World War II: Atomic Weapon Use Against Japan Newspaper Coverage
612 full sheet American newspaper pages with coverage of the use of atomic weapons against Japan and that nation's World War II government’s downfall.
The Washington Star, formerly known as the Evening Star, and the Sunday Star along with three dozen regional newspapers from Alaska to the Florida Keyes in the collection, cover world reaction to the atomic bombings and efforts to conclude the war. In newspapers dating from August 6, 1945, to December 31, 1945.
In 1939, Albert Einstein and other leading scientists sent a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, warning about the potential military applications of nuclear energy, possibly being developed by Nazi Germany. This led to the establishment of the Uranium Committee, which eventually evolved into the Manhattan Project.
In July 1945, the first successful test of an atomic bomb, codenamed "Trinity," took place in New Mexico. Just weeks later, on August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb named "Little Boy" on the city of Hiroshima, followed by another bomb named "Fat Man" on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.
The surrender of Japan ending World War II was announced by Emperor Hirohito on August 15, and formally signed on September 2, 1945
