Hiroshima Bombing

On August 6, 1945, the Enola Gay was launched to drop the B 29 bomber, formally known as "the little boy". Hiroshima was first bombed becuase it was a large military center. This first atomic attack mission against Japan, was led by Lt. Col. Paul W. Tibbets, named Enola gay, after his mother. The B 29 took only 43 seconds to hit Hiroshima, and the damage was more than was expected. Almost half of the deaths from the bomb occured in  the first day. 60% died from flash or burns, while 10% died from falling debris, 30% died from other causes, and radiation. Within the first hours of the bombing oh Hiroshima 90,000 civilian lives were taken. Although Truman and his scientists who worked diligently on the manhattan project, the U.S. goverement did not understand the full extent of how potent radiation was. Boming in Hiroshima affected those within two to three kilometers of the hypocenter, and especially those within 900 meters, who received life-threatening doses. Anyone who came into close contact with this nuclear radiation died within days. Not only was radiation deadly, it was also extremly painful. Effect of radiation include; loss of hair, diarreah, damage of the liver and other internal organs, and alterations in blood cells.
http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/Japan/Hiroshima/AtomicBombMuseum/IndividualArtifacts/index.html

J. Seimes, one of the few survivers of the bombing of Hiroshima, shares his eye witness account;
"August 6th began in a bright, clear, summer morning. About 7 o'clock, there was an air raid alarm which we had heard almost every day and a few planes appeared over the city. No one paid attention and at about 8:00, the all-clear sounded. I am sitting in my room at the Novitists of the Society of Jesus in Nagatsuki: during the past half year, the philosophical and theological section of our mission had been evacuated to this place from Tokyo. The Novitists is situated approximately 2 kilometers from Hiroshima, half-way up the side of a broad valley which stretches from the town at sea level into the mountainous hinterland, and through which courses a river. From my window, I have a wonderful view down the valley to the edge of the city. Suddenly --- the time is approximately 8:15 -- the whole valley is filled by a garish light which resembles the Magnesium light used in photography, and I am conscious of a wave heat. I jump to the window to find out the cause of this remarkable phenomenon, but I see nothing more than that brilliant yellow light. As I make for the door, it doesn't occur to me that the light might have something to do with enemy planes. On the way from the window, I hear a moderately loud explosion which seems to come from a distance and, at the same time, the windows are broken in with a loud crash. There has been an interval of perhaps ten seconds since the flash of light. I am sprayed by fragments of glass. The entire window frame has been forced into the room. I realize now that a bomb has burst and I am under the impression that it exploded directly over our house or in the immediate vicinity. I am bleeding from cuts about the hands and head. I attempt to get out of the door. It has been forced outwards by the air pressure and has become jammed. I forced an opening in the door by means of repeated blows with my hands and feet and come to a broad hall-way from which open the various rooms. Everything is in a state of confusion."
More on radiation effects in Hiroshima:
http://www.wtj.com/archives/hiroshima.htm