Magic: Far East Summary on Japanese Reaction to Hiroshimja, War Department, Aug. 10, 1945

Another report based on Magic intercepts, and again I'll just highlight a few points.

According to the intercepts, the Japanese Army said damage was extensive, and about 30% of the people were killed and 30% wounded. They also said they could not get the assistance of the police force at that time.

They said the fires were harder to put out than oil fires, and they broke out about ten minutes after the explosion, probably from sparks inside collapsed houses.

A countermeasure proposed for a future bombing was to try to shoot down the parachute of the atomic bomb. (Although if I remember correctly it was instruments that were on a parachute and not the bomb itself.)

The intercepts also suggested planes try to intercept the bombers, although there was a problem with the amount of aviation fuel available.

The reports said the B-29's were attached to the 313th bomber wing based at Tinian.



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