ATOMIC-BOMB DOME

Atomic-Bomb Dome

The Atomic-Bomb Dome was originally designed by Czech architect Jan Letzel as the “Hiroshima Product Exhibition Hall” in 1915.

Atomic bomb was dropped at Hiroshima city at 8:15 AM August 6, 1945.

 

Why U.S dropped A-bomb at Hiroshima?

・Listed 17 cities in the beginning 

  1. Tokyo Bay Area
  2. Kawasaki    
  3. Yokohama
  4. Nagoya
  5. Osaka
  6. Kobe
  7. Kyoto
  8. Hiroshima
  9. Kure (Hiroshima) 
  10. Yamaguchi
  11. Shimonoseki
  12. Kokura
  13. Yahata
  14. Fukuoka
  15. Nagasaki
  16. Sasebo
  17. Kumamoto

・The United States chose Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Niigata, and Kokura.

    Kyoto was listed in the beginning, but Henry Stimson was against it for strategic and emotional reasons, and finally removed.

 

The target city should be clarified certain condition

・Certain amount of popular density to check damage(The target area have 3 mile diameter complex and surrounded by residence)

・Military related city or highly value for tactical point of view

・No Prisoner of War camp (U.S military did not know there were POW of  B-24 “Lonesome Lady” which shot down on Jul 28)

・Clear weather

 

Bomber’s name: Enola Gay

Bomb name: Little Boy

Where did the bomb exploded？

600meter high above Shima-Hospital, near(approx 170 m) the Atomic -Bomb Dome.

The original target was Aioli Bashi-bridge with T-shaped bridge near Atomic Bomb Dome.

The temperature goes 3000-4000 degrees in a moment around the hypocenter. Most of the buildings within 500meter radius collapsed and most of the buildings were made of wood. Some buildings that avoided complete demolition were made of concrete such as “A-Bomb Dome and Rest house”. Only 10 personnel survived within 500 meter around the hypocenter.

 

What happened the building？

There were about 30 person inside building when the moment bomb exploded and fall victim in a moment.

 

Why did the building not totally destroyed？

There were some reasons.

A-Bomb Dome was built with wire-concrete instead all wooden buildings around 500 diameter of hypocenter were gone.

Blast came almost overhead to the A-bomb dome.

Designed with many windows are broken easily to through the blast, not bear the blunt of power.