Quiz of the Day
Hiroshima Day
Thursday, 6 August 2026
On August 6, 1945, the atomic bomb changed history forever — explore the science, decisions, and legacy of nuclear weapons and the path toward peace
1. What was the code name for the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945?
- Little Boy
- Big Bang
- Trinity
- Fat Man
'Little Boy' was a uranium-based gun-type fission bomb, while 'Fat Man' — dropped on Nagasaki three days later — was a more complex plutonium implosion device. The names were informal nicknames used by the Manhattan Project team. 'Little Boy' detonated at 8:15 AM local time, killing an estimated 70,000–80,000 people instantly.
2. What was the name of the B-29 bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima?
- Straight Flush
- Bockscar
- Great Artiste
- Enola Gay
Colonel Paul Tibbets named the B-29 after his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets. The plane is now preserved at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia. Tibbets never expressed regret for the mission, believing it ended the war and saved millions of lives on both sides from an invasion of Japan.
3. What is the Japanese term for the survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
- Hibakusha
- Samurai
- Kamikazae
- Kamikaze
Hibakusha (被爆者) literally means 'explosion-affected people.' For decades, hibakusha faced discrimination in Japan — people feared radiation sickness was contagious and they were considered damaged goods for marriage. The last surviving hibakusha have dedicated their lives to global nuclear disarmament advocacy before their generation passes.
4. What was the Manhattan Project?
- The Allied code for D-Day
- The US plan to invade Japan
- A New York City urban planning initiative
- The secret WWII program that developed the atomic bomb
The Manhattan Project employed over 130,000 people at its peak, at sites across the US, UK, and Canada — yet most workers had no idea what they were building. The project's total cost was about $2 billion ($30+ billion in today's dollars). J. Robert Oppenheimer, its scientific director, famously quoted the Bhagavad Gita after the first test: 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.'
5. What is the structure in Hiroshima that was left standing near the bomb's hypocenter and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site?
- Hijiyama Park Shrine
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
- Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome)
- Hiroshima Castle
The Atomic Bomb Dome (Genbaku Dome) survived because the bomb exploded almost directly overhead — the downward blast pressure wasn't strong enough to collapse its vertical walls. It was deliberately preserved as a memorial. Japan controversially listed it as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 over objections from China and the United States.
6. How many countries currently possess nuclear weapons?
- 5
- 9
- 12
- 7
Nine countries possess nuclear weapons as of the mid-2020s: the United States, Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom, Pakistan, India, Israel (which neither confirms nor denies), and North Korea. Russia and the US together possess approximately 90% of all nuclear warheads — some 12,000 combined out of roughly 13,000 worldwide.
7. What was 'Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes' about?
- A hibakusha girl who folded cranes hoping to be healed
- A Japanese wartime spy story
- A folklore tale about origami magic
- A story about rebuilding Hiroshima
Sadako Sasaki was two years old when the bomb fell and developed leukemia at age 12 from radiation exposure. A Japanese legend said anyone who folded 1,000 paper cranes would be granted a wish. She folded over 1,400 cranes before dying in 1955, aged 12. Her story inspired the Children's Peace Monument in Hiroshima, which receives millions of folded cranes annually.
8. What treaty, signed in 1968, aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons?
- START Treaty
- Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
- Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)
- Geneva Convention
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has 191 signatory states — more than any other arms limitation agreement. It creates three pillars: non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy. However, India, Pakistan, Israel, and South Sudan have never signed it, and North Korea withdrew in 2003.
9. What was 'Black Rain' in Hiroshima after the bombing?
- Code name for a follow-up bombing
- Charred debris falling from the sky
- A propaganda film about the bombing
- Radioactive contaminated rain that fell after the explosion
Within hours of the blast, a dark oily rain fell over Hiroshima — a mixture of moisture, dust, soot, and radioactive particles sucked up by the mushroom cloud and condensed into black droplets. People who sheltered from the initial blast but were caught in the black rain suffered radiation exposure. Japanese courts only began recognizing black rain victims' hibakusha status in recent decades.
10. What is the term for the distinctive shadow impressions burned into surfaces by the Hiroshima bomb?
- Thermal silhouettes
- Atomic shadows
- Nuclear stains
- Radiation imprints
The atomic bomb's intense thermal flash permanently bleached or darkened surfaces, leaving 'atomic shadows' where objects or people blocked the radiation. The most famous is a shadow on Sumitomo Bank's steps where someone sat waiting for the bank to open — the person was vaporized, leaving only their shadow seared into the stone.
11. What is the 'Doomsday Clock' and who maintains it?
- A nuclear countdown device in the Pentagon
- An alarm system for nuclear launch detection
- A symbolic clock showing how close humanity is to nuclear catastrophe
- A clock in the Hiroshima memorial
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has maintained the Doomsday Clock since 1947. 'Midnight' represents global catastrophe. The clock was set to 100 seconds to midnight in 2020 — the closest it had ever been. The Bulletin periodically adjusts it based on nuclear threats, climate change, and disruptive technology risks.
12. Which US president authorized the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan?
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Winston Churchill (with US approval)
- Harry S. Truman
Harry Truman had been president for only 82 days when he made the decision to use atomic bombs. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, and Truman was only then told about the Manhattan Project. Truman maintained until his death that the bombs were necessary to end the war and prevent an invasion that could have killed millions.
13. What does the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum contain?
- Only photographs of the bombing
- Personal artifacts, survivor testimonies, and exhibits on nuclear disarmament
- Classified US military documents
- Replicas of the atomic bombs
The Peace Memorial Museum opened in 1955 and displays deeply personal artifacts: a child's melted lunchbox, a watch stopped at 8:15 AM, scorched school uniforms. Its explicit message is not just about the past but about eliminating nuclear weapons globally. Over 1.7 million people visit annually, making it one of Japan's most visited museums.
14. What survivor plant from Hiroshima became a symbol of resilience and recovery?
- Cherry blossom tree
- Ginkgo tree
- Pine tree
- Bamboo grove
Six ginkgo trees survived the atomic bombing within 1–2 km of the hypocenter, badly charred but not killed. They resumed budding the following spring. Ginkgo trees are exceptionally resistant to radiation, disease, and pollution. These 'hibakujumoku' (survivor trees) still stand in Hiroshima today and have become powerful symbols of resilience and recovery.
15. What annual ceremony is held in Hiroshima at 8:15 AM on August 6?
- A moment of silence and bell ringing marking the exact time of the bombing
- A lantern floating ceremony on the river
- A military parade honoring veterans
- A speech by the Japanese prime minister
Every August 6 at precisely 8:15 AM — the exact minute the bomb detonated — Hiroshima holds a Peace Memorial Ceremony with a moment of silence and the ringing of the Peace Bell. Paper lanterns are floated down the Motoyasu River at dusk toward the A-Bomb Dome, each bearing names or messages of peace. The ceremony draws dignitaries from around the world.