Was it worth it? August 6, 1945 defined a pivotal moment in world history. At 8:15 a.m., the United States dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, capital of Hiroshima Prefecture. Hiroshima is known worldwide as the first (and only) city decimated by a nuclear weapon in wartime. The bombing of Hiroshima was one of the most horrific events to ever occur in the world. The damage it caused, as well as the implications that followed, are why it is so well known, even today. The effects of Hiroshima continue to shape the way we think about war and bombing. It was also one of the most important turning points in World War II, as it caused the Japanese to surrender. The bomb was designed by a group of scientists as part of what became known as the Manhattan Project. The atomic bomb. The new American weapon had been developed by the top-secret Manhattan Project. This effort was led by a group of scientists who had been working together to create an atomic bomb since 1942. Many European scientists participated in this project. In 1933, physicist Albert Einstein left Germany for the United States. A large group of Europeans followed Einstein's example and also fled to the United States. Enrico Fermi was an Italian physicist who fled to the United States in 1938. He convinced the famous Einstein to warn the United States government about research being done by German scientists. In August 1939, Einstein wrote to President Roosevelt. He warned that "a single bomb of this type, transported by ship and detonated in a port, could very well destroy the entire port as well as part of the surrounding territory." It described an atomic bomb...... middle of paper...... 0,000 Japanese were killed. The United States believed that because the bombs had been created, we had every right to use them. Since the United States was engaged in a war against Japan, it was an ideal time to test the bomb and understand its effectiveness. Finally, and probably because of an emotional reaction, it was about revenge for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Revenge is part of human nature. Some argue that the bombing of Hiroshima was the only way the United States could get revenge for what the Japanese had done years earlier at Pearl Harbor. Japan had destroyed the main American naval base and ships. Without them, the United States would be vulnerable. As the Pacific War continued, the United States knew it was at risk and did not want to let anything happen to it again. By this reasoning, the bombing was a direct response to Pearl Harbor and few Americans disagreed with it..