The atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Desperate to bring an end to the Pacific Theater in World War II, the United States unleashed the most powerful and deadly bomb known to humankind at the time.

The atomic bomb was a marvel of modern science, but it left a devastating imprint on the world - particularly in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Japanese cities that were chosen as sites for the attacks.

The loss of life in these cities was catastrophic. Hundreds of thousands were killed or sickened from exposure to the radiation.

More than 60 years after the bombs were dropped, the use of atomic weapons is still debated among nations. ""The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki"" examines the reasons for using the bombs and the outcomes of their use.