64th Anniversary of Hiroshima Bombing

At 8:15am this day, 46 years ago, Enola Gay dropped "Little Boy" (a uranium bomb) on to the city of Hiroshima. 6th August was chosen because clouds had previously obscured the target. The target was chosen for military reasons and for its terrain. The Target Committee rated Hiroshima as an 'AA Target'. The Committee's clinical research into the suitability of Hiroshima as an atomic bomb target is summed up in the following paragraph (quoted from the minutes):

"This is an important army depot and port of embarkation in the middle of an urban industrial area. It is a good radar target and it is such a size that a large part of the city could be extensively damaged. There are adjacent hills which are likely to produce a focussing effect which would considerably increase the blast damage."

Boston.Com's The Big Picture has a good visual time line of the Hiroshima bombing.

I was in Hiroshima in February 2008. Something about the place and its plight really resonated in my psyche. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was really very good.