Atomic Bombs in H. G. Wells's The World Set Free Essay Example

Nuclear bombs hit on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed an estimated 150,000-246,000 people. The atomic bomb is a very powerful radioactive device. During WW2 the US did not want to invade mainland Japan so they decided to go around that and use this new very powerful weapon. After it was dropped the Japanese surrendered immediately. The death toll was a lot larger then just 150,000-246,000 a lot of people got cancer from the radioactive stuff the bomb released. Before the atomic bomb was even devloped H.G Wells wrote a book called “The World Set Free” that was ruffly 25-30 years before the bomb was even developed.

H.G Wells predicted many things thanks to his education. In the book “The World Set Free” he predicted a radioactive device that could devastate a population. The World Set Free was published right before WW1 started. H.G Wells was a chemist who later started studying biology. Sense he was a chemist  and the tensions in Europe combined made him think about a radioactive device that could  destroy a city. In the book “The World Set Free” he says “In the map of nearly every country of the world three or four or more red circles, a score of miles in diameter, mark the position of the dying atomic bombs and the death areas that men have been forced to abandon around them. Within these areas perished museums, cathedrals, palaces, libraries, galleries of masterpieces, and a vast accumulation of human achievement, whose charred remains lie buried, a legacy of curious material that only future generations may hope to examine”. In this quote you can really see how hes certain that an atomic bomb could destory a city that many achivaments have been made in.The atomic bomb wasent a popular idea but when it was used it had a devastating affect when it was used.  

No one really thought of radioactive bombs as anything during the early 20st centry and the 19th centry. But now in the 21st centry after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki the worlds view of radioactive bombs is very much diffrent. Before WW2 H.G Wells atomic bomb theroy was not very populer and people thought it wasent a dangeros thing. But once Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed the effects were as deveasating as H.G Wells imagained. “By the end of 1945, the bombing had killed an estimated 140,000 people in Hiroshima, and a further 74,000 in Nagasaki”(Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings) Now in the modern day world atomic bombs are strictly prohibited from being used by any country. Currently 9 countries hold the power to nuke anyone but if they were to nuke someone there would be devastating impacts for them. As Noam Chomsky writes “Its a near miracle that nuclear war has so far been avoided “(Rebekah Rebekah Mccullough) The nuclear bomb was origin was the Manhattan Project starting on August 13, 1942 the motive behind it was the US felt german scientist were making a weapon simular. After the USA nuked Hiroshima and Nagasaki many countries such as the Soviet Union started developing atomic bombs. The atomic bomb that was droped on Hiroshima is not that powerful compare to the Tsar Bomba. Made in 1961 by the Soviet Union this bomb was 3,333 kilotuns more powerful. This bomb could destory a whole population and leave a huge city like Tokyo into ruins.

H.G Wells brought the topic of the Atomic bomb up. Without the book “The World Set Free” we would not have constant nuclear warfare threats and Hiroshima and Nagasaki would not have been nuked. During H.G Wells' time he'd gone through two word wars. He was able to turn simple bomb into a devastating nuclear one. Overall H.G Wells predicited the atomic bomb and took bombing to a whole nother level.