The Devastating True Scale of Nuclear Weapons

The devastating true scale of nuclear weapons began on July 26, 1945, when the Allies demanded the unconditional surrender of Japan, warning of “prompt and utter destruction“ if compliance failed. Japan ignored this ultimatum. By summer, the Allies’ Manhattan Project had developed two atomic bombs: the uranium-based “Little Boy“ and plutonium-based “Fat Man.“ A top-secret mission saw six B-29 bombers heading to Hiroshima, with the Enola Gay carrying Little Boy. It was released over Hiroshima on August 6, releasing 15 kilotons of TNT, devastating a 1.6 kilometers radius. Three days later, Bockscar dropped Fat Man on Nagasaki, resulting in a 21-kiloton explosion. These bombings led to 129,000 to 226,000 deaths, prompting Japan’s surrender on August 15, 1945, ending World War II and igniting a nuclear arms race, especially between the USA and the Soviet Union. The US’s most powerful nuclear weapon today is the B83, with a maximum yield of 1.2 megatons of TN