"The release of atomic energy has so changed everything that our former ways of thinking have been rendered obsolete. We therefore face catastrophe unheard of in former times. If mankind is to survive, then we need a completely new way of thinking." ~Albert Einstein Life Was Never the Same: The Effects of the Atomic Bomb on the Survivors In August of 1945, the world changed forever with the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The lives of millions were shattered in a few seconds as the bombs demolished their homes and murdered their family members. Never has one incident in history affected such a great number of people for so many years. Today, the Japanese are still feeling the effects of the dropping of the atomic bombs. With the marking of the fifty-year anniversary in 1995, the dreadful scars still remain in the bodies and the hearts of those who were present in 1945. The radiation emitted from the atomic bombs caused numerous growth disorders, many psychological and social effects along with a drastic increase in leukemia and breast cancer that affected many innocent civilians. Many scientists were interested in accessing the damage done by the atomic bombs; therefore, surveys began immediately after the bombings. Military agencies and scientists from various universities designed the first surveys. Americans felt it was necessary to investigate the effects of the atomic bomb, so President Truman established the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission in 1946. Its major goal was to obtain survey samples that reflected the actual conditions of the exposed and it was responsible for many studies including the Adult Health Study and the Life Span Study.1 The commission did not disband until 1974 ... ... middle of paper ... ... Notes 1. Ishikawa, Eisei, David L. Swain, trans. The Committee for the Compilation of Materials on Damage Caused by the Atomic Bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ed., Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Physical, Medical, and Social Effects of the Atomic Bombings (New York: Basic Books, Inc., Publishers, 1981), 510-512. 2. Historical Background Relating to Relocation of the Radiation Effect Research Foundation (RERF), http://www.1amesh.ne.jp/usui-n/radiante.htm (1 November 1999). 3. Eisei, 222-230, 450-52. 4. Eisei, 14. 5. Eisei, 449. 6. Frank. W. Chinnock, Nagasaki: The Forgotten Bomb (New York: New American Library, 1969), 297. 7. Eisei, 259. 8. Radiation Effects Research Foundation, http://www.rerf.or.jp/eigo/experhp/rerfhome.htm (1 November 1999). 9. Eisei, 186-210. 10. Eisei, 489-90.
Most writers take sides, either for or against the atom bomb. Instead of taking sides, he challenges his readers to make their own opinions based on their personal meditations. One of the key questions we must ask ourselves is “Are actions intended to benefit the large majority, justified if it negatively impacts a minority?” The greatest atrocity our society could make is to make a mistake and not learn from it. It is important, as we progress as a society, to learn from our mistakes or suffer to watch as history repeats itself.
In fear that Nazi Germany was developing an atomic bomb, on December 6 1941, scientists, engineers and the army raced to build the first man-made atomic bomb. These combined efforts provide the United States with wartime military advantage was dubbed ‘The Manhattan Project’. However, when by late 1944, concrete intelligence confirmed that Germany’s work on atomic weaponry had basically stalled in 1942, many scientists were given cause to pause and reassess their commitment to the project. Joseph Rotblat, for instance, quit the project maintaining that, ‘the fact that the German effort was stillborn undermined the rationale for continuing’. Indeed, he was the exception. Nevertheless, the scientists’ apprehensions reached a high plateau when Germany surrendered in May 1945. These events, among others, suggested that the bomb would be used, if at all, against Japan (a reversal, in a way, of the racism and genocide issues within Germany). Many scientists, thus, began to debate among themselves the moral and ethical implications of using an atomic bomb in the war and the fate of humanity in the imminent atomic age. In doing so, the scientists with a stronger sense of responsibility, resolved that, as they had created the bomb, they possessed both the legitimacy and intellect to formulate proposals regarding its use. On their political mission, the scientists fastened...
The impact of the bombing still lingers today, with many survivors from the bombing dying due to radiation increased health risks such as cancer, and increased radiation due to the bombs saw 51% of all leukaemia deaths between 1950-90 as an impact of radiation overdoes due to the atomic bombs. The background radiation of Nagasaki and Hiroshima has returned to the natural state, but during the years that it was increased, it caused the deaths of many. The bombing impacted babies, and caused many detrimental effects on babies still in the mothers womb, the effects on babies includes the following, increased chance of birth deformities, increased reduction in IQ, increased chance of mental retardation, and increased chance for impairment of rate of
The main theme of Nagasaki: Life After Nuclear War, is the impact of the war and nuclear weapons on the Japanese civilians, both physically and mentally. Susan Southard's story follows the lives of five hibakusha or atomic bomb affected people: Dō-oh Mineko, Nagano Etsuko, Wada Kōichi, Yoshida Katsuji, and Taniguchi Sumiteru (Southard xix). She uses testimonies, photographs, government documents, and news articles to present an accurate image of the consequences of nuclear war from the little-known side of Japanese citizens.
