Pearl Harbor to Hiroshima: The Causal Chain

Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941)

• Japanese surprise attack on US Pacific Fleet.
• 2,403 Americans killed.
• US enters WWII.

Atomic Bombings (Aug 6 & 9, 1945)

• Hiroshima (Little Boy): ~140,000 dead.
• Nagasaki (Fat Man): ~74,000 dead.
• Goal: Force Japan's unconditional surrender.

Direct Connection

The atomic bombings were the culmination of the war Japan started at Pearl Harbor. Four years of island-hopping, firebombing, and blockade brought the US to Japan's doorstep. The bombs were chosen to avoid a projected million-plus casualties from an invasion (Operation Downfall).

Moral debate persists, but the strategic line from December 7, 1941 to August 1945 is unbroken.