The Atomic Bombing: Effects of Radiation on People in Hiroshima and Nagasaki

This presentation discusses the effects of radiation on people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the atomic bombing. It explores the incident through historical, political, and social lenses, highlighting the reasons behind the attack and the long-term consequences of radiation exposure. The presentation emphasizes the value of human life and the need for nuclear non-proliferation.

THE ATOMIC BOMBING
Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Topic:
• How did the radiation emitted from the atomic bomb blasts effect
the people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki then and now?

Historical Lenses
• The different dimensions of viewing history through various
perspectives.
• The various lenses are Cultural, Social, Economic,
Political/Government, Technology and Geography.
• The particular incident of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing can be
listed under Government.
• Under government various incidents such as Law, wars, Politics,
power, and peace.

The Political Reasons Behind
the Attack
• The attack at Pearl Harbour
caused widespread anger against
Japan in the USA.
• There was a need of an
immediate action to retaliate.
• The nuclear action was a
consequence of the pearl
harbour attack.

Historical Narrative
• It is assessed by the “Radiation Effects Research Foundation” (an
agreeable Japan-U.S. association) that in the vicinity of 90,000 and
166,000 individuals were killed in Hiroshima.
• While another 60,000 to 80,000 were killed in Nagasaki.
• The next generation that took birth most had been bodily impaired
because of radiation.
• The people who have been instantly killed were because of explosion
and many died later because of radiation.

Historical Narrative
• Radiation can effect and cause
acute, instant result by
destroying cells and directly
destructing tissue, radiation can
also have effects that occur on
longer scale, such as cancer, by
causing mutations in the DNA of
living cells.

Historical Narrative: Conclusion
• “Probably the two most direct
designations are radiation injury
and gamma ray injury.”
• The skin gets dissolved and the
bones often get porous or bent.
• The affect is long term and even the
new born are born with the affects
• However statements like “a very
pleasant way to die” still haunt
people.

Value: Our Lives
• After the incident the world has
learnt the lesson that what can
be the consequences of a
nuclear attack.
• During the cold war both USA
and USSR had stopped short of a
nuclear war.

Value: Our Lives
• Recently USA and North Korea
engaged in a verbal fight.
• There were threats of Nuclear
attacks, but they did not engage.
• There was a meeting between
the heads of the states at the
end.

Value: Opinion
• It is important to understand
how valuable human life is and
how such weapons are
dangerous for peaceful growth
of civilization.
• All the conflicts has only caused
damage and problems in the
world and the world leaders and
common people must realize
that.

Value: Opinion
• The United Nations may play a more vital role in peace keeping,
presently it has much lesser role to play in international scenarios.
• There may be separate organizations which will look specifically into
nuclear matters.

Value: Obligation
• It must be the duty of the
citizens to speak against nuclear
build up.
• The government of the Nuclear
powered states must be held
responsible by the general
population.
• Nuclear Non Proliferation must
be encouraged.

References
• Manhattan Engineer District. (1946, June 29). The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/685/pg685.html
• Reynolds, M. L., & Lynch, F. X. (1955). Atomic bomb injuries among survivors in Hiroshima.Public Health Reports, 70(3), 261–270. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?
url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/4589041
• Malloy, S. L. (2012). ‘A very pleasant way to die’: Radiation effects and the decision to use the
atomic bomb against Japan. Diplomatic History, 36(3), 515–545. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.snhu.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&AuthType=cookie,ip,url,cpid&custid=shapiro&db=a9h&AN=74547716&site=eho
st-live&scope=site
• Atomic Archive. (2015). Historical documents and reports. Retrieved from
http://www.atomicarchive.com/Docs/index.shtml

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