August 6, 1945
US DROPS ATOMIC BOMB ON HIROSHIMA
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Harry S. Truman announced today the United States has dropped an atomic bomb on the city of Hiroshima in Japan.
The development of the atomic bomb came as a result of the Manhattan Project initiated by the late President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The A-bomb was dropped from the Enola Gay, a B-29 piloted by Paul Tibbets.
Waves Prior to Bombing*
*Tibbets, from Nashville, Tennessee, named the B29 for his mother.
The bomb detonated 1900 feet above the city at 8:15 a.m. local time.
It is estimated that the radius of total destruction extended 1 mile with 69% of the city’s buildings destroyed.
70,000 to 80,000 people are believed to be dead with 170,000 more injured.
President Truman issued the following statement in his announcement of the use of the atomic bomb on Japan:
“If they do not now accept our terms, they may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like which has never been seen on this earth.”
Ruins of Hiroshima
August 6, 1943
JFK CARVES MESSAGE ON COCONUT
Cross Island, Solomon Islands (JFK+50) Lt. John F. Kennedy along with 2 friendly natives named Biuku Gasa & Eroni Kumana canoed to Cross Island today to pick up Barney Ross.
Lt. Kennedy picked up a coconut & with his knife carved a message & asked the natives to take it to the coastwatcher on Wana Wana.
The message reads:
“Nauro Isl – Commander – Native Knows Posit – He Can Pilot – 11 Alive – Need Small Boat – Kennedy”*
*JFK had the coconut made into a paperweight & it was used on his desk at the White House. Today it can be seen at the JFK Library.
Dave Powers said that it was the most important object in the library because without it, all the rest would have never been possible.
JFK’s Coconut Message Paperweight
JFK Library Photo
August 6, 1962
SOVIETS EXPLODE 30 MEGATON BOMB
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) The United States government announced today that the Soviet Union has detonated a 30 megaton atomic bomb above the Arctic Ocean.
Ironically, today marks the 17th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.
August 6, 1965
LBJ SIGNS VOTING RIGHTS ACT
Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 today which outlaws discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests, as a prerequisite to voting.*
Attending the signing ceremony were civil rights leaders & activists including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. & Rosa Parks.*
*By the end of 1965, 250,000 new black voters had been registered, 1/3 by federal examiners.
LBJ Congratulates Civil Rights Leaders
Signing of the Voting Rights Act
Photo by Yoichi R. Okamoto
August 6, 1926
GERTRUDE EDERLE BECOMES THE FIRST WOMAN TO SWIM THE ENGLISH CHANNEL
Dover, England (JFK+50) Gertrude Ederle, a 21 year old American swimmer who won the gold medal at the 1924 Olympics in Paris, became the 1st woman in history today to swim the English Channel.
Ederle, born in New York City, completed the swim from Cape Griz-Nez in France to Dover, England in 14 hours & 31 minutes.
German Federal Archive
August 6, 1915
ANZAC FORCES LAND AT SUVLA BAY
Suvla Bay, Aegean Sea (JFK+50) Australian & New Zealand Army Corps forces made landings today under Sir Frederick Stopford at Suvla Bay on the Aegean Sea.
German Federal Archive
The attack, made against German & Turkish forces on the Gallipoli peninsula, resulted in nearly 20,000 Allied casualties.*
*The term “ANZAC” originated with the landings at Suvla Bay. Later when Aussie soldiers were fighting in France, they became known as “Diggers”.
FOR THE FALLEN: THE ODE
by Laurence Binyon (1914)
They went with songs to the Battle
They were young, Straight of Limb,
True of eyes, steady & aglow,
They were staunch to the end
against odds uncounted.
They fell with their faces to the foe
They shall not grow old
As we are left to grow old
Age shall not weary them
Nor the years condemn
At the going down of the sun
And in the morning
We will remember-Lest we forget.