos of the aftermath provoked global anxieties about this dangerous new technology.
The Bomb became entwined with mid-century identity and culture, taking an early Cold War turn with tests and arms races between global powers. Debates over nuclear philosophies and deterrent strategies divided nations for generations as the shadow of atomic warfare loomed.
While speculated about conceptually for years, Little Boy represented the moment atomic weapons moved from theory into awful reality. This ominous awakening to nuclear war’s implications will forever define Little Boy’s ultimate role in history.
FAQs about Little Boy
When was the “Little Boy” atomic bomb dropped?
The “Little Boy” uranium fission atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 during World War II.
How powerful was the “Little Boy” atomic bomb?
It had a blast yield of around 15 kilotons of TNT, causing immense destruction across four square miles of Hiroshima.
What type of atomic bomb was “Little Boy”?
It was a gun-type fission bomb that used uranium-235 as its nuclear fuel source. This differed from the implosion-type plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki.
Why was it called “Little Boy”?
The name “Little Boy” was chosen by the atomic bomb developers partly due to the shape, and also as a nod to President Roosevelt’s boyhood home of Hyde Park.
Where is the “Little Boy” bomb today?
No full Little Boy bombs still exist today. Recovered casings and components are on display in museums in the U.S. and Japan as symbols of nuclear warfare.
As the world’s first combat atomic bomb, the “Little Boy” attack on Hiroshima revolutionized warfare and marked the horrific dawn of the nuclear age. The unprecedented destruction precipitated the end of WWII but at great human costs.
