Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Roderick Wilson History Department University of Wisconsin-Whitewater WWII/Pacific War ( ) Asia-Pacific War ( ) Why did President Truman use the bomb? Mostly a military decision? Mostly atomic diplomacy? Mostly a racism/dehumanism? Mostly assumed it would be used and never really discussed? Harry S. Truman Little Boy bomb dropped on Hiroshima Manhatten Projects General Leslie Groves and Robert Oppenheimer 6 August 1945 Casualties in Hiroshima 80,000 died instantly 60,000 died from radiation poisoning by the end of 1945 Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Kenzo Tange designed the memorial park Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Peace Memorial Museum and displays Cenotaph Burial mound for ashes of 70,000 victims Childrens Peace Monument Peace Watch Tower Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Hiroshima/Japan as Victim 1945 Casualties in Japan Tokyo: 100,000 Civilians in Saipan: 10,000 Battle of Okinawa: 150,000 Hiroshima: 140,000 deaths Nagasaki: 70,000 deaths 63 other cities: 86,000 Total Japanese war dead 2.6 million Total Ill and injured 4.5 million Hiroshima/Japan as Victim Non-Japanese victims 45,000 Koreans died or were exposed to radiation 1970: Cenotaph for Korean victims built outside the park 1999: Cenotaph moved to its current location in the park Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum