The atomic bombs were dropped on Japan in early August 1945 during the final days of World War II.

Exact dates

  • Hiroshima: The first atomic bomb, nicknamed Little Boy, was dropped on the city of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, at about 8:15 a.m. local time.
  • Nagasaki: The second bomb, nicknamed Fat Man, was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, around 11:02 a.m. local time.

These two bombings marked the first use of nuclear weapons in war and led directly to Japan’s decision to accept Allied surrender terms later in August 1945.