By C.R.Luismël
The Day “Little Boy” Fell
Exactly 75 years ago, the United States waited patiently for a clear, cloudless morning over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. The reason: to drop the first atomic bomb in human history—ironically nicknamed “Little Boy.”
The city was chosen for its strategic significance: a key military and logistical hub in southern Japan.
An Extreme Act with Immediate Consequences
To this day, the full impact on civilians remains debated. What is certain is that the bombing led to Japan’s immediate surrender. Four years earlier, Japan had launched a surprise attack on the U.S. military base at Pearl Harbor, pulling the United States into World War II.
The world had already been immersed in chaos and destruction for years. And yet, from our modern perspective, some haunting questions remain:
- Why Japan, and not another nation that inflicted greater harm on the world?
- Why were civilians targeted, rather than strictly military objectives?
- Why use an atomic bomb? Couldn’t a conventional military operation have been enough?
Easy to Judge from the Comfort of Peace
Today, we can ask these questions freely from the safety and distance of modern life. But understanding the mindset and global context of that time is far more complex.
What If Japan Had the Bomb First?
Another question worth asking: If Imperial Japan had developed the atomic bomb first, would they have used it?
Let’s not forget the kamikaze mentality—soldiers willing to die for the emperor and the honor of their nation. Eight years before Hiroshima, Japan had already committed war crimes during its invasions of multiple Chinese provinces, leaving behind widespread devastation.
Surrendering “with Honor”
Japan’s rigid imperial honor code made it nearly impossible for its leaders to admit failure or halt their expansionist ambitions. It was this extreme act that provided them with a way out—an excuse to surrender without losing complete face in front of their people.
But the cost was immense. Japan lost its imperial status. The emperor was forced to publicly renounce his divine status. And the country came under de facto U.S. protection. To this day, Japan’s constitution prohibits reestablishing a full offensive military force.
Why Not Germany?
Some wonder why the bomb wasn’t used on Nazi Germany instead. The answer lies in timing: the Third Reich had already collapsed by then. In contrast, Japan was still strong, poised to expand even further in a war-weary world.
Pearl Harbor: The Strategic Misstep
Before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States had remained officially neutral. Japan had no compelling strategic reason to provoke a nation of such industrial power. And yet it did—and that was a fatal error.
Lessons Never to Forget
These were tragic events—ones we must ensure never repeat. True civilization is not measured by military might, but by our ability to resolve conflict through diplomacy and reason.
Even the smallest confrontation, if left unchecked, can escalate into a global catastrophe.
Nagasaki: The Second Wound
Just three days after Hiroshima, another atomic bomb was dropped—this time on Nagasaki.
Since then, the world has lived under the shadow of what nuclear war truly means.
Never Again
No more atomic bombs. No more nuclear war.
Respect to Japan.
Respect to the United States.
Respect to a civilized world.
🇯🇵🇺🇸🇩🇪🇷🇺🇮🇹🇬🇧🇫🇷🇨🇳
LMCR – C.R.Luismël
August 6, 2020
#articulosLuismel
📌 This article was originally written in Spanish by Luismël Crosby on August 6, 2020, and is now presented in bilingual form to mark the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
