The United States used two atomic bombs on Japan. After much debate and discussion, President Truman used the atomic bombs on Japan. President Truman believed using the atomic bombs would help prevent about one million American casualties that would result from a conventional invasion of Japan.

The first atomic bomb, which was nicknamed Little Boy, was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. It weighed 9700 pounds. It was 10 feet long and 28 inches in diameter. The pilot who flew the B-29 that carried this bomb was Paul Tibbets.

The second atomic bomb, which was nicknamed Fat Man, was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. It weighed 10,600 pounds and was 10 feet, 8 inches long and 60 inches in diameter. Charles Sweeney piloted the B-29 that carried this atomic bomb.

The destruction caused by dropping both atomic bombs was massive. Over 120,000 were killed as a result of these bombs being dropped on these cities. Many more people would die in the future as a result of the effects of the radiation from the bombs.