One fact that cannot be disputed is that the Uranium-235 filled atomic bombs dropped on both Japanese cities instantly killed approximately 120,000 people and thousands and thousands more as a result of exposure to radiation (Effects on Children Exposed to Atomic Bomb Radiation Through Their Parents). It is believed that the persistence of the radiation that remained in the area was among the worst in history. The fallout from the Uranium-235 left lasting health effects for the two cities as well as the surrounding areas. Though exposure to radiation can cause acute, near-immediate effect by killing cells and directly damaging tissue, radiation can also have effects that happen on longer scale, such as cancer, by causing mutations in the DNA of living cells (Birth defects among the children of atomic-bomb survivors). Also, children are born with health defects, such as anencephaly, cleft palate, cleft lip with or without cleft palate, club foot, polydactyly (additional finger or toe), and syndactyly (fusion of two or more fingers or toes) (The Long Term Health Effects). The devastation was too much for the country of Japan to overcome. The two bombings led to the immediate surrender of the Japanese Empire and the eventual end of World War
Among the long-term effects suffered by atomic bomb survivors, the most deadly was leukemia. An increase in leukemia appeared about two years after the attacks and peaked around four to six years later. Children who represent the population that was affected most severely. Attributable risk—the percent difference in the incidence rate of a condition between an exposed population and a comparable unexposed one — reveals how great of an effect radiation had on leukemia incidence. The Radiation Effects Research Foundation estimates the attributable risk of leukemia to be 46% of bomb
One of the largest social impacts of the atomic bomb is that the atomic bomb instills fear into people for nuclear explosion and war. Before the first atomic bomb was dropped, a typical war meant that the people feared for casualty, physical pain and lost of love ones. With the new age of atomic bomb, every coming war has a potential to become a nuclear war, and a nuclear war brings a new type of fear. This new fear is the fear for the end of the world and humankind.
The flash burn was “a very appreciable fraction of the [atomic bomb’s] energy liberated goes into radiant heat and light,” (“The Atomic Chap
This site provides yet another very informative array of facts. It was one of the most useful as it had a file that was almost a direct answer to the question that this paper applies, what were the major effects of the atomic bomb.
”The least injured drag the more seriously wounded. There are wounded soldiers, and mothers carrying burned children in their arms. ”These numbers count for both those who died in the bombings themselves, and those who succumbed to radiation sickness in the following months and years. The vast majority of the people that died in the atomic bombings were civilians; many of them were women and children, some of them newborn babies, elderly people, and people who had nothing to do with the war effort.
On Monday, August 6, 1945, the United States of America dropped the first ever Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Then, three days later on Thursday, August 9, 1945, the United States dropped a second Atomic Bomb on Nagasaki, Japan. Approximately 110,000 military and civilians were killed. The fortunate ones died instantly while the others died from radiation sickness, burns, infections and malnutrition. (Capio) However, this did not constitute the only casualties caused by the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Many more lives were lost due to medical complications and disease such as various forms of cancers that spread throughout the bodies of the survivors and their children caused by the radiation of the Atomic Bombs.
When contemplating the dramatic shifts in technology regarding weapons of warfare, one can consider diabolical and destructive beyond belief: the atomic bomb. The first to ever be unleashed onto victims of war was on August 16, 1945 in Hiroshima, Japan. The effects that came about ranged from social and moral problems to economic destruction. The scariest part of this weapon lies in its ability to end the entire world population at the touch of a simple button. Death, injury and physical damage are only some of the effects caused by the use of one.
The dawn of the atomic era was a time full of fear, mysteries, and ultimately responsibilities. Whether it is the scientists, the leader of the scientists, the soldiers, or the leader of the soldiers, they all felt the responsibilities of developing and using the world’s first nuclear bomb. With this new knowledge, it became a responsibility of the people of this world to protect each other from the devastating effects of atomic warfare. Balancing the right to explore atomic science and the responsibility of the wellbeing of humanity was now a position that mankind would be locked into forever.
Although the atomic bomb was well known for its destructive power, it also made significant social, economic, and ecological impact to the world. Additionally, even though the atomic bomb ended wars, it still, however, struck fear in peoples' hearts due to its radiation and destructive effects. The United States invested billions of dollars in the development of the atomic bomb, which would later be known as the Manhattan Project. One of the long-term effects of the atomic bomb was that it caused the nuclear arms race during the Cold War. This case study will discuss why scientists developed the atomic bomb.
John Hersey’s short novel Hiroshima pays tribute to the stories of several survivors of the 1945 atomic bombing at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Hersey documents the unique lives of each of these survivors, including how each person spent the moments leading up to the bomb, how they reacted to the bomb, how the bomb affected their life afterward, and other general information about the person. Hersey ends the book with an uncomplicated statement about how “his memory, like the world’s, was getting spotty” (152). The final line in the novel provides a depth of insight about how society moves on from events such as this one, including how it remembers the bombing, how its attitude about it changes, and how its views on nuclear weapons change over time.