Nagasaki was struck by the second atomic bomb in 1945.
The United States dropped the plutonium bomb Fat Man on Nagasaki on 9 August 1945. The B-29 bomber Bockscar carried the weapon, which exploded over the city after the crew changed from its original target because of weather and fuel limitations.
Nagasaki was a major port and industrial center, with shipyards and arms production. The terrain of hills and valleys affected the spread of the blast, though the destruction and loss of life were catastrophic. Tens of thousands of people died immediately or later from injuries and radiation-related effects.
The bombing came three days after Hiroshima and on the same day that the Soviet Union began its offensive against Japan. Japan’s leaders debated surrender, and Emperor Hirohito ultimately intervened in favor of accepting the Potsdam Declaration. His decision was broadcast on 15 August, while the formal surrender was signed on 2 September aboard USS Missouri.