strategic-bombing

Atomic Bomb Dropped on Nagasaki

| World War II

The B-29 Bockscar dropped 'Fat Man,' a plutonium implosion bomb, on Nagasaki, killing 40,000–50,000 immediately and 60,000–80,000 total by year's end. The bomb detonated 2 miles off target due to cloud cover, limiting but not preventing catastrophic destruction. Combined with Soviet entry into the war, these events forced Japan's surrender.

  • T1 US Strategic Bombing Survey, Pacific War – NARA Official
  • T2 Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum records Major