Eighty years ago, on August 6, 1945, the world witnessed an unprecedented horror in human history. On this day in 1945, the United States dropped the atomic bomb “Little Boy” on Hiroshima, Japan. The B-29 bomber Enola Gay carried out this historic feat. It was undoubtedly one of the most important and monumental turning points in history, changing the course of World War II and diplomacy across the globe forever. Washington was given specific and explicit instructions for the mission. Its intent was to quickly result in victory in that war.
Enola Gay taking off, with Colonel Paul Tibbets at the sticks. It departed Tinian Island with one of its uranium-based bombs – dropped on Hiroshima – safely stowed away in its belly. The bomb was a staggering 13,500 tonnes of high explosive. It was four times the tonnage that the Allies had dropped on Dresden earlier that year to achieve its total destruction. The crew had trained in an environment where they had personally seen jammed B-29s later crash soon after take-off. Even so, they pulled off the impossible to guarantee a clear sky for the momentous drop.
Little Boy vaporized almost 40,000 souls in an instant at ground zero. It was such a cataclysm that even from 400 miles away, the destruction remained clearly evident. Yet this one bomb inflicted unprecedented devastation. It was one small piece of a broader strategy that unleashed nearly daily horror throughout Japan, all in the name of bringing a more swift conclusion to the war.
This last point was critical, because the target committee wanted Little Boy’s “first use” to be something spectacular. As practice for that bombing run, the atomic wing comprised one additional B-29 rigged with instruments to measure blast effects, which was flown by Harold Agnew. This intensive planning made clear the extraordinary devastation the atomic bomb would cause. It was important not just for military strategy, but for psychological warfare.
Frederick Ashworth, who played a crucial role in this operation, reflected on his experience succinctly:
“This was new to me … It was like nothing you ever saw.”
His feelings were a reflection of the surprise experience by nearly everyone engaged in this endeavor. The crew has been training extensively for this moment. Nothing could really prepare them for the reality of what exactly they were about to unleash.
The devastation that Little Boy unleashed on humanity filled the crew with conflicting emotions. Theodore “Dutch” Van Kirk, navigator of the Enola Gay, expressed a firm stance regarding his involvement:
“I will not say I was guilty. I will not apologise for it,” he stated resolutely. He added, “In fact, under the same conditions I’d do it again, because I truly, honestly believe it saved a lot of lives.”
Van Kirk’s comments highlight a common sentiment among those who participated in the mission: a sense of duty overshadowed by moral implications.
His personal memories are a jarring legislative reminder of the staggering material and human cost imposed by nuclear arms. The immediate obliteration of life, culture, and heritage left an indelible mark on Hiroshima and its people, a truth that echoes even now.
“The city wasn’t there. There was just nothing there. That dust cloud covered the whole city.”
Bob Lewis, another crew member, described the surreal feeling of carrying such destructive power:
The Enola Gay’s mission might have been a military operation, but it was something much more radical, a culmination of an important moment in human history. This very decision to drop Little Boy has become one of the most controversial, contested, and discussed topics by historians and ethicists ever since. The bomb, which would soon be employed against Japan, was tested in New Mexico just weeks before that deployment. That race against time reflected the urgency to demonstrate this new military technology.
“It was a funny feeling knowing it’s in back of you. Knock wood.”
The Enola Gay’s mission was not just a military endeavor; it embodied a pivotal moment in human history. The decision to drop Little Boy remains one of the most debated topics among historians and ethicists alike. The bomb’s testing in New Mexico just weeks prior to its deployment signified a race against time and an eagerness to showcase this new military technology.