Warnings about Hiroshima A-Bomb Attack in 1945
There are still some arguments as to whether the US announced beforehand its planned attack on Hiroshima and Nagasaki with atomic bombs in early August of 1945.
Note that the US military planes had dropped more than one million leaflets in Japan to persuade Japanese citizens to end the war against the US in the last months of WWII. For example, the following leaflets seem to have been surely delivered to Japanese citizens by the US military at the time.
Primary Resources: Leaflets warning Japanese of Atomic Bomb, 1945
Leaflets dropped on cities in Japan warning civilians about the atomic bomb, dropped c. August 6, 1945
TO THE JAPANESE PEOPLE:
America asks that you take immediate heed of what we say on this leaflet.
We are in possession of the most destructive explosive ever devised by man. A single one of our newly developed atomic bombs is actually the equivalent in explosive power to what 2000 of our giant B-29s can carry on a single mission. This awful fact is one for you to ponder and we solemnly assure you it is grimly accurate.
We have just begun to use this weapon against your homeland. If you still have any doubt, make inquiry as to what happened to Hiroshima when just one atomic bomb fell on that city.
Before using this bomb to destroy every resource of the military by which they are prolonging this useless war, we ask that you now petition the Emperor to end the war. Our president has outlined for you the thirteen consequences of an honorable surrender. We urge that you accept these consequences and begin the work of building a new, better and peace-loving Japan.
You should take steps now to cease military resistance. Otherwise, we shall resolutely employ this bomb and all our other superior weapons to promptly and forcefully end the war.
EVACUATE YOUR CITIES.
ATTENTION JAPANESE PEOPLE. EVACUATE YOUR CITIES.
Because your military leaders have rejected the thirteen part surrender declaration, two momentous events have occurred in the last few days.
The Soviet Union, because of this rejection on the part of the military has notified your Ambassador Sato that it has declared war on your nation. Thus, all powerful countries of the world are now at war with you.
Also, because of your leaders' refusal to accept the surrender declaration that would enable Japan to honorably end this useless war, we have employed our atomic bomb.
A single one of our newly developed atomic bombs is actually the equivalent in explosive power to what 2000 of our giant B-29s could have carried on a single mission. Radio Tokyo has told you that with the first use of this weapon of total destruction, Hiroshima was virtually destroyed.
Before we use this bomb again and again to destroy every resource of the military by which they are prolonging this useless war, petition the emperor now to end the war. Our president has outlined for you the thirteen consequences of an honorable surrender. We urge that you accept these consequences and begin the work of building a new, better, and peace-loving Japan.
Act at once or we shall resolutely employ this bomb and all our other superior weapons to promptly and forcefully end the war.
EVACUATE YOUR CITIES.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/truman-leaflets/
Nonetheless, the above leaflets seem to have been dropped on Japanese cities after the Hiroshima attack but before the Nagasaki attack, since the Soviet Union declared war against the Empire of Japan between the Hiroshima bombing and the Nagasaki.
It is unlikely that immediately before the Hiroshima attack, the US would provide any specific warning of its use of an atomic bomb, since this new type of bomb might have failed, though they actually gave general warnings on their exhaustive air raids on Japanese cities before Hiroshima.
But, a Japanese veteran of WWII wrote a book claiming that he, as a soldier of the Imperial Army troops stationed around Canton, China, was in charge of listening to radio broadcasting in Japanese by the UK and the US Governments and military. They received messages, news, reports, etc. contained in such broadcasting to relay them to superior officers and finally to military headquarters in Tokyo.
WW2: AMERICA WARNED HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI CITIZENSARTICLE #11 • WRITTEN BY ALAN BELLOWS
...
Shortly before the US dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, the United Stated showered the Japanese cities of Nagasaki, Hiroshima, and 33 other potential targets with over 5 million leaflets warning civilians of the impending attack.
...
An American-controlled radio station on Saipan was broadcasting a similar message to the Japanese people every 15 minutes. Five days after the fliers were distributed, Hiroshima was destroyed by the "Little Boy" atomic device. Following the first attack, the U.S. air force dropped even more leaflets:
America asks that you take immediate heed of what we say on this leaflet.We are in possession of the most destructive explosive ever devised by man. A single one of our newly developed atomic bombs is actually the equivalent in explosive power to what 2000 of our giant B-29s can carry on a single mission. This awful fact is one for you to ponder and we solemnly assure you it is grimly accurate.
We have just begun to use this weapon against your homeland. If you still have any doubt, make inquiry as to what happened to Hiroshima when just one atomic bomb fell on that city.
Before using this bomb to destroy every resource of the military by which they are prolonging this useless war, we ask that you now petition the Emperor to end the war. Our president has outlined for you the thirteen consequences of an honorable surrender. We urge that you accept these consequences and begin the work of building a new, better and peace-loving Japan.
You should take steps now to cease military resistance. Otherwise, we shall resolutely employ this bomb and all our other superior weapons to promptly and forcefully end the war.
Three days after Hiroshima, the "Fat Man" bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.It is not yet confirmed, but the Japanese author wrote that a broadcast called "New Delhi Broadcasting" provided information even about success of an atomic bomb test conducted in New Mexico, the US, in July 1945. New Delhi Broadcasting is said to have delivered news reports BBC had broadcast after translation into Japanese.
The distribution of these leaflets, along with the radio broadcasts, does put a dent in the argument that America was unconcerned about the potential civilian deaths as a result of an atomic attack, but the debate over the bombs' necessity in ending the war will never be truly resolved.
http://www.damninteresting.com/ww2-america-warned-hiroshima-and-nagasaki-citizens/
There are still some mysteries about the Hiroshima tragedy of 1945.
*** *** *** ***
Luk 10:9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.