The End of WWII

This week marks the 80th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki by Allied forces during World War II, the first and only use of atomic weapons in war. Tens of thousands were killed in the initial explosions and many more would later succumb to radiation poisoning. On August 10, the day after the bombing of Nagasaki, the Japanese government agreed to surrender.
Hiroshima: What happened? 75th anniversary video. Hiroshima, Japan; atomic bomb; radiation; World War II; Japanese surrender [MUSIC ONLY. NO NARRATION]
Hiroshima, 8:15 AM, August 6, 1945
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Discover the facts about the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan during World War II
Nagasaki, 11:02 AM, August 9, 1945
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

News and Notes

This weekend sees a historic achievement in professional sports and marks the anniversary of a U.S. president’s ignominious end.

First woman umpire in MLB history

Jen Pawol has been called up to the big leagues to become the first woman to umpire in an MLB game, during a doubleheader between the Miami Marlins and the Atlanta Braves on Saturday. Pawol has a long career in umpiring, having already umpired thousands of softball games before starting her baseball umpiring career in MLB’s minor leagues in 2016. Before her umpiring career, Pawol was a star athlete in high school and college, and she played on the USA Baseball Women’s National Team that won the inaugural Baseball Women’s World Series.

Baseball umpire Jen Pawol - first women to umpire an MLB baseball game - speaking with fellow umpires at the 2024 Spring Training Game between the Houston Astros and Washington Nationals at Cacti Park of the Palm Beaches on February 24, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Houston Astros Manager Joe Espada is at left. “I shall resign...”

Fifty-one years ago this weekend, the Watergate scandal came to a dramatic end at 9:00 PM on August 8, 1974, when Pres. Richard Nixon announced in a national address from the White House that he would resign the presidency of the United States the next day at noon. The only U.S. president ever to resign, Nixon was replaced by his vice president, Gerald Ford.

© Daniel Shirey—MLB Photos/Getty Images
A Current Affairs Program
For Students & Nonstudents
Football
Should Youth Play Tackle Football?
Golf
Is Golf a Sport and Are Golfers Athletes?
Binge-watching
Is Binge-watching Good for You?

Trending Quizzes

See All Quizzes
Where in America is That?
Crisscross the U.S. by placing these famous landmarks.
From Athena to Zeus: Basics of Greek Mythology
Do you know which hero took a dip in the River Styx? Or what mysteries lurk inside the Labyrinth?
Ultimate Animals Quiz
What is a rattlesnake’s rattle made of? What animals can go over 180 miles an hour?
Guess the Language! Quiz
Can you recognize a language by its greeting?
Best Picture Movie Quote Quiz
Take this quiz or you may regret it. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon, and for the rest of your life.
American Civil Rights Movement Quiz
Test your knowledge of Americans’ tumultuous fight to end racial segregation and discrimination.
Name That Thing: Tools
A handy quiz to test your tool acumen.
The Dog Breed Quiz
Find out which breed can outrun a cheetah, which breed was created by monks, and much more.
Baking and Baked Goods Quiz
You may have a sweet tooth, but how much do you know about baking and baked goods? Test your knowledge with this quiz.
First Ladies of the United States Quiz
They have been hostesses, helpers, advisers, gatekeepers, guardians, confidantes, and sometimes formidable powers behind...

Featured Videos

See All Videos
How are hurricanes and typhoons named?
How are hurricanes and typhoons named?
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Britannica Premium Subscription

Unlock Exclusive Content!

Britannica's content is among the most trusted in the world. Subscribe to Britannica Premium and unlock our entire database of trusted content today.
Subscribe Now!
Mortgage Payment Calculator
Estimate your monthly mortgage payments with our free mortgage calculator. Account for interest rates, compound frequency and pay back schedule.
Compound Interest Calculator
Compounding means getting returns on your previous returns plus your initial investment. Learn how to grow your savings with our compound interest calculator.
Percentage Increase Calculator
Calculate the increase from one value to another with our free percentage increase calculator. Evaluate population growth, inflation, stock values and more.
Retirement Income Calculator
Are you on track for retirement? Use our free retirement calculator to help determine how much you'll need to save each year to retire at your desired age.
Time Value of Money (TVM) Calculator
The time value of money (TVM) principle asserts that the same amount of money is worth more now than in the future. Use our TVM calculator to estimate future value, present value & more.

More From Britannica

ProCon
Award-winning ProCon promotes critical thinking, education, and informed citizenship by presenting the pro and con arguments to controversial issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, freely accessible way.
Britannica Money
Discover all you need to know about retirement, investing, and household finance, without the jargon or agenda. Get reliable guidance, insight, and easy-to-understand explanations, written, edited, and verified to Britannica’s exacting standards.
Advocacy for Animals
Presenting Advocacy for Animals, a blog focused primarily on animal rights, wildlife conservation, environmental health and safety, and the legal and cultural issues related to these topics. This blog is a source of information and a call to action. It is meant to be a provocation and a stimulus to thought regarding humanity’s relationship with nonhuman animals.
Alain Elkann Interviews
Alain has been writing a weekly interview column for the Italian newspaper La Stampa since 1989. His interviews celebrate some of the best known and successful personalities of the present day.
Do not sell my info
You have chosen to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your information from this site and any of its affiliates. To opt back in please click the "Customize my ad experience" link.

This site collects information through the use of cookies and other tracking tools. Cookies and these tools do not contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal information that would be stored about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from them. This information would be used and shared for Analytics, Ad Serving, Interest Based Advertising, among other purposes.

For more information please visit this site's Privacy Policy.
CANCEL
CONTINUE