Hiroshima Day marks 1945 atomic bombing and Japan’s surrender

Hiroshima Day is observed each year on 6 August to remember the United States’ dropping of the “Little Boy” atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima in 1945. The explosion instantly destroyed much of the city and caused the deaths of more than 140,000 people, with many more later succumbing to radiation‑related illnesses.

The bombing, followed three days later by the “Fat Man” bomb on Nagasaki, prompted Japan to announce its unconditional surrender, bringing World War II to an end. The day is now used worldwide as a call for peace and nuclear disarmament, urging societies to reflect on the catastrophic humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons.