Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-08-08
BIOS Ready for
New Assaults,
Spuutz Warns
BY the Associated Press.

GUAM, Aug. 8.-One American
Super Fortress, dropping one
atomic bomb, completely de-
stroyed" go per cent of Hiro-
shima, important japanese mill
tary base-and Gen. Carl A.
Spaatz warned today that more
B-29s are ready to drop more OF
the worlds most destructive
explosive on Japanese cities.
The Strategic Air Forces COM
mander said Al square miles of
Hiroshima's built-up area OF So
square miles were wiped out. Five
military targets were destroyed by
the one bomb. The communique did
not identify them.
Gen. Spaatz based his communique
on photographs from the sky. They
showed the heart of the city
thoroughly devastated.
Harbor Area Barely Touched.
Reconnaissance disclosed that the
harbor area of Hiroshima-which
has a population of. about 343, 900
was barely touched by the tremer-
dous blast. But the conclusion, or
fire effect, was so overpowering else
where that several firebreaks and
seven streams-one stream was about
three city blocks wide-failed to stop
the flames.
The high-f1ying camera planes
circled Hiroshima a few hours after
Mondays attack and found only two
small fires still burning. The re-
of the city appeared turned
to ashes. The lens caught photo
graphic proof that one bomb. small
enough to be carried by any Ameri-
can bomber or fighter plane packs
more death and destruction than
thousands of tons of ordinary fire
and demolition bombs.
Japs Caught Unprepared.
The city, which will 60 down in
history as the testing ground for
mans most awful weapon, was I'M
prepared for such a swift. crushing
blow. The Japanese had prepared
their defense well against Super
Forts and fire bombs, but they were
as nothing against the atom.
Tightly congested Hiroshima had
a population roughly midway be-
tween that of Denver and Seattle,
322,412 and 368, 1902 in
1910. But Denver covers 587 square
miles and Seattle 807 square miles.
Physically the destroyed area ap-
proximated that of Bayonne, N. j.,
an industrial seaport with a popu-
lation of but 9,198 in 1910.
In the heart of the city, a few
concrete structures remain standing,
like bleak sentinels over a scene of
ruin. They are believed to be air.
raid shelters. Although they we're
not destroyed, photographs indicate
they were burned out.
Two small fires were burning when
the photographs were taken in the
afternoon. The bomb was dropped
at 9:15 am. Japanese time (8:15
pm. Sunday, Washington time).
White Plume of Smoke.
An expert at Strategic Air Force
headquarters said there was no COM
parison between the fire caused by
the atomic bomb and normal con-
f1agrations. When Yokohama was
burned by incendiaries, he said, it
looked as if smoke pots were burn
ing throughout the city. At Hiro-
shima white plume of smoke rose
thousands of feet into the air.
Crewmen of the B-29 which dropped
the bomb said it rose 10000 feet.
At the base of this high hecked
was a cloudlike accumu-
lation which was believed to be
dust blown into the air by the
tremendous conclusion. Similar dust
clouds were created in Europe by
British four-ton bombs.
The high plume of smoke which
rose Immediately after the bomb
ing was likened to the smoke eff
feet from explosion of an ammuni-
ton ship.
In that one, swift, devastating
strike the B-29, piloted by Col. Paul
w. Tibbets, jr., wrought as great
damage as normally is inflicted by a
large force of the sky giants. Col.
Tibbets' Super Fort, 10 miles from
the scene and several miles high,
(See HIROSHIMA, Page A-2J