The use of the plutonium atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, was nearly impossible to stop due to an unstoppable momentum within Allied military planning, according to Manhattan Project physicist Philip Morrison. Thirty years after the strike, Morrison revealed in a BBC interview that additional atomic attacks were planned, and that only President Franklin D. Roosevelt possessed the authority to alter the course of the war before his death in April 1945.
Manhattan Project Physics and the Path to Nagasaki
Philip Morrison played a central role in the Manhattan Project, working at the Los Alamos laboratory under J. Robert Oppenheimer. According to Morrison’s historical accounts, he transported the plutonium core of the first atomic bomb in his lap during the car journey to New Mexico for the Trinity test on July 16, 1945. Afterward, he traveled to Tinian Island to help assemble the “Fat Man” plutonium bomb. On August 9, 1945, Morrison directed the loading of the weapon onto a B-29 bomber just three days after the atomic attack on Hiroshima. Morrison described Tinian to a Senate committee in December 1945 as possessing the world’s largest airport, featuring six runways nearly 3.2 kilometers long carved out of a coral ridge.
Did you know? Morrison recalled that while conventional incendiary missions involved thousands of tons of aviation fuel and a constant stream of B-29s taking off every 15 seconds, the atomic missions relied on a small team of about 25 scientists from Los Alamos working in Quonset huts with a largely empty airfield.
Scale of Destruction in Hiroshima and Nagasaki
The human toll of the atomic bombings remains heavily documented through historical casualty estimates and scientific surveys. In Hiroshima, according to historical records, at least 80,000 people died immediately, with the total number eventually reaching approximately 140,000 due to severe burns, injuries, and acute radiation sickness. In Nagasaki, approximately 40,000 people died during the initial blast, while over 100,000 deaths were directly linked to the bombing over the subsequent five years. Morrison later visited the devastated cities as part of an official scientific team, recalling a Japanese representative standing in the ruins of Hiroshima and stating that destruction by a single bomb was intolerable.
Why the Atomic Strikes Became Unstoppable
Morrison stated that a group of young Los Alamos physicists, including himself, had hoped for a public demonstration of the weapon before its combat use, such as inviting an international delegation to the desert. However, as Morrison told BBC interviewer Melvin Bragg in 1975, such ideas were merely wishful thinking amid an active war moving toward a massive Pacific invasion. Roosevelt was the only official with sufficient government power to reverse the momentum, but Roosevelt died months before the weapon’s combat viability was confirmed. When Harry S. Truman assumed the presidency, he learned of the project only after taking the oath of office, leaving him to inherit a decision that Morrison argued effectively made itself under wartime pressures.
Plans for Future Atomic Bombings and Postwar Advocacy
Military planning did not stop with the second bomb dropped on Nagasaki. According to Morrison, commands directed forces to drop the first bomb and then deploy the second as quickly as possible, with initial plans even assigning Morrison the task of preparing a schedule for additional atomic bombings to continue for an entire year if necessary. In his 1945 Senate testimony, Morrison maintained that no future war involving such weapons could ever be permitted, and he expressed lasting regret that the Allies failed to issue a clear and adequate warning to Japan beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki?
The plutonium atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
What was Philip Morrison’s role in the Manhattan Project?
Philip Morrison was a physicist at the Los Alamos laboratory who helped transport the plutonium core for the Trinity test and later assembled the “Fat Man” bomb on Tinian Island.
Did planners consider stopping after the first atomic bomb?
According to Morrison, orders directed commanders to drop the first bomb and deploy the second as quickly as possible without pausing to evaluate the initial impact.
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