Pacific Theater

Japan announces unconditional surrender (August 14 in US).

Hiroshima was bombed at 8:15 a.m. with the Little Boy atomic bomb released from the B-29 aircraft Enola Gay. At least 80,000 people died instantly as the ground temperature reached 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit in less than one second. Thousands more died later of radiation sickness.

Nagasaki was struck at 11:02 a.m. with the Fat Man plutonium device that was 40 percent more powerful the bomb used on Hiroshima. It was dropped from the B-29 aircraft named Bock’s Car. Bad weather had forced the crew to aim for Nagasaki, its secondary target, and the city of Kokura was thus spared. After five years, over 100,000 deaths were attributable to the bombing.

Japan signs Instrument of Surrender on battleship USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay; MIS participation as translators; known in US as VJ Day.