During World War II, Germany had surrendered by July 1945, marking the end of the war in Europe. However, Japan refused to submit. Just after 9:15 A.M. on August 6th, 1945, during World War II, the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb—nicknamed "Little Boy"—on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The temperature at ground level reached 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit in less than a second, melting bronze statues, fusing roof tiles together, and vaporizing people half a mile away from ground zero. 70,000 people died instantly; people miles away whose skin was exposed were burned. An ensuing firestorm and structures impacted by shockwave claimed even more lives.

President Harry Truman threatened future bombings if Japan did not surrender unconditionally. When Japan failed to act, a second atomic bomb—this one nicknamed "Fat Man"—was dropped over the city of Nagasaki on August 9th. Another 35,000 to 40,000 perished. Japan formally surrendered on September 2nd, bringing World War II to an end.

Today, the atomic bombings have manifested long-term effects suffered by survivors, the deadliest being leukemia. The radiation had increased the chances of a mutation in DNA to take place within Japanese civilians who were exposed even after many years.