On what date did the United States drop an atomic bomb on Hiroshima in 1945?

The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

The B-29 bomber Enola Gay released the uranium bomb known as Little Boy at 8:15 a.m. local time. The explosion devastated Hiroshima, a major Japanese military and industrial center. Tens of thousands of people died immediately, and many more died later from injuries, burns, and radiation exposure.

Hiroshima was the first city in history to experience an atomic bombing. Three days later, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb on Nagasaki. The attacks remain the subject of intense historical and ethical debate, including arguments about their effects on Japan’s surrender and the lives that might have been lost in a planned invasion.

Japan’s leadership was also affected by the Soviet Union’s entry into the war against Japan on August 8–9. Emperor Hirohito announced surrender on August 15, and the formal document was signed on September 2. Hiroshima today contains the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Atomic Bomb Dome.