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The United States became the first nation to use a nuclear weapon 70 years ago today—an action that marked the dawn of a new age of military mythology.
The attack on Hiroshima, and on Nagasaki three days later, killed at least 129,000 people in Japan. The U.S. decided that the atomic bomb was necessary to end the Second World War.
Today, nuclear weapons are both much more sophisticated and deadly. And there are nearly 16,000 nuclear weapons in the arsenals of nine countries around the world.
Eric Schlosser, author of "Command and Control: Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety," examines how Americans perceive nuclear weapons today, the prevalence of nuclear accidents post-World War II, and whether nuclear weapons are here to stay.
What if your hometown were hit by the Hiroshima atomic bomb? Our friends at Public Radio International developed an application that allows you to visualize the damage that the same atomic bomb would inflict on another location in today's world, such as your hometown. You may be surprised at the extent of the damage. Find out more about this tool from PRI here